2007 AMA Supercross Series: Supercross Tickets, Schedule, Anaheim And Las Vegas

Look there, high in the sky – it's a bird, it's a plane ... no, it's 2007 AMA Supercross Series Champion James Stewart Jr.! For those unfamiliar with the sport,  the 2007 AMA Supercross Series is the professional racing circuit for specially engineered off road motorcycles on closed dirt courses.

Begun as Motorcross, a combination of "motorcycle" and "cross-country," the sport caught fire in the US in the early 1970's. While Motorcross events take place on outdoor tracks, Supercross events such as the 2007 AMA Supercross Series generally includes the same riders on slightly different bikes with events being held inside major sports stadiums and arenas, similar to a Super Bowl.

The 2007 AMA Supercross Series stretches from January to May with 16 total events held all across the country. Supercross tickets range anywhere from $20 to $100, and usually include the qualifying and final races in several different classes. Qualifying heats during the day whittle down fields of nearly 60 total seeded and unseeded riders, with the 40 fastest making it to the evening races and only 20 qualifying for the finals. Points for the 2007 AMA Supercross Series are awarded in the finals (25 points for 1st, 22 for 2nd, etc) with the points leader after all 16 Series events winning the Championship Title.

The champion of the 2007 AMA Supercross Series, James Stewart Jr., is  a 22 year old phenom from Bartow, Fla. Stewart won 13 out of 16 events to continue his meteoric rise to supremacy in all things Supercross. The 2007 AMA Supercross Series season opened with its West Coast swing through the racing capital of Anaheim, then on to Phoenix and San Francisco. Stewart Jr. won the first 3 events and went on to win 6 of the first 8 races including a sweep of all 3 at Angel Stadium in Anaheim. By the time the April 28th event in Seattle, Wash., was over, Stewart had clinched the 2007 AMA Supercross Series Championship Title with one race still left on the Supercross schedule. Of course, Stewart iced the 2007 AMA Supercross Series championship with his 13th win in Las Vegas and claimed the first of what looks to be many of his Championship titles.

While many consider him to be the “Tiger Woods” of motorcycle racing due to his being incredibly young, African American and completely dominant, Stewart's success did not come easily. Early in his career, an intense rivalry began between the phenom and legendary Supercross champ, Ricky Carmichael. The 2007 AMA Supercross Series saw the two battle it out, finishing 1-2 on the podium in 6 events, with Stewart winning 4 of those contests.

Despite the excitement, Carmichael's reign continues to fade while Stewart's is only just beginning. In the final point standings, Stewart Jr., aka Driver #7, finished with 385 points, 51 points ahead of 2nd place Chad Reed and 225 points ahead of Carmichael. Consider the 2007 AMA Supercross Series a passing of the torch and a sign of what's to come. There doesn't seem to be any end to what #7 can do.


Sources:
AMA Supercross 101. AMA Motorcross.com. 2005. AMA Pro Racing. 24 May 2007. http://www.amamotocross.com/article.php?UID=lCDrSm z6hbHSUQ0IOUb35WksBEh8S1&sc=1109&aid=5425< />2007 Series Guide AMA Supercross Series. AMAMotorcross.com.  24 May 2007. http://www.amaproracing.com/prorace/pdf/07_SXMX_Gd LR.pdf
Kawasaki's Stewart Closes Out Amp'd Mobile Supercross with 13th Win. Supercrossonline.com. 5 May 2007. Supercross Media. 24 May 2007. http://www.supercrossonline.com/raceday/recaps/Art icle.2007-05-06.2614.