Has the rider we used to call the fastest man on the planet retired from racing so quickly that we missed it? We try to track down James Stewart WHERE WORDS: DAVEY COOMBS PHOTOS: COLLIN SPECKNER

THE IT WAS THE EVE OF the Anaheim Supercross opener, and the motorcycle media and a few mainstream outlets were gathered in the Diamond Club of Angel Stadium. Before them was HELL a cloth-covered table, behind which the fastest riders on the planet were all gathered. Well, all but one, and his absence did not go unnoticed. “Your thoughts on the state of IS affairs to be missing one of the sport’s stars, James Stewart?” one of the re- porters asked. “Who wants to take it?” A collective shrug followed; the riders exchanged glances. Then Red Bull KTM’s was asked directly. He deferred to Stewart’s longtime nemesis , which brought chuckles from the whole room. “I feel like I’m in a lose-lose,” the two-time AMA Supercross Champion tiptoed. “I think it’s really sad. . . . You know, putting my differences aside. . . . He has, what, 50 wins? Second all-time, two-time champ. He’s got the credentials, and I think it’s really sad that he doesn’t have a job. I have to think he needs to look in the mirror sometimes and see. . . . I think that’s the best way to do it. . . . I’ll miss racing him. I don’t know if this is it for him or not, though. The [picture] was JAMES kind of getting painted, and it’s sad STEWART? that it’s kind of turning out this way.”

72 73 WHERE THE HELL IS

JAMES

(Insets) Even early in his life and STEWART? career, James Stewart was a stand- out racer, winning AMA National Championships from the time he was on a Yamaha PW50 onward. He was also seemingly more comfortable in the spotlight as a youngster than as a professional, perhaps due to the pressure of winning every time he was on a racetrack. (Main) Stewart riding at his compound in Novem- ber—his one and only public appear- ance on a motorcycle in 2017. RACER X ARCHIVES

74 www.racerxonline.com hat exchange save for Racer X contributing failed. His last supercross can say is it won’t last for did not take photographer Collin Speckner. was in Santa Clara, Cali- long!!! Truly can’t tell ya how place at the Playing with his young son, fornia, on April 2, 2016. He much I’m looking forward to start of the Tabiahs, James looked happy, rode well but pulled out early returning doing it my way. Af- 2018 Monster maybe a little heavy. He did with unspecified mechanical ter months of trying to make T Energy AMA not answer any questions, and issues. He rode a few rounds things happen, I realized that Supercross then he disappeared again. of Lucas Oil Pro no matter what I would do, it Championship, but rather Once the fastest man on later that summer, the last wasn’t going to work.” 2017’s—yet it would likely the planet, Stewart is now vir- on July 23 at Washougal. He He added this cryptic play out just the same now. tually a ghost. He missed the pulled out of the second moto message: “To all that sup- James Stewart is still missing entire 2015 season after test- and has not been on or near a ported me... I’ll see you soon. from the sport. Last seen on ing positive for Adderall with- racetrack since. Too all that didn’t... I’ll see a motorcycle at his JS7 Ride out the required therapeutic you soon… For those that Day at the Stewart Com- use exemption paperwork. fter that Anaheim presser, tried to break me. Sorry... but pound in Florida, he was on a He came back at the 2016 Stewart posted this on you can’t get rid of me that Honda CRF450R, riding with Anaheim opener aboard a Yo- A his social media: “It’s easy. Not quite done yet!” kids who had won classes at shimura Suzuki, only to tangle been 16 years since a Satur- The @therealjs7 post got his JS7 Spring Champion- with Ryan Dungey early and day night in [January] came more than 54,000 likes—but ship at Freestone in Texas. earn a slight concussion. and I wasn’t in a stadium then nothing. His only other Hardly any media was there, Two more attempted returns doing what I love. But all I post that year was on May 22, KUHN JOHNSON CUDBY

