Stewart on Dunlops at Anaheim?
Tuesday, January 10, 2012 | 8:15 PM
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Earlier this evening our colleague Steve Matthes posted a developing news story on ProMotoTalk.com http://promototalk.com/rumor/last-year-it-was-traction-gate-year-its-tire-gate regarding the rumors that Pirelli-backed James Stewart had experimented with Bridgestone and Dunlop tires during practice at Anaheim 1. Matthes promises more details in his Observations column later this week, but we have uncovered more details in the story tonight.
Racer X has obtained photos that prove Stewart was indeed running a Pirelli front tire and a Dunlop rear tire in the third practice, where he set the fastest qualifying time of the day. [Note: our original report stated that the photos were supplied by Dunlop--that is not the case, Matthes sourced the photos himself]. He also ran a Bridgestone front tire in an earlier practice. Stewart went back to using Pirellis for the night show, where he won his heat race but finished sixth in the main event.
Sources at JGR explained to us that the tire switch was done to eliminate one major variable in set up. The Anaheim track was far different from anything the team had tested on, so when Stewart thought the bike set up was off, they were willing to put him on a familiar tire (Stewart has run Dunlops and Bridgestones in past seasons) to make sure the Pirellis were not the problem. Consider the familiar tire brands a constant in the equation. After the practice, the JGR team willingly returned the tire to Dunlop (after Dunlop asked for it back), and ran Pirellis on the front and rear during the night show. And even though Stewart did log the fastest practice lap on the Dunlop, the team insists the different rear tire was not the magic bullet that saved his lap time—if it had been, the team says they wouldn’t have been so willing to return the tire to Dunlop after the practice session. Also, while Matthes’ original report did state that Yamaha’s Keith McCarty returned the tire to Dunlop, the JGR team says the decision to try the Dunlop was entirely theirs. McCarty was not involved in that decision.
As you would expect, Glover and the Dunlop crew aren’t happy because Stewart’s tire was a works tire, which is the official property of Dunlop, and since JGR is not sponsored by the brand, they’re not supposed to have access to that tire. How did Stewart get the tire? Most probably, it was one he had from 2011.
Today, Stewart tested tires in California with technicians from JGR and Pirelli.
We’ll have more on this story if any further news develops.
Stewart in the Anaheim 1 main event.
Cudby photo
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A tire's a tire, just face it Stewart doesn't have what it takes anymore. He needs to stop blaming everything on his lack of bike set up.
Big deal. He had a bad race. He will win plenty this year.
Who gives a s h i t? You guys just can't handle it if you don't stir up some kind of controversy about Stewart can ya?? Unreal. Go eat a cake or something Matthes!!
rydemx, for us local yahoos... yes a tire is a tire. But for the top guys in any level, whether it be mx , road racing, car racing, a tire is not a tire. Tires play a huge deal, thats why tire companies spend millions of dollars, and even have special tires that the factory guys get. I have seen just about every top racer make a comment in their career about being happy or unhappy about the tire brand they had to ride for or preference in brands. And what is JS blaming?? They are trying to get the bike set up as best as they can, whether it be changing shocks, springs, gearing, tires, etc. WTF do you think they do during testing? You obviously have no clue what goes on at this level of the sport. When RV switched bikes at Unadilla, he was on a new revised bike with a setup that really worked. Are you saying a bike is a just a bike?
Thats the great thing about internet message boards, people make comments and have no idea what they are talking about.
Oh god...yes please keep us posted on this unbelievable breaking news story.....this is so HUGE...you mean he was running a DUNLOP?? Oh....my......god!! Shouldn't you be having a press conference on this by now?....cutting in to regular programmimng? Do you have anyone one LIVE ON THE SCENE?? Has anyone been able to secure an interview with the tire yet?? Get ON IT...get that tire on the phone, get that tire on the set!! This is SO STUPID!! Ya, i agree, go eat something Steve!!
REF-man, its called journalism. Getting the inside scoup is interesting to some of us who like to know what teams are trying to do, as far as the mechanics of a motorcycle go.
People are commenting, "who cares?" I'll answer that....I do! I've been telling everyone that the Pirelli's will hold him back. They're not race proven. Dunlop has won every championship for the last 100 years, why change now? Stewy was looking a little rusty, but definitely lived up to his reputation when he diggered in the main!
I swear to god this site is full of f&cking; idiots...
I think my IQ lowers every time I read some comments on here....
pizzacorner wrote: 11:15am January 8, 2012
It looked to me JS7 had crap ass tires in the main. The track left those tires in the dust.
If you do not think a Top rider in our sport using a Dunlop while sponsored by Pirelli is not news, I do not know what planet you are on. Especially when he logged his fastest lap on the Dunlop. Are you all just stupid?
