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National
MX Review
300
Seconds with…
Team
Yoshimura’s Mike Webb
Rather
than ask the obvious clichéd “Can Stewart go 24-0” what’s the side of James
that has shocked you the most two races into the season?
MW- Race management, he has remained calm
even with constant pressure, he doesn’t seem to be fazed by it and continues to
stick to his game plan and hit his marks.
James
appeared to have his hands full this weekend with an ‘agro’ Ryan Dungey yet he
never faltered under the barrage of pressure. What’s your take on his
‘Newfound’ ability to cope with anxiety?
MW- I'm sure Ryan is being coached to apply constant pressure and James will
crack, but so far that's not the case. He seems to just focus forward and hit
his lines and he is very strong at being pro active in traffic and to be aware
of how the race is developing.
We
know that Fremont’s track is a strength of Dungey’s and that James and Dung had
over a one-minute lead on Alessi. Two questions, was this the best shot for
Dungey to win an overall and how do you think that 22 and RV would have done
thrown into the contest here?
MW- I really think that Freestone is Dungey's best track; he has been very successful
there in the past. He is very strong on flat corners and I know his
conditioning is with out question. He is also very strong at Colorado,
Millville, Washougal and The Wick, so no I don't believe this was his best
shot. The way the leaders were pushing
in Texas, anything can happen.
If you go back to last year,
Dungey was plenty fast enough for Chad and RV, I think he has picked up
the pace even more this year.
It’s
easy to see that JS7 is comfortable on the RM-Z. What has been the main change
with dialing in the bike for him?
MW- I think for James he now has access to factory electronics, he now has the
capability of fine-tuning the motor in every gear to suit his needs. We also
run a more rigid clamp that works well for him with his always over the front
style.
Heading
into Colorado what’s the biggest challenge there?
Altitude and heat, this week it's
supposed to be in the mid 80's but that can feel pretty hot up there. We have a
very good engine package for this track and this week we will be testing
suspension more. We are still only 4 weeks into our testing data with James, so
every time he rides the factory bike we continue to learn.
Off
the wall here, do JS7 and Metty run the same engine, tranny?
MW- It's pretty close to the same but Brett runs a different map.
If you missed the initial Stewart testing click here:
Would
you say that the new Stewart, his team and his comfort level all play into
his new role as a ‘tactician’ racer, as opposed to trying to dominate every moto?
MW- I think honestly he is still feeling
his way into things, the bike, the team, the track and the competition.
Everyday he and the team learn more and more about all these elements. I think
he has also learned a great deal in his 10 years as a pro and he is comfortable
with his life now and he is able to apply a different thought process.
How
is Lee handling all of the attention?
MW- Well you have to remember Lee was Pastrana's mechanic, so he is well aware
of the pressures of dealing with an A lister.
What
about Des Nations talk and what’s the plan with JS7?
It's way to early to speculate on Des nations, we are taking this one moto at a
time.
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MWebb with his two boys, naturally flying the team colors.
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