If you were not at Milestone MX today then you missed it!

Around midday a shiny decked out black Escalade rolled through the pit area at Milestone MX with an equally shiny Factory Suzuki RMZ450 in the back and a bold number "7" on the side plates. I thought this would be interesting as haven't seen James on an outdoor track since last year at Milestone where he had a decidedly "couldn't careless" air about him and I said that I didn't think he would race any Nationals in 2011, guess what I was right. Also I know James doesn't care to be out in California either, but according to Mike Webb James has set up shop out here in California for the past few weeks and will remain for a few more to get the set up of the bike right, so it appears that James is serious about his switch to Suzuki. So which James would turn up today? As it turned out it seemed like a happy and very friendly James turned up. James burned up lap after lap and even took to the Vet track when they were watering the main track. The rest of Team Suzuki turned up an hour or so later with Metcalfe turning up as well. Mike Webb and the Team Suzuki were ripping through there testing program like a well oiled machine.

It has to be hard for Mike Webb as both riders have very dissimilar riding styles. Brett Metcalfe has your more classic motocross style and Stewart has a style all of his own but I would call it the newer more aggressive style where you ride the front wheel or over the front much more, scrubbing jumps and attacking the entrances of each corner. For Stewart's style the Suzuki RMZ looks to be a perfect fit.

I like Mike Webb and have know him for many years and I personally think he has certainly pulled off a massive coup for Suzuki, he now has his work cut out for himself but I think it will all pay off in the end and Suzuki and Stewart are my picks for the 2012 Outdoor MX title.

Suddenly the 2012 US National Championship looks exciting! Let me know what you think.

Read a very frank interview with James Stewart here:
http://espn.go.com/action/fmx/story/_/id/7925278/james-stewart-explains-why-left-joe-gibbs-racing-motocross