STOP BEING A PUSS STEWIE!!! DONT DELETE THIS, HE NEEDS TO READ IT!!... GET YOUR CRAP TOGETHER!! MAYBE YOU NEED TO RUN WHAT RV IS RUNNIN!!! HE HAD NO PROBLEM BLOWING YOU GUYS AWAY!!!!
a tire is not just a tire, at any level above a true novice/beginner. Especially for a pro rider who is trusting his equipment on a supercross track going warp 8.
A few years ago a retired racer was using Dunlops in practice and was struggling, tried a set of Bridgestones and won the race.
Heres a hint, he has a nickname that starts with G and ends with T.
OH, and Dungey was on a KTM.... SO you definitely have no excuse...
OH, and Dungey was on a KTM.... SO you definitely have no excuse...
An interesting story..thanks for posting it and looking forward to seeing how it develops. I understand why he would want to change variables by running the Dunlop and can also understand why Dunlop was not happy. That is like running a different exhaust, brakes, or factory motor...Stewart's team should have thought about this.
More tard pills anyone?Looks like everyone has plenty.
@pizzacorner, yes V-O-R, and a few others are that stupid..
If this was Reed, Dungey, or RV everyone of you blind ass Stewart fans would be blowing this site up. You are all a bunch of blind idiots. Annoying moronic stupid ass people.
why does everybody bash stewar.t i never seen somebody get basshed that much why dont they bash reed he isnt even from the usa stewart is. or is it a racial thing. stewart is a good guy and good for the sport .him and rc battles were awsome i will never forget
Tires do matter. Anyone that says they don't probably has never ridden. If a tire manufacturer doesn't offer the right kind of rubber compound, combined with the right kind of tread pattern for a given track or dirt condition, it can make a huge difference. Those that say it doesn't matter need to go ride their little XR100s on the sidewalk some more.
A rider sponsored by one tire manufacturer that is going to run a different manufacturers tire is indeed news worthy....to anyone that actually knows anything about the sport, endorsement deals, or bike set up.
relax.....br411.........peace be with you. get some rest.
@porcupinetree1965 - The reason Stewart gets bashed on is because he has made some really bad decisions, taken out other riders when riding over his head, Impersonated a cop (a felony) and put other distractions like his TV show about his racing. That is just for starters....He is fast and fun to watch though! No doubt about it!
If Js7 wanted the best chance to win why would he pick pirelli tires to begin with? Why sign a contract to use un-proven SX tires? I called the tires being an issue the day he signed his contract!
No big deal? No big deal if don't care about the health of a sponor funded sport. You can be sure Parelli has big bucks invested in this program and they don't do it for publicity like this. A story like this damages Parellis reputation, JGR's reputation and (indirectly) the reputaion of every team and rider in the sport.The time for tire testing is on a test track, not in front of a stadium full of fans and TV cameras. That was a very stupid move on the part of JGR and James Stewart.
Keep it up Steve Matthes, all those GREAT interviews with JS7 will come to a end if you keep bringing up petty shit on him he's gonna blow you off an hate you just like Josh Hassen!! Dumb Ass Matthes
Looks like our old French buddy DV12 eye spyed the tire swap deal, I thought you were suppose to test tires before the season started? http://dv12.blogspot.com/
If you trust a tire why would you change to a brand that dosn't come close to the championships sucess that Dunlop has had? Does JGR really need to go with the lowest bidder? Stewart looked like he struggled with the traction all night.
@arch214 RV1 dunlops.....Jason... dont write about anything or anybody and i'm SURE the same people would complain and still call everyone else morons ,stewtards ,douchebags etc etc. An extra large dose of sore losers, internet tuff guys and complete beginners on here tonight. I swear I don't think most of these people even race ,they just write in all caps and complain. If you don't like the article please just TURN AWAY.@redneck 'tonight' I could not agree with you more.
@Ronnie_251 you think JS7 shouldn't be called out on things like this? I think you have to undertand what it means to the sponsors. If you were sponsored by Coke but you were always talking about how great Pepsi was....what would you think your sponsors would say about that? I think it is good reporting and if JS7 doesn't like it then he shouldn't be doing stuff like this.
jeremy did this years ago he rode for honda he was riding yamaha jet ski
James852...you are just brilliant, way to put a sentence together. Your about as bright as Stewart and his team. Traction control one year, different tires the next. Good luck on the 72 win record.
Great work, Matthes. Anyone who doesn't see the relevance of this article is an idiot. "A tire's a tire..."(?)!!! WHAT?!?!
