James Stewart is readying a racing comeback yet again says a report from Europe. And it’s got the motocross section of the internet all a buzz, again.
Ah, a James Stewart comeback. It had begun to feel like the mythical unicorn of the moto world, so oft-rumored but never quite materialising.
But now Geoff Meyer over at MX Large has been good enough to start the Mill off once again, writing the briefest of brief articles that suggests JS7 could return to racing, but not at the US Nationals or even looking to 2018’s Supercross. No. James Stewart could return via the 2017 FIM World Motocross Championship.
Meyer says he’s heard from ‘America’ that Stewart will race at Gatorback Cycle Park in Florida, which will host round 17 of the 19 round MXGP series.
In part it makes sense. Gatorback isn’t too far from the Stewart compound so he could just roll out of bed, put on his Seven gear and Red Bull-sponsored Bell helmet and smoke the competition.
And to be fair, there is some smoke surrounding this latest rumour. His brother Malcolm said recently that coming news on James would break the internet. And racing a grand prix, let alone it being a comeback, would count as breaking the internet as far as motocross is concerned.
Now, while every person here at DBR Towers would love to see Bubba back racing, even if it was just one more time, is it really that easy to rock up at a GP and race at a high level, even for one of the best the sport has ever seen?
Ryan Villopoto tried it. And despite so much negativity spewed around the internet, we think he was getting the hang of GPs when he had the unfortunate off in Italy.
Chad Reed had a dabble last year at Matterley Basin and then Mantova. Reed finished 13th overall at the British Grand Prix but it didn’t go well for him at the MXGP of Lombardia in Italy, finishing the weekend with a 37 in moto one and a no-show for moto two.
Mike Alessi made the trip to England in 2015 for the British GP and he finished the weekend with a 22-17 card.
All three had two things in common. None had taken a huge amount of time off from racing at the highest level before attempting a round of the world championship. And all three proved it’s not easy to rock up at a GP and podium.
Of course, there is a counter argument.
It could be that the 31-year-old is busting his ass working hard every day preparing for the USGP and of course, it’s a ‘home’ track. And US-based riders have shown awesome speed at GP circuits on home soil, look at Eli Tomac last year at the last two GPs of the season. But then again, he’s at the peak of his motocross career.
So it could happen. And it could go well for James but he’ll need to be prepared, to say the least.
But what if the basic fact of all these rumours are true, that James is planning to race again. But it’s not at the USGP.
If you were him, where would you have the best chance of a successful weekend at the office? How about Red Bull Straight Rhythm. He’s never lost, the competition is thinned somewhat, it doesn’t require superhuman fitness levels and happens to be run by his main sponsor.
Oh, and speaking of Red Bull-sponsored Bell helmets, check out the Instagram post below from Ride365 Stewart Racing. Just some sweet viral marketing or is there more to it?
We’ve not heard the last of the Mill on this subject.
Is James Stewart going to make a comeback that dwarfs Michael Jordan’s NBA return as he blitzes the GP pack? Is Straight Rhythm where it’s at for Bubba? Or is this just enough already – stay off the track and look after your racing legacy, James? Let us know your thoughts on Facebook and Twitter.