75 WHERE stuck with him through the WADA debacle in 2014, perhaps recalling that Stewart went THE 1-1 at the High Point National, days before he was told about HELL the positive test and imminent suspension. Stewart hasn’t been near a podium since. IS “To be honest with you, since the relationship was sev- ered a couple years ago, we haven’t kept track with him,” says Suzuki’s Pat Alexander when asked about any poten- tial discussions for 2018 and beyond. “Company-wise, Yo- shimura made some changes and became a technical spon- sor after James left, rather JAMES than a racing thing. That’s CUDBY CUDBY pretty much where we’ve went STEWART? with things.” (Above) Stewart turned pro in 2002, 14 days after his 16th Does Alexander think we’ll birthday, finishing second at Anaheim. One week later in ever see him on the track again? San Diego, he was the winner. (Top) James and his little brother, Malcolm, flank their father, Big James, at the “Personally, I don’t think JS7 Ride Day. After being unable to build a team with his so,” he says. “He wants to be brother, Malcolm is racing a privateer Kawasaki in the that #1 guy, and unless he has 2018 AMA Supercross Series. a factory bike, I don’t think he will even entertain the idea. He’s a rare individual. But it when he memorialized MotoGP cause, after Yoshimura Suzuki would probably be the same hero Nicky Hayden, who was folded into RCH Racing and all with Ricky [Carmichael] when killed while cycling in Italy. of the other top factory rides Racer X’s Jason Weigandt were taken, it was impossible tried to find James dur- for him to compete without fac- ing the week of the Daytona tory electronics, regardless of Supercross, driving right up to the bike brand. the front gate of the Stewart “Best rider, best shape, In the end, compound. There he found best suspension—there’s no James’ little brother, Malcolm, way you’re winning without the I think we and then Big James, their factory electronics,” Stewart father. Like always, they were Sr. said. When asked if James friendly and talkative. They would ever come back to rac- were maybe were also the only Stewarts that ing, he said without hesitation, Weigandt would get to talk to “He’ll be back.” being jerked for his magazine feature “Where But it wouldn’t be with Su- Is James Stewart?” (June zuki, the brand he’d ridden since around by 2017). Big James explained parting ways with JGR Yamaha that James wasn’t out there be- in May of 2012. The brand had some people.”

ROGER LARSEN, SEVEN MX

76 www.racerxonline.com bersake?) and owner. We’ve reached out to James numer- ous times through Larsen, but for the last year, the answer has always been roughly “not right now but maybe later.” “You could pay James hun- dreds of thousands of dollars to do something, but he just doesn’t want to go anywhere right now,” Larsen says. “We might have a big race or big event coming up, but he would rather be home with his family.” While James is active with his Seven MX brand, it’s mostly from home. He’s been getting help and guidance from Eddie Cole, himself a pro racer in the seventies who founded Answer

CUDBY CUDBY CUDBY Products, SixSixOne, and Matrix and is now reviving Tag Metals. (Above) Scenes from Stewart’s journey through the years Asked if he thinks we’ll see include his wigged-out homage to Rick James, a stare- #7 on the racetrack again, Cole down with his longtime rival Chad Reed after their run-in at the ’09 Jacksonville SX, and celebrating one of his last wins replies, “That’s a really good aboard a Yoshimura Suzuki. (Top) Stewart rode a Honda at question, and to be honest, I his ride day but likely would have ridden any brand in 2018 ask myself the same! We don’t had it come with factory equipment. really talk much about the rac- ing side—Seven as a brand is completely separate from what he was in the same boat when being at the starting gate at James is doing as a racer. It he was at the end of his career.” Anaheim 1 2018,” Larsen says. After the 2017 season, the “We did everything we could to AMA was assigning rider num- put a team together, and RCH bers for 2018 when supercross Racing sitting down, there were manager Mike Pelletier realized some really good guys out Stewart’s #7 was technically there who were ready to go to He doesn’t want to go up for grabs, as James had not work, but then we kept having out there on a stock scored a point that season. A deals not quite come through, call was made to Big James, and we were waiting and bike without the right who said James was not done— waiting. . . . In the end, I think both Stewarts would be racing we were maybe being jerked equipment and get in 2018. He and longtime Stew- around by some people.” 10th or 12th, nor does art friend and manager Roger Larsen has the tough job of Larsen of Seven MX, James’ building the Seven MX brand he want to do it for clothing company, were working and managing a growing team free. But there’s no one on a team for the brothers, but of top amateur prospects while nothing had come together yet. also fielding questions about standing in line wait- “We had every intention of the brand’s namesake (num- ing to sign him.”