Brakes, motor, suspension... doesn't matter: if your tires aren't doing their job, you're f'ed. Anyone that's ever put more then a few laps in, and has been around for a bit, knows that there is a HUGE difference in tires! And those are the ones that hacks like us can get our hands on.
I don't really understand why Dunlop would be upset? If anyone should be mad about it, I think it would be Parelli...? Good story, looking forward to hearing more. I don't think it's that big of a deal...
Ever wonder if Stewart doesn't think to try as many different things as JGR - being a NASCAR team and knowing a thing or 2 about testing EVERYTHING they can to make the machine better??
Not a slight on Stewart, (testing CAN be boring as shit) but I get the feeling he just rides alot and rarely buckle down and really make the bike better.
I bet us fans that revel in the bike changes and little details are in the minority here, but it gets old when they tell us they made a few changes but don't tell us what that is.
The field has caught up to Stewart, likely last year, and he's really gotta work hard these days to beat Villopoto, Canard, Dungey, and a rejuvinated Reed. Add Wilson next year, (hopefully) Barcia later this year. People coming up are getting faster and faster each year. I really can't wait to see what the hell these guys can do outdoors when you really see who the fastest is.
@motohead279 hahaha, the guy rides over his head, makes mistakes and takes people out. it doesnt make a difference what tire he runs (a tires a tire). he still rides dangerous and out of control!!!
BROC. let james bye! hey doesn'trydemx that was a year ago give it a rest ...its a new season. reed and dungey crashed before stewart THEY ALL crashed ,the topic of the article is tires not endless hatred of stewart geezus that stuff is OLD and boring. He qualifys he makes the main he can ride any way he wants , its motocross/sx you bunch of whining babys. If this is any indication of the next generation , motorcycling is in for tuff times. No interest in the mechanics of it just crying and moaning about some guy who has more hrs on a bike than they will in a hundred lifetimes talkin about how wildly he rides. @motohead279 your right maybe these sites aren't the best idea for conversation and camaraderie, those days are over.These bozos make my head hurt...lol
Their is no doubt that Stewart is willing to sacrifice better equipment for more cash. You know he wanted to change bike brands but took the cash. You know he would rather run Dunlops but he took more money to race on a tire that he knows is not near as good. Then he goes and runs a Dunlop during practice while under contract with Pirelli. Stewart just did more damage to that brand in 10 minutes than he could ever help them in 3 years. We all knew he was going to make excuses, he already said they missed the set up. The set up is only as good as the riders feedback!!
And the beat goes on. Still...all you JS7 drum beaters are missing the point and continue the JS pep rally...even though, once again, Jame Stewart disses one of his sponsors, PIRELLI, and sticks another brand on his bike. And yeah, sure. Mr. "Let Brock Bye" Keith McCarty is involved?!?! (Or, they say he is NOT) Well SURPRISE SURPRISE!
Ya'll keep standing behind this gang-bangers unscrupulous methods in life and now that of JGR. The fans in the know, like myself, will continue to back the REAL professionals of MX/SX and buy a LOT of the products they promote and support. Whilst the pathetic majority of you "enthusiasts" have never swung a leg over an off-roader, let alone actually OWNED one,and barely have enough money to buy a Moto-X Fox or Monster Energy decal.or tee-shirt. Those of us with REAL buying power...avoid a James Stewart touted product like a communicable disease.
Save the rebuttal JS7 fans! The evidence IS NOT in your corner!
This story IS a big deal!
Good job DC!
There was so much time for stewart to test all the tires in the world when the others guys were racing outdoors and the mec.
At the first race he realizes that his tires suck? What did he do all the time? Pathetic.
Thuis story is definitely a big deal Stewies. No one is looking to bash James, they are doing some moto-journalism. I jokingly said that the Stewies would use the Pirellis as an excuse and that James might use it after the season was over, but to find out he was already trying different brands during practice at round 1? What I want to know is who spilled the beans to RV back in November so he knew what to test for all this time? Almost every other team has talked about not testing for this type of soil. Aren't many of the Eastern rounds softer dirt like this? We have to remember, if RV was not there James would have been right there with Reed and Dungey for a win and he would have had a qualifying time some 2.5 seconds faster than the next fastest guy. Under those conditions, James would be pretty much in control of things from here out. Kinda like back a few years ago when RV was in the Lites class.
TWK1.....VERRRRY good point regarding the damage this does to Pirelli's image in the public eye. I wonder if he had the Dunlop in place with a yellow Pirelli on the side? This would be like finding out Dungey was running a Honda in practice with KTM plastic on it. I think there is a level of arrogance to this as well, did he think no one was going to notice? I know they didn't want anyone to notice. This never should have happened at the racetrack in front of just about every media outlet there is. Can't imagine what is going on behind the scenes with Dunlop knowing they have secret works tires they shouldn't have, and Pirelli wondering what the hell guys, did our check not clear?
