By Andy Samuelson

Sat, Oct 11, 2008 (2 a.m.)

The color on James Stewart’s new motorcycle Friday night wasn’t the patented “Kawasaki green” Supercross fans have come to know the legendary rider by, but the reward at the end of the night was still a familiar hue.

“As long as the green is still coming in, I’ll take it,” said a smiling Stewart, after winning the main event of the U.S. Open at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Stewart, who was racing for the first time for his L&M San Manuel Mission Indians team on a blue Yamaha, avoided a crash in turn No. 1 that took down a handful of riders that helped him move to the front of the pack where he won the 20-lap event uncontested.

“I’m stoked to start it out that way,” said Stewart, who pocketed $50,000 on the night with the $10,000 bonus for winning the pole and $5,000 extra for getting the holeshot award for being the first one out of Turn No. 2.

“Everything worked out to my advantage tonight, and I am really lucky."

A repeat sweep by Stewart tonight when the two-day event continues at 7 p.m. would earn the 2008 AMA Motocross National Champion a $150,000 bonus and a grand total of $250,000.

As the pack of 14 riders went for the holeshot bonus, several riders got tangled up with each other — including Stewart and Ryan Dungey, whose bike slammed into teammate Chad Reed’s and caused serious brake damage on the back wheel which took the reigning Supercross season champion out of the race before he could finish the first lap.

“I didn’t touch Chad. He was behind me as far as I know,” said Stewart, who after the race went into Reed and Dungey’s trailer to talk to them. “I think I hit whoever was on the outside as I gassed it not to hit Chad.”

Reed — who was driving in honor of Grant Langston, who recently had surgery for melanoma cancer in his eye — was disappointed that he didn’t fare better in his American debut for the Rockstar/Makita Suzuki team.

“Dungey’s handlebar went into my brake and ripped it up. On the next turn I crashed into the wall and it was the back brake again. I knew I had to come to the pits and quit,” Reed said.

Ivan Tedesco survived a crash of his own with teammate Andrew Short and an official’s flag-waving error to come in second place, finishing just in front of Josh Hill.

A vapor ingesting crowd, chalk full of young people with ample tattoos, straight-billed caps and designer T-shirts, was treated to junior races, a Legends race that saw Damon Bradshaw hold off longtime rival Jeff Matiasevich and celebrities that included Sunny Garcia, Metal Mulisha member Beau Manley and Las Vegas’ own Carey Hart.

“This is what it’s all about here in Las Vegas,” said Hart, who invited the crowd to his club, Wasted Space at the Hard Rock, for a big party Saturday night.

A repeat performance by Stewart would certainly have him in celebratory mood, but he said he wasn’t spending any of his newly acquired winnings on Friday night.

“No slots for me tonight, I need to get some good sleep tonight and come back strong tomorrow,” he said.

Andy Samuelson is a sports writer/editor for the Las Vegas Sun. He can be reached at andy.samuelson@lasvegassun.com or 702-948-7837.