San Francisco SX

Once again, the world of Supercross racing is proving just how unpredictable it can be. It was reported late last night that James Stewart underwent surgery to repair a broken bone in his hand that x-rays following his heat race crash at the Phoenix round, January 16, evidently missed. As a result, Stewart will miss tonight's San Francisco round.

To miss a round in the Supercross series is a serious hit for a rider, especially a season that promises to be close on points. Add to this the fact that Chad Reed broke his hand in the now infamous crash with Stewart in the Phoenix Main Event, and you have two of the Supercross favorites on the sidelines.

Ryan Dungey is situated to benefit the most from this cruel turn of fate. Dungey, the rookie of the series, has already proven his metal, winning two rounds and taking a second to land atop the point's ladder at this stage of the 2010 season. From the performance the personable Dungey has already exhibited thus far, he didn't need any misfortune to befall his competitors to boost his advantage. But that's racing.

All said, there are still a grueling fourteen (14) rounds remaining in the AMA / FIM Supercross Championship. It's anybody's guess how this will all play out. There are a lot of points up for grabs yet. And rest assured, with Reed and Stewart sidelined for the moment, the other major protagonists of the championship will no doubt be re-energized and focused on making the most of the rapidly leveling playing field.