Just checked out the pics, and he DID have a big old yellow Pirelli logo on both the Bridgestone front he tried in one practice and the Dunlop rear he tried in another!! Too funny! Maybe James doesn't see the whole picture, but certainly JGR should have told him that they can't do that at the race.
Matthes, Keep up the GREAT work (not kidding) and roll your sleeves up and do some digging !!! You report what you see not just the same old crap ! Thanks for the good work.
I don't want to sound like I'm a "Stewart Lover" but people bagging on him for this is ridiculous. For one this is not Stewart's fault; I am sure he knew that the tires were different so i am not trying to say that but the Ultimate decision on changing tires is JGR. You do not see JS7 working on his bike right? I understand why they chose to try the other two brand of tires but was it a smart decision to do at a race? No; for representation purposes on Pirellis behalf (doesn't look good in the eyes of the Consumer), but what the team wants to do is win. If they can eliminate the "tire as the reason for his uncomfort" then try it and let pirelli know there tire is good or what they need to do to fix the problem; its called R&D people, you can not develop with out a little research.
People fail to remember that a certain someone also did the same thing and if you really are a true fan of motocross, you know who this person is.... If you are new to the sport i will inform you... Rick Carmichael (A.K.A The Goat), and I'm not bagging him for it. Sh@T do what you need to do to win.
For those of you who think a "tire is a tire" and "a tire doesn't matter then you all are idiots. That is like saying Showa Suspension is the same as Pro Circuit Suspension, or Pro Circuit exhaust system is the same as FMF Pipe, or h@ll the 2012 Yamaha is the same as the 2012 Kawasaki.
Just my $1.00 on the subject.
It's not like he cheated on Pirelli. He just got caught texting Dunlop. It was more of an emotional one-race thing. She doesn't mean anything to, oh, wait....
I think the problem is RV, CR and RD have caught up to his speed. Face it all these guys are really close in speed. Pick your favorite and hold on for a crazy year.
Wouldnt this make Stewart or JGR in breach of contract and open to a lawsuit by Pirelli??
Are you dudes serious?? I suppose you think that this is going to put fewer butts in the seats for the rest of the year?? "Damaging to the sport"...damging to the reputation of every team in the sport?? KM306, you are a little over dramatic my friend!! Unfortuantely Mattehs and his big butt won't do this much digging on anybody else on the track...just JS, i'd love to know how many other little "secrets" ther are going on out there with bikes and equipment, but it wouldn't matter if it was somebody outside of the top 20 would it?? You people blow everything way the hell out of proportion!! Ya, i'm sure the sport is going to fail now because he had a Dunlop tire on his bike. Did ya ever consider that the people at Pirelli knew this was happening?? Maybe their tire wasn't getting it done...put a little bit of this on Pirelli too, drama queens all of you!! What a joke!!
Ryan Villopotto is the fastest man on the planet.
Of course people look closer on Stewart and judge him harder than other riders. He is the one who wants to break MC´s record, who says he will dominate, the one with the tv show, probably the best paid, the future nascar racer, the guy who was the fastest man on the planet.
You can´t be all that and just be one of the guys at the same time.
WOW!!!! Another Stewart soap opera!!! Whats new?
Pirelli is NOT a Cheng shing or even at Maxxis level tire...what are you talking about.
They must have much more infrastructure and millions in research to prove their product..most probably way more than Dunlop.
Teams have mixed tires for years...it was always hush hush...now there is so much scrutiny in the sport-guys who make a living off of noticing every detail...that practice of experimenting with competitors equipment is not as easy anymore.
No big deal this too shall pass.
Until the others and by that I mean the entire 450 class finds the corner speed Poto has no one really stands a chance - they will wil here and there but the outcome barring injury is inevitable.
Pirelli's website says Stewart set the fastest lap time on a Scorpion mx tire. wonder which is true??
http://www.pirelli.com/tire/us/en/news/2012/01/10/pirelli-kicks-off-2012-monster-energy-ama-supercross-championship-series-in-anaheim-with-jgrmx-toyota-yamaha/
Mabe Dunlop owns Pirelli now and Broc is out of the loop!!! only kidding.
Yes, teams switch product and test the competitors product all the time.....Often times times teams will run factory parts and place the sponsored vendor tag or logo on it....in the end its about performance and money...
Having this fall out at A1 is kind of silly, but I dont care really, as Pirelli is getting their name out there regardless..... Its probably one of those " here....make a tire as clsoe to this Dunlop as you can"....like all companies do....the steal others designs and secrets.....
hey bonewall go pound sand!
