Carmichael returns to challenge Stewart

As the U.S. motorcycle supercross season opens tonight in Anaheim, most observers agree that the series title is James Stewart’s to lose.

The 21-year-old Kawasaki rider dueled for last year’s title with Ricky Carmichael before Carmichael pulled ahead and won his fifth Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross championship.

But Carmichael, the Team Makita Suzuki rider who also has won seven consecutive AMA 250cc motocross titles -- supercross is the stadium version of motocross -- is running only a partial schedule this year as he tries to launch a career in stock car racing. That makes Stewart the favorite in the 16-race supercross series in 2007. But Carmichael’s abbreviated schedule includes tonight’s race at Angel Stadium, and Stewart said having to battle his archrival again would help him ignore the championship predictions.

“There are a lot of people saying the title is mine to lose,” Stewart told reporters Thursday. “If I start thinking that, then it is mine to lose. I’m not looking down the road. I’m just really excited about getting started.”

The series makes three stops at Angel Stadium; the other two are scheduled Jan. 20 and Feb. 3. But Carmichael, 27, plans to compete only in the first.

“I’m for sure going to miss ... all the great battles” with Carmichael, said Stewart, now in his third year of supercross. “We always seem to find each other on the track. I’m sad to see him leave.”

Carmichael, meanwhile, would like to finish first tonight if only because he has never won the opening Anaheim race. But the Floridian said he wouldn’t take risks that could cause a crash and disrupt another rider’s title hopes.

“I’m going to go out there and just do my best and not try to mess with anybody,” he said. “I think the fans, that’s what they all want to see.”

He said Stewart was the rider to beat, adding, “James is obviously the fastest guy out there.”

Carmichael’s departure could provide a lift for other riders hoping to seize the championship, but injuries are hobbling at least two of them, Chad Reed of Yamaha and Ivan Tedesco, Carmichael’s teammate. Reed, 24, the 2004 title winner, suffered shoulder injuries in a spill during practice last week and is doubtful for tonight’s race, according to team manager Larry Brooks.

“He’s doing everything he can to get better,” Brooks said. “It’s just a matter of if he can take the pain.”

Tedesco, 25, also is questionable after breaking his left hand a month ago in a practice crash with Stewart in Toronto.

The series raced twice in Canada in December. Reed won the Toronto race Dec. 2, with Carmichael and Stewart finishing second and third. Carmichael won the next week in Vancouver.

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james.peltz@latimes.com