The American Motorcyclists Association (AMA) supercross season from January through May often seemed like a two-man show involving James "Bubba" Stewart and Chad Reed, but the summer motocross circuit on the rural dirt tracks is providing a stronger balance of competition. Chad Reed leads the motocross season points standings near the midway point. Still, new faces are emerging with seven first-time event winners. The latest is rookie Josh Grant of Riverside, California, who on Independence Day captured the Monster Energy Motocross National from RedBud in Buchanan, Michigan.

Every sport needs its superstars. Supercross and motocross are no different. Still, most fans don't want the same old same old. Josh Grant is among the up-and-coming young lions who are eager to share some podiums. "I really needed this win," says Grant, reflecting the impatience of a potential emerging star in his own right. "I finally got a decent start and just made all the passes I needed to get to the front. I knew we had the speed. I just needed to get a start and today everything worked out." Furthermore, Josh Grant's day in the sun came on a live national telecast on NBC.

Josh Grant moves to his own beat. He still lists Riverside as his hometown, but in October 2008 he moved to North Carolina, saying he sometimes wants to get away from the "circus" and train in more quiet surroundings with the Joe Gibbs Racing Team. Also, he wants to avoid a tendency to over train and wear himself out. "It took a couple weeks (in North Carolina) before we really got into a groove where I started riding a lot. Then a couple of weeks after that, we started testing. Then we just really hit it really hard from there on in," Josh explains.

Josh Grant paid his dues in the junior 250 Lites class before his gradual advance to joining the big boys on the 450s. He says the more powerful bike "suits my style" and demonstrates that he has "the power to do it." The summer of 2009 indeed is demonstrating that budding stars in supercross and motocross are ready to challenge the old guard.

SOURCES:
http://www.allisports.com/news/grant-adds-list-first-time-winners-redbud
http://www.allisports.com/news/practice-report-redbud
http://www.racerxonline.com/article/5-minutes-with-josh-grant-1-9.aspx

Blake Wharton is an example of teenage riders in AMA Supercross and Motocross "Lites" competition who are able to develop their skills, and their common sense, as the stars of the future. At the same time, this gives the American Motorcyclists Association another product to promote. Wharton, 17, has taken two big recent steps. The high schooler from the aptly-named Texas Town of Pilot Point won a heat in New Orleans, and then his first overall crown in St. Louis, on the 2009 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Lites tour.

The young fellows in the Supercross and Motocross Lites races learn that they must combine daring with strategy. Blake Wharton says "getting some holeshots and some podiums" are among his top goals for future races, but to take the lead on the first turn and/or to finish in the top three also requires a rider to avoid falls. This is why Blake Wharton adds, with a veteran's wisdom, "Staying off the ground would be great."

Once a youthful rider captures his first race, a barrier is broken. "I know that winning these races is tough," says Wharton, "but I did it (in St. Louis), and I know that I can do it again. You cannot win them all, so doing the best that you can is always the right way to approach it." Blake Wharton also seems to know that a sense of humor can go a long ways. A reporter asked after the St. Louis victory whether the significance had really "hit" him yet. Wharton laughed and answered, "It hit me, but I have good reflexes, so I dodged it!"

Wharton gets razzed about his dark mane of curly-frizzy hair, so he makes the most of things. "There were a couple sections on the track that were tricky," he explained in St. Louis, "and my hair created the proper aerodynamics to keep me flowing in the right direction. People don't understand the physics behind it! You've got to get Bill Nye the Science Guy on it, and he'll show you guys what it's doing. There's a plus to it, for sure. It's true."

SOURCES:
http://www.amasupercross.com/ViewPost.aspx?postId=219
http://www.speedtv.com/programs/ama-supercross-lites/
http://www.amasupercross.com/
http://www.racerxonline.com/article/monday-conversation-ii-blake-wharton-stlouis-sx.aspx