..another thing....Does anyone really think that the Pirelli guys didnt know about this "experiment" ??? What, they didnt come to the first race of the season to watch one of the most popular riders of the sport use their product for the first time.....Pirelli is just getting its feet wet in AMA SX, so I am sure they were aware and who knows, maybe Pirelli says " hmmmmm how does this Dunlop compound work out there....Try it out Stew".... I doubt the Pirelli guys were just sitting in the stands watching from a far wondering if that is really their tire on james bike....think about it...
Breaking News !!!!! James Stewart was seen eating a new candy bar called "101 exuces why I didnt win "
Please...... this is news ?????????
Rydemx A tire is definitely not a tire. Think about it, I know I've had various brands that I felt more had better traction, better cornering etc than others. Not saying Its not being used as an excuse though I dont know what he felt on the track or not though.
Anyone who understands a contract and thinks this is not a big deal is spun. If it's not a big deal then why was that pesky little contract last year stopping JS from riding the outdoors?
@tonewall....Cool bro. Once people look at facts, and let their biases slide and facts prevail, facts are facts. That is one thing that doesn't change is the truth.
Rock on ToneWall! :)
Joe Gibbs seems to be attracting some controversial riders/drivers lately? JS7 & Kyle Busch. Just sayin......................
Sorry to say, gotta be the bike. Stew looked the same as he did last year. Of all the riders that can stop RV2 from running the SX table, Stew's the guy. If not, RV2 will be 17-0 this season. Now that would be something, if you can't hang with the guy in SX, MX is going to be a long season too.
Motohead279 Thumbs up for your comment! Reading all comments from A1 and stuff about JS7 makes me sad, upset and angry. People complaining, judging and hating on more and more in the sport.. Right now especially James Stewart, all of you, including me, have NO IDEA why James struggled last year. EVERYTIME he is on the starting gate people EXPECT him winning, if he gets second or third EVERYBODY starts wondering what´s wrong etc no wonder he cant enjoy riding!! A lot of people is just too much for me too handle, you sit behind your got damn computer and judging and hating James, he should do this, he should do that complaining about him, I mean c´mon??!!! ARE YOU GUYS SERIOUS??? JAMES STEWART is, when we talk skills on a motocross bike, without a doubt the best this world has ever seen! Yes, Carmichael have won more titles but in my opinion James is a step further when it comes to handling the bike. James IS the reason the riding styles have changed so drastic the last couple of years with the scrubs and stuff. James went UNDEFEATED outdoors ´08 I think it was so if you think you got something to say, you dont! Like Motohead279 wrote, you guys dont have ANY IDEA how it is on their level of racing. All the hype, pressure, expectations and sacrifices they go through. Feels like the love for the sport is fading away and the expectations grow through the roof. Instead of complaints, take a step back and enjoy the best era of SX/MX ever. Im a big fan of both Dungey and Stewart but my respect for all other riders is huge. Except for Pourcel and J-Law.
And for all the haters, SHUT THE F**K UP OR LINE UP ON THE PHOENIX STARTING GATE AND SHOW US ALL HOW ITS DONE??... CANT BELIEVE YOU!!
It'll be an interesting season by all accounts. I guess a lot of people forget or didn't know that it was actually bridgestone that dominated the podiums for years, not Dunlop. Part of the change when RC moved to Suzuki was to switch back to the Bridgestones that he always preferred.
When bridgestone pulled out of all MX/SX racing, it left a lot of teams in the lurch. Reed, RV, RD, JBS, PC, etc were all on factory Bridgestone tires. Pretty much the top 5-10 riders were all on factory tires that are not available to the public. I am sure the Dunlop is still making factory tires for the top riders and tailors them to suit the riding style or setup of the riders.
The issue that Dunlop had in the timing of practice was that the fast time was allegedly set with a dunlop rear and a pirelli front tire. so there could be some teams that would think "hmmm... maybe I need a pirelli front tire". Either way, I'm sure that JS7 did a lot of preseason testing, but with a different track out there, they were trying to figure out what was wrong with his setup and you remove whatever variables you can to figure out what's wrong or to get your baseline. I'm sure if he didn't think he could win on Pirelli he wouldn't have signed a contract to race them.
This is big new!! Some of you don't know crap!!
Man now I read more of the post's..WOW some people!!!
.Also Funny how some say he crashed and did not hit the set up... WELL guess what?? REED and RD did also!!!
JGR is under contract with Pirelli and is paid somewhere around a million a year to race and win with Pirellis on their bikes. For all the tards that think Pirelli would be ok with them testing Dunlops at A-1, please go straight to the doctor and get a vasectomy so we can get your genes out of the gene pool ASAP!
