Budds Creek, MD - June 21, 2004
By Steve Cox

James Stewart made his return to racing at the Budds Creek 125cc National last year after a horrendous crash in the Dave Coombs Sr. 125cc East/West Shootout in Las Vegas knocked him out of competition for quite a few weeks. His return resulted in instant demoralization for the series’ other top riders. This year’s Budds Creek 125cc National was Stewart’s most dominant yet this year, as he won the two motos by a combined total of over one minute and 45 seconds, including a lead of almost a minute 10 in the second moto, despite a couple of starts that left something to be desired.

"I think we’ve got my 125 running good, but I just think it’s me,” Stewart said of his starts. “I was wheelieing off the start. Maybe I’m losing a little bit because the KX250F is working really good, but I’m just trying to keep it fun. I was having a fun time out there. Both motos I was over 30 seconds, and the last moto was about 1:09, so I’ve been looking forward to that for a while.”
Yamaha of Troy’s Brock Sellards grabbed the moto-one holeshot, and as he sped through the first turn, Amsoil/Chaparral Honda’s Chris Gosselaar dived underneath the field to assume the runner-up spot. Chevy Trucks Kawasaki’s James Stewart started out just outside the top five.

Gosselaar worked his way around Sellards and set sail out front before Stewart could fight his way around Sellards and his teammate Mike Brown. As Stewart made the pass on Brown, the Yamaha rider continually fought back, but after a few turns, Stewart secured the second spot and set out after Gosselaar. Within a lap, he caught and passed Gosselaar, and the race for the lead was over. Stewart stretched out to a 36-second lead before the finish over Brown, who barely held off a charging Broc Hepler to the finish line. Gosselaar held on for fourth, while O’Neal/Team Green’s Troy Adams rounded out the top five.

“ I got a pretty good start around fifth or sixth, and by the time I got into second, Stewart was gone, obviously,” Brown said. “It was a good ride, and I rode a good race. Broc was right there at the end of the race, but I had a good day.”

Impressive Suzuki rookie Hepler finished on the podium yet again. “Brown was riding really good too that first moto, and I couldn’t quite get around him,” Hepler said. “I got close a few times but couldn’t get around him.”

Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Ivan Tedesco grabbed the moto-two holeshot, while Stewart started about fourth. He moved through the pack quickly, although contact with Hepler on his way through sent the Suzuki rider to the ground early on. Hepler recovered just outside the top five. By lap two, Stewart was already in the lead, and he just plain charged away from the pack.

Tedesco rode strong in second for the remainder of the race, while Hepler worked his way back up to third in the moto and an eventual second overall. Matt Walker took home fourth over a charging Josh Grant.

Stewart took the checkered almost 70 seconds in front of Tedesco. The 125cc class had such a problem with consistency at Budds Creek that Brown’s 2-12 showing was good enough for third overall.

Brown has been on the podium at all four rounds thus far. “The second moto wasn’t so good,” Brown said. “I worked my way up to sixth or seventh, and off that Doug Henry jump over there, I about did the same thing [he did]. I about looped out, and when I landed I went over the bars pretty big, so it wasn’t good. I wished I wouldn’t have had that big crash at the end there, but I’m on the podium at the end of the day, and that’s good."

Hepler’s 3-3 was good enough for second overall – his highest career National finish, despite a hard crash a week earlier at Southwick that had him a bit banged up coming into the day. “The main thing is, I had some sore ribs and a sore foot, but I felt pretty good,” Hepler said. “I took the whole week off after Southwick, but I felt good and my arms didn’t even pump up, so I’m happy with it. I felt great out there. I’m happy with a 3-3."

But, once again, Bubba stayed perfect on the season, and no one could touch him. “Actually, last weekend I talked to my mechanic and it was a pretty long ways to get up there [to the front],” Stewart said. “I was hoping I could pass a couple guys before I got back to [the mechanics’ area] because I didn’t want him pissed at me. I rode good. I felt comfortable all week again here, and I’m glad to be back at ‘Bubba Creek."

After four rounds, Stewart already leads the points by more than one full round of racing.

AMA/Chevrolet Budds Creek 125cc National Overall Results:
1. James Stewart, 1-1
2. Broc Hepler, 3-3
3. Mike Brown, 2-12
4. Josh Grant, 8-5
5. Chris Gosselaar, 4-13
6. Brock Sellards, 11-6
7. Kelly Smith, 10-8
8. Ivan Tedesco, 38-2
9. Davi Millsaps, 12-9
10. Stephane Roncada, 6-15

AMA/Chevrolet 125cc National Points Standings (After 4 of 12 rounds):
1. James Stewart (200/4 wins)
2. Mike Brown (147)
3. Broc Hepler (133)
4. Nathan Ramsey (100)
5. Ivan Tedesco (90)
6. Ryan Hughes (87)
7. Kelly Smith (77)
8. Stephane Roncada (76)
9. Danny Smith (77)
10. Josh Grant (67)