EDDIE COLE

78 www.racerxonline.com Now a husband and father to his young son Tabiahs, James Stewart is obviously cherish- ing his time at home with his family. What is uncertain is whether we will ever see the rider once hailed as the fast- est man on the planet race a dirt bike again.

80 www.racerxonline.com seems to be kind of a subject “Right now, like everybody, WHERE not so much. Ryan Dungey did that he doesn’t really talk about, we’re waiting to see what his a championship mic drop last at least not with me—maybe next move is, or if there even May. just sort of not with anyone. My sense is is a next move,” Red Bull’s THE bounced off into freestyle and that he wants to ride and he’s Jeremy Mallott says of his long- rally car and his own Nitro Cir- trying to find the right program, time friend. “Right now, Red HELL cus. Everyone wants to go out but it’s not there. He doesn’t Bull and James Stewart do not on top, and Stewart was once want to go out there on a stock have a contract in place for the capable of doing so. bike without the right equip- 2018 season.” IS But that no longer appears ment and get 10th or 12th, nor Mallott has seen the pres- to be the case. At times it was does he want to do it for free. sure that Stewart has been hard to watch him race because But there’s no one standing in under since the moment he there was such a thin line line waiting to sign him.” turned pro on January 5, 2002. between success and failure. As for working with James, “The pressure was always As his catalog of spectacular, Cole says, “Our working rela- on James to win, almost to an violent crashes built, so did the tionship has been fantastic. He’s unfair expectation, every single wear on his body. The con- a fast learner and a fast thinker, time he was out on the track,” cussions were alarming, and very creative too. I talk to him on he says. “At some point, that they took their toll, as did the a regular basis. He’s active in the had to have started to weigh on stigma of the FIM suspension. business, he gets weekly reports him. A lot of people probably JAMES Is he too proud or to too shy on everything, he understands don’t see that he has always to just stand up and take that branding and brand-building— been an incredibly shy indi- STEWART? bow? And does he really owe he’s a smart guy. I just really vidual. They’d see his outgoing anybody that? hope we haven’t seen the last of personality at the races during Maybe James Stewart isn’t him on the racetrack.” opening ceremonies, but that’s even done. What is certain Cole offers to reach out and not really him. What we’re is that, as of December 21, see if James might want to talk, seeing now—or maybe not see- 2017—his 32nd birthday— but I tell him I’ve already texted ing—is really him. James Stewart hasn’t told a few times with no response. “He’s had a long and very anyone anything. And he’s still successful career, by motocross not picking up his phone. X or more than a decade, standards,” Mallott adds. “He’s Stewart has had a personal got his health, he’s got his fam- F sponsorship deal with Red ily. Age 30 is a good time to call Bull. As a matter of fact, he it. The writing is obviously on the left Kawasaki after winning the wall, if you really want to see it.” 2008 AMA Supercross title and “I think you need to talk to sweeping the outdoors 24-0 James about it yourself, but I A lot of people prob- that summer, in large part be- really just don’t think he wants ably don’t see that he cause the team had an exclu- to say right now,” Larsen says sive deal with Monster Energy of Stewart’s plans. “Something has always been an and he wanted to stay with Red may still come along, so I don’t Bull. Conversely, through thick think he really wants to say he’s incredibly shy indi- and thin, Red Bull has stuck done, whether he is or isn’t.” vidual. They’d see his with James. But when he made that surprise appearance on a icky Carmichael choreo- outgoing personality at Honda at his house in Novem- graphed his goodbye from the races during open- ber, he was wearing a plain Bell R racing perfectly over the helmet without the signature course of a season. Ryan Vil- ing ceremonies, but Red Bull colors or logo. lopoto and Jeremy McGrath, that’s not really him.”

JEREMY MALLOTT, RED BULL

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