First off I am a huge stewart fan and believe he will win his fair share of races this year!!! I cant believe all this BS. Last year Traction Gate and now Tire Gate? Can JS7 just go out there and race? Who cares??? Even though he made the decision to go to JGR that ran Pirelli last year you think he would have had a deciding factor in the tire they were going to run. Cant belive Dunlop would come out with this BS after Stewart won so many titles for them in years past. Way to go glover try working on a tire we can buy! MX51s SUCK And Matthes cmon good luck gettin an interview
what do all you care who he is on contract with if his team lets him use dunlops what do we care im there to watch these guys at there best
There would be a difference if he went out there and raced on the Dunlops being a Perelli sponsored rider, but he was trying to take all of the unknown variables out of the equation. Having ridden on Dunlops the last few years, he knows how they feel. I own my own electronics integration company. First rule of thumb when trying to figure out sh*t that doesn't work is to remove all of the variables out of the equation. The Perelli's are an unknown variable in this equation, having little time on them, having riden Dunlops for the past several years, and especially the situation with the track being what is was that night (completely different on what they had been testing on leading up to that race). If he had raced any of the races that night (heat, main, etc), then I see it as a vialation of contract. Using them to test the set-up during practice then let it be. I can't imagine that Perelli didn't know the situation and what was going on. I was at Daytona a few years ago on my Honda RC51 and switched from my normal Dunlops and used Michelins. I almost lowsided it in the International Horsehoe it seemed almost every lap, nearly pushing half as hard as I was on my Dunlops. Are the Dunlops better? No. Most would say the Michelins are. But Dunlops were what I was used to and I had a hell of a time adjusting to them and kept pushing the front end. Again, a tire is not a tire. And for those who say it is playing MX Unleashed doesn't count as real world experience.
I know the bike set up is important, but how long has he had to prepare his bike for A-1? Quite a while, yes? About as long as Dungey has, maybe longer, isn't that right?
All he ever does is blame his bike for his inability to win. He might be fast but he can't stay on the bike without crashing. He is not going to win the championship. His ship has sailed and it is Villopotos turn now. I'm not that big of a fan of RV2, I prefer RD, but RV2 is going to win this year if he doesn't get injured.
I don't understand the hype around this guy, even after all this time, he is one of the most talked about riders. He hasn't even ran an Outdoor in some 2+ years!
James has a big ego and is going to continually blame the bike, when he's the one making mistakes.
My comment was regarding his tires, those are important. But my comment was regarding his interview at A1 where he was complaining about the bike.
was not*. god.
duh., the tire is not from last year. its from the rockstar yamaha rig. it is funny though.
Gho5thawk kinda off topic on the subject of the article but who cares, well said.
I don't see Matthes being friends with Stewie/JGR after this.....
RV1 would have won even if he was using the tires off of my bike!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
this is a big insult and breach of contract to Pirelli. Shame on JGR and Stewart. Show some class and respect to a company paying/providing you and your race efforts. funny, its always Stewart when this kind of bad press involves a top shelve racer.....becoming kind of sad.......
JS fan or not it should be very clear to anyone with a brain that racing at an event using a different brand tire than you are contracted to use is indeed a very big deal. It is an EXTREMELY big deal to companies who put forth millions of dollars to have their product endorsed by someone as high profile as JS. That's like JS being seen wearing Adidas and drinking Monsters. These are 6 and 7 figure contracts they're dealing with and apparently breaching, they're not just picking on the guy. If anything the media is constantly polishing his nuts. The bias and favouritism shown by the media and his fans is just incredible. This thread is making me lose faith in humanity, open your eyes JS blowhards. He's had since the end of last supercross season to get set up, more time than anyone. Testing different brand tires at A1 was a bonehead move.
This is really a big deal and a big problem, especially for JGR, more so i believe then stewart himself. I dont understand why they would run Dunlops at the race where all the press is there and somebody is bound to catch on. If they want to test different brands why would they do it at Stewart's house or at their test track at least. It still wouldn't be right to do to Pirelli, who has supported the team since day 1, but nobody would know. It just makes no sense to me. What was JGR thinking here?
@nigelsiam I AGREE 110% he was wrong an should have never done that period. All i'm saying is if you did interviews with some guy then you cheated on your wife an that same guy ratted you out to millions of people would you be mad? Would you ever wanna help this guy out with an interview ever again? Cause i for one would be like yea kick rocks fag i wouldnt do another interview ever
Ronnie_251.........that would be awesome, I hear his name enough from Shaheen alone.
everybody bashs JS but a freakin story about his tires genrates all these comments...?
I think JS has alot of closet fans....hahahahahaha
Go Bubba.....!!!!!!!
