Millville, MN - August 15, 2004
By Steve Cox

James Stewart is still in a complete league of his own, and at Millville, even despite a bit of a stomach ache, he was able to completely dominate the competition yet again in Minnesota, round nine of the AMA/Chevrolet 125cc National Motocross Series. With a 129-point lead going into round 10 in Binghamton, all Stewart needs to clinch his second 125cc National Championship is a second place finish or better in the first 125cc moto. Chances are excellent that he will clinch the 125cc National Championship with an astounding five motos still to run.

Stewart got uncharacteristically good starts in both Millville motos, but Mike Brown did better, grabbing the holeshot both times out. In the first moto, Stewart took over the lead before the conclusion of lap one, and then he just checked out.

Brown went on a backward slide. Matt Walker relegated Brown to third on lap two, and then Broc Hepler dropped him to fourth only a lap or two later. Brown eventually pulled off as he was running eighth.

On lap 6 of 15, Hepler made his way around Walker for second and finished all alone over third-placed Walker, Nathan Ramsey and Troy Adams.

" I felt good this morning, and I ate lunch right after practice, and it was really bad,” Stewart said of his stomach problem after the first moto. “I think it was the eggs, for reals. I'm going to get on my bus driver about that, because I think for sure he gave it to me. My stomach was hurting really bad out there, and actually the last four laps, I wanted to pull off, but I made it through.”

“ Now that I've moved back into second, I'm back where I want to be,” Hepler said of his retaking of the runner-up spot in points from Brown. “It's been since High Point that I've moved into second, and that was the last time I was there. To take this long was kind of frustrating me, but now that I'm back here, I just want to try to pull away and try to finish the season in second.”

Brown grabbed another holeshot in the second moto over Nathan Ramsey, Kelly Smith, Chris Gosselaar, Greg Schnell, Troy Adams, Hepler and Walker. Once again, Stewart moved to the lead early on the opening lap and set sail, while Hepler rounded lap one in third, just behind Brown.

Hepler fell on lap two, just after taking over the second spot, and remounted 6th, but on lap 8, he caught Walker and Brown, who were battling over the second spot, and he proceeded to pass both of them at the same time in the infamous Millville whoops to take over the runner-up spot, which he would keep to the finish.

“ My day went pretty good overall,” Hepler said. “Both my starts weren't really great. I started about midpack in both of them, but I worked hard. In the second moto, I think I was in second and I was starting to pull away and I just washed out and fell back a little bit, and that's when I had to pass all of the top guys. I went as hard as I could and I was gaining a lot of times in the whoops, and that's where I got around Brown and Walker at the same time to move be back into second after I fell.”

Brown hung on for third over Davi Millsaps, Ramsey and Walker. Walker took third overall.

“ It was a tough day for me,” Walker said. “I've had the flu – a stomach virus – and I had a cold. I thank my wife for that – she gave it to me. But it was tough. It was tough all day. I got into second both motos, but I hit the wall at halfway. I had blurry vision, and it's tough. Anyone who has gotten dehydrated knows what I'm saying. It's my favorite track, but I wish I wasn't sick, for sure.”

But it was Stewart's day.

“ I don't get tired, so I'm not afraid to push it the whole moto hard,” Stewart said. “I guess I got used to it riding my 125 as hard as I do. I have fun at it. Guys like him over there [as he motioned to first-race rookie Mike Alessi] makes me want to go faster, too.”


AMA/Chevrolet Millville 125cc National Overall Results:
1. James Stewart, 1-1
2. Broc Hepler, 2-2
3. Matt Walker, 3-6
4. Nathan Ramsey, 4-5
5. Ryan Mills, 6-10
6. Troy Adams, 5-13
7. Ivan Tedesco, 9-12
8. Mike Brown, 31-3
9. Davi Millsaps, 37-4
10. Danny Smith, 38-7

AMA/Chevrolet 125cc National Points Standings (After 9 of 12 rounds):
1. James Stewart (425/8 wins)
2. Broc Hepler (296)
3. Mike Brown (286/1 win)
4. Nathan Ramsey (250)
5. Matt Walker (202)
6. Josh Grant (200)
7. Ivan Tedesco (182)
8. Danny Smith (159)
9. Ryan Hughes (158)
10. Davi Millsaps (153)