| Born in 1985, James "Bubba" Stewart has been | | | | class for both the Supercross series and the |
| called the "Tiger Woods of super motocross" | | | | Outdoor National Motocross series. While Stewart |
| because of his domination of a sport as an | | | | immediately showed that he had the speed to |
| African American with mostly Caucasian | | | | race with the top riders in super motocross, a |
| competitors. A better term for Stewart might be | | | | practice crash that resulted in a broken wrist at |
| the "Jackie Robinson of super motocross." | | | | Round 2 in Phoenix meant that he would have to |
| Like Robinson, and unlike Woods, Stewart is the | | | | wait before he notched his first career super |
| first African American in the big leagues of his | | | | motocross win. |
| sport, and like Robinson, Stewart came from | | | | On April 2, 2005, at Texas Stadium (in only his |
| humble beginnings and has had to withstand racial | | | | third race), Stewart captured his very first career |
| slurs and bigotry while winning events. | | | | super motocross victory. Stewart would go on to |
| The racism Stewart faced was profiled on ESPN | | | | win the 2007 Supercross Championship. While |
| in April 2009. According to Stewart in the report, | | | | "Bubba" Stewart continues to win races as a pro, |
| he endured foul language questioning his heritage | | | | he has also started to make big bucks in |
| and family. Before that, his father, James Sr., | | | | endorsements. Stewart's sponsors include |
| collected cans for recycling and worked multiple | | | | Kawasaki, Gatorade and Oakley, and he also has |
| jobs in order to support his son's super | | | | a role in an MX2002 game for Sony Playstation. |
| motocross racing ambitions. The elder Stewart | | | | Some estimates place his earnings from racing |
| built a 40-acre track near their home in Haines | | | | and endorsements at more than $10 million per |
| City, Fla. so young James would have a place to | | | | year. He is well on is way to becoming an |
| practice. | | | | inspiration for other African Americans to |
| James Sr. entered his son into his first race when | | | | participate in super motocross. |
| James Jr. was just four. By seven, James Jr. was | | | | The rare combination of Stewart's abilities on the |
| winning races as a sponsored rider. He won | | | | track, his business success, and his pioneering |
| multiple amateur national titles all before the age | | | | spirit has made him a joy to watch and root for |
| of 16, James made a name for himself as one of | | | | in the African American community. Much like |
| the most promising future stars of the sport. | | | | African Americans in the 1940s and 1950s who |
| Because of his multiple amateur titles, his pro | | | | did not have to be baseball fans to root for |
| debut for the 2002 racing season was one of the | | | | Robinson, Blacks today do not need an inherent |
| most anticipated debuts in the history of the | | | | interest in super motocross to root for Stewart |
| sport. While crashes and rookie mistakes kept him | | | | to continue to dominate a sport that was not |
| from winning the 2002 125 West Supercross title, | | | | accepting initially, but is now helping to provide him |
| he was named the 2002 AMA Rookie of the | | | | with unimagined wealth. |
| Year. He was also named one of "20 Teens Who | | | | As for James Stewart, Sr., he is mentoring |
| Will Change the World" in the April 2003 issue of | | | | another son to repeat James Jr.'s success in |
| Teen People magazine. | | | | super motocross. It remains to be seen if |
| For 2005, he moved up to the premier 450cc | | | | lightening can strike twice. |