Busted!! that is bad....real bad, and kind of sad. It's obvious he's still struggling to get to a decent set up....RV1's set up was working very well...I bet James misses the Kawi.......
A tire is not a tire, however, a tire is based 99% on the terrain and conditions. It's not really a case of what tire the rider likes best. It's about what tire makes the most sense given the terrain and conditions. I use to race professionally for many years and my mechanic always picked my tires based on the terrain and conditions. There are only so many tire choices out there and you can only do so much with the compounds. You don't pick a sand tire to race on hard pack, and you don't use a hard pack tire in the sand. This is not rocket science. I bet money that RV would have won on any kind of tire on his bike.
You can see a total difference with RV and JS just with regards to tires. RV doesn't have to worry about tires. He only has to worry about winning. JS shows up and has to play around with all these different tires and when you are doing that you are not focused on winning. Quit worrying about the damn ties and go out there and just race your butt off. A tire is not going to make a lick of difference. You either have it (RV), or you don't (JS).
"Save the rebuttal JS7 fans! The evidence IS NOT in your corner!"
Shut up, motodog.
It's funny, I think the JS haters are more pathetic on this thread than the JS lovers.
I'm actually pulling for RD this year... So I could care less. It's just sad to see so many so-called die hard moto fans rag on a rider that has done so much for the sport. And whether you want to beleive or not, he has. Half the riders said they missed the setup tonight and the only one who receives flack is JS. I don't think I've ever heard so much b*tching in one place. It's sad this isn't a site to discuss the greatest sport in the world, MX and SX like mature adults.
WHO CARES!!!!! This kind of stuff happens every week on every team. In fact I'm pretty sure Team Suzuki was running one brand of tire while being sponsored by another just a few years ago.
Man, I just reread back through some of these comments, and it's funny how many people can't comprehend the story. He was not testing tires bozos... He was trying to take the tire variable out of the equation to help try to get the setup better suited for the track conditions.
Why isn't CR catching flack on here? he was the most vocal of everyone on the track and how his bike was no setup correctly for the track, and what they had been testing on leading up to the race... but I Don't hear a word?!
I'm going to laugh my ass off when Perelli releases a statement acknowledging the fact they were aware, and Ok with the situation. And you know why, because if it was going to help get the bike setup better, the better the chance of JS finishing higher or winning, and the better the publicity for him winning on their tires.
Motohead279, I agree with your comment further up. As a business owner and engineer myself, you are 100% correct on all counts.
Testify brotha!!!!
serisously, is web site SEO important enough to allow open comment sections on every page?
it serisouly lowers the class of this site by about 9000%
MXA knows whats up. they rely on good content to drive traffic, not moron interactivity
Tires are huge! Dunlop attitude about js7 not using their factory tires were dissappointing bc it really shows they are the best!
Yes, I'm sure Pirelli is very THRILLED with the public now reading that Stewart set a qualifying lap 1.5 seconds faster than RV's fastest with a Dunlop rear tire, but in the heat and main could not come close to his own qualifying pace with the Pirelli in place. That is EXACTLY why they pay someone to use their products. Their whole marketing goals for the U.S. this year went up in smoke at A1. The only thing that can turn this around for them is if Stewart turns it around and smokes them all from here on out.....on PIRELLIS. I like Pirellis but this is as bad for them as it would have been if Dungey finished 10th on the KTM for no reason other than being slow.
Has anyone on here understand racing? Did anyone read the reason? They were just using the tires as a variable to rule out in the set of a different track than planned. Why do people make this into the Watergate?
Stewart goes down in a section and finishes 6th and the whole world jumps at him saying old Stewart crashes agian, He don't have it. Didn't Reed and dungy have a bobble as well?
I bet if K-dub finished 6th he would be judged differently.
Give the kid a break, If he never finishes in the top 5 all year than I would say something but until then......
As mentioned above, how would Pirelli not know this took place? I am sure the Pirelli guys were buzzing aroung the JGR tent all day and I am SURE they would notice another brand of tire on their (only) star riders motorcycle.....Its was probably something they tried on the fly and now its a circus act, just like the traction control nonsense last year....The only people bent are Dunlop since James used an old tire he had in his garage.....I dunno man...just not that big a deal, especially when nobody really knows the facts...If Pirelli knew about it and perhaps said " try the Dunlop and see" for their own benefit, then no harm no fowl in my book.....
