Josh Grant of Riverside won a wild season opener in supercross Saturday night after favorites Chad Reed and James Stewart crashed into each other on the Angel Stadium track.
Stewart, the 2007 champion who missed most of last season because of a knee injury, and Reed, last year’s title winner, swapped the early lead in the 15-lap main event of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series.
Reed and Stewart put on a fierce battle for the lead. But neither won. Josh Grant of Riverside came up with the surprising victory. It was his first victory in the series.
The opening round was supposed to feature close racing with lots of passing. It was tight - too tight for Stewart and Reed. The pair was alone from the start, battling for first.
Reed got by Stewart on the second lap with a textbook pass on a jump, something that Ricky Carmichael would have accomplished on his old Suzuki bike, the same one Reed was aboard.
Four laps later, Stewart clawed his way back and got by Reed on the short rhythm shoot.
Reed pressed Stewart, who had essentially taken over Reed’s ride at Yamaha, and Reed’s front wheel clipped Stewart’s rear wheel. They both went down.
“I don’t know what to say,” Grant said. “I’m so glad to get the first victory out of the way. I couldn’t get around the lappers. I was like, ‘Please move.’”
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