Kawasaki’s James Stewart dominated Friday night’s Daytona Supercross By Honda leading every lap on his way to a 13.571-second victory, his first win in the main event at “The World Center of Racing. ” Stewart, who only previous victory at DIS was in 2004 in the Supercross Lites class, took the hole shot and never looked back holding off Suzuki’s Ricky Carmichael and Yamaha’s Chad Reed.
“I just got to give this win a lot of credit to my dad, ” said Stewart, who is from nearby Haines City, Fla. “He puts a lot of work on me during the week and it showed tonight. I never got tired and I felt good. I just got to give credit to everyone around me. It’s not a one-man show - it’s a team sport. “
Carmichael, who owns an unprecedented five Daytona Supercross By Honda victories, made his final Daytona Supercross By Honda start at Daytona International Speedway on Friday night.
The native of Florida is making the transition from Supercross to stock cars and has a developmental contract with Bobby Ginn Racing, which fields NASCAR NEXTEL Cup teams with drivers Mark Martin, Sterling Marlin, Joe Nemechek and Regan Smith.
“It’s been an amazing ride, ” Carmichael said. “To win here five times in front of you guys has just been amazing. You know, every dog has its day and my day is getting thin, but I think I’m pretty good making (the riders) work. “
Aussie Chad Reed, who won back-to-back Daytona Supercross By Hondas in 2004 and 2005, rounded out the podium.
“I knew I needed a good start and just didn’t get the start, ” Reed said. “Just didn’t come through like I know I needed to - no other fault. “
In the Lites East Daytona Supercross By Honda, Kawasaki’s Ben Townley took a 5.762-second victory over Honda’s Thomas Hahn and KTM’s Mike Alessi.
| 
|