BKR, I wouldnt say Perelli is thrilled wih any publicity on this, but I doubt anyone realized that it would even be noticed. But you really think for a second that at the first race of the year, that the Perelli guys had no idea what their top rider was trying out? I would really be shocked to hear they didn't know about it at the time. And it even stated in the article that JGR didn't feel the tire was the missing peice of setup, or they might have even used it in the race. I realize JS might not be some fans favorite rider, but I don't know where all of the hate comes from. He's made some bad decisions in the past, I agree but if the poor guy blinks wrong or doesn't win every race he's totally ripped on by some.
My last comment then I'm done. I can see the big no-no if he had raced on Dunlops with Perelli stickers on the tires.
Sounds like there was some disagreement in the pits by JS(B&(*&ing;) and the mechanics saying its not the setup its the tire, so they swapped tires and low and behold he went faster in the 3rd practice..............wait you mean after he got everything else worked out and had the track dialed in.
Yeah a tire isn't just a tire at the top 1%, but I"m thinking Pirelli might be withholding some funding after this fiasco. You know that requirement that you have all your stickers and products in place to get the contingency money, or probably in JS 10-20% of program funding.
Heres another observation, how could have this been a leftover tire from last year that JS just had lying around. Do you think he has ever wrenched on his own bike, or even knows what he has for spare parts.
Plus this is a JGR Rig not last years rig that has probably been sold off. Did JGR run Dunlops last year?
And for the naysayers that say Pirelli tires are the reason or that they suck, need to look world wide at the products they produce that go on WORLD CHAMPION machines not just the small market of american SX.
Besides KTM never had an SX Podium until this race, oh wait but that doesn't matter, because it was the tires.
Just watch when JS7 starts coming back then what are the haters going to think? Hmmm...maybe he is cheating now all of a sudden? lmao.
I wonder if the the Pirelli rear tire was the reason James looked winded and really sweaty after his heat race? I would bet not. If he ran a different tire, I seriously doubt it would have affected his conditioning.
I understand switching out a tire to remove a variable about the bike set up. From what I saw, he wasn't having a traction problem or a set up problem. He was having a conditioning problem. He has had several months to work on his bike set up.
This whole tire mess is JS7s way of deflecting the truth that JGR just paid JS7 triple the money that RV2 makes and is not capable of winning the championship. Stewart is using anything he can as a smoke screen to take the attention away from the real problem which is he was not in good enough shape or FAST enough to win at A-1! This is the same guy who fired Aldon after Dilla because he said Aldon had him running and cycling too much. Yes, he blamed Dilla on Aldon and he said he needed to be on the bike more and less off the bike training. Stewart not only thinks he is the FMOTPbut he also knows how to train better than Aldon. Stewart was the most talented person to ever ride a dirt bike,but, the more decisions he makes on his own, the worse he is. This guy is so full of himself he is destroying his career.
I will just say this.
WHO THE HELL ELSE RUNS PIRELLI TIRES ( that isn't 4 wheel )!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Name me ONE top team.
TWK, are you 12? You sure think like a 12 year old.
2003RACER, 56 world titles, both MX GP Titles last year, official tire supplier of all World Superbike teams. Yeah, who uses them anyways.
Just becasue they don't have a huge presence over here doesn't mean that no one uses them. They have just put more emphysis in Europe than in the US is all.
WOW really?!?! It's come to this?!?! You know your career is on the outs when this is the type of article you need to get press. :/ lol
Sources say Dunlop abandoned their station leaving only an AMA rulebook on top of a stool under their tent... stay tuned for fines and investigations. lol
Sources say Dunlop abandoned their station leaving only an AMA rulebook on top of a stool under their tent... stay tuned for fines and investigations. lol
people hate stewart because know one could beat him, he dominated on 125 2 strokes when the rest of the field was on 250 4 strokes, he outright embarrassed reed when he let him catch up and then put another 20 or 30 seconds before the checkers, then on a 250 2 STROKE outdoors where power and traction are major factors the only rider that could beat him whas ricky and thats only because r.c. was on the suzuki 4 stroke he not dominating know so people give him shit, and one little article about a tire and the message boards light up and all the wanna be cant ride to save there lives dipshits hit the keyboards with a page of comments, and rivera he looks like a hater his girls by him but would prob love to spend some of stewarts millions that hes made from how does charlie sheen say it WINNING. All this attention is the reason he laughing all the way to the bank. Reed crashed in the main and blamed the track comment on that.
1. Tires are very important.
2. James was smart to test different tires.
I don't know if the Pirelli's are as good as the competition but..
3. Pirelli will probably win their first AMA SX race this season.
is this what kind of stuff they do in nascar? If your team is on Pirelli tyres then ride Pirellis.
we all know #7 has lots of talent. Focus is his challenge. He has 3 long years left
before he can drive for JGR. I hope he gets up there in the mix with the Ryans. Still want to see Dungey and KTM get the #1 plate back.