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Stewart Spins, Carmichael Wins

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Times Staff Writer

Ricky Carmichael took advantage of a late-race spinout by archrival James “Bubba” Stewart to win the Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series’ second stop of the year at Angel Stadium.

Stewart had led most of the 20-lap main event with Carmichael chasing him in second. Then Stewart spun out on the 19th lap, enabling Carmichael to take the win for Team Makita Suzuki Racing.

“It was tough to get by him,” Carmichael said. “I feel bad for James because I don’t want to win that way.”

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The victory also enabled Carmichael to pull ahead of Stewart in the series points chase after the two Florida riders began the night tied for the title.

“I just got to give my hat off to Ricky,” said Stewart, who ended up third. “I’m sorry it had to end like this. But we’ll be back.”

For the third time in three races, Chad Reed finished second on his Yamaha.

A sellout crowd of 45,050 -- bundled against a chilly evening that also prompted the riders to don parkas and gloves for their introductions -- got the shootout they expected after Carmichael and Stewart dominated their qualifying heats earlier in the event.

The series opened in Anaheim two weeks ago with Stewart riding his four-stroke Kawasaki to a nine-second victory, and defending series champion Carmichael finishing third.

They changed places the next week in Phoenix, with four-time title winner Carmichael taking the win and Stewart settling for third. The series heads to San Francisco next week before making one last stop in Anaheim on Feb. 4.

In the series’ lower class, the Supercross Lites, Grant Langston of Clermont, Fla., took the win aboard his Kawasaki in the 15-lap main event, followed by Honda rider Andrew Short of Murrieta.

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Saturday’s racing was the 40th supercross event at Angel Stadium, which is transformed for supercross with 1.5 million pounds of dirt trucked in and spread over the diamond’s infield.

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‘Cross paths

The AMA Supercross Series returns to Anaheim on Feb. 4. The 2006 schedule:

Saturday: SBC Park, San Francisco.

* Feb. 4: Angel Stadium.

* Feb. 11: Qualcomm Stadium,

San Diego.

* Feb. 18: Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis.

* Feb. 25: Georgia Dome, Atlanta.

* March 4: RCA Dome, Indianapolis.

* March 10: Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Fla.

* March 18: Citrus Bowl,

Orlando, Fla.

* March 25: Ford Field, Detroit.

* April 1: Reliant Stadium, Houston.

* April 22: Texas Stadium,

Irving, Texas.

* April 29: Qwest Field, Seattle.

* May 6: Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas.

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