Stewart victory sets up dream title showdown.

James Stewart overcame a rain-drenched track to win the penultimate round of the 2006 Amp'd Mobile AMA Supercross/World Supercross GP championships at Quest Field in Seattle - setting up a thrilling title showdown next weekend in Las Vegas.

Honda's Nick Wey grabbed the holeshot to start the 15-lap race, which was shortened by five laps due to the weather conditions, up front - but Stewart was soon ahead and disappearing into the distance.

Behind the Kawasaki star, Yamaha's Chad Reed advanced to second while attention turned to reigning AMA and World SX GP champion Ricky Carmichael - who came into the event holding a narrow lead over Stewart in the AMA standings, but was struggling through the pack after a 10th place start.

With Stewart cruising to victory and Reed secured in second, Carmichael dug deep and fought his way to third, saving his season and keeping his title hopes alive.

With the series finale set for May 6 in Las Vegas, Carmichael is tied for the AMA points lead with Reed, while Stewart is just five-points behind in third! In the World Supercross standings, Stewart stretched his lead to 12 points over Carmichael - and so has one hand on that crown - but the AMA championship is the most prestigious.

"I had a scary crash during my practice, but I went back and talked to my mom and she helped me put together a great ride tonight," said Stewart, who picked up his seventh AMA Supercross Series win of the season. "All I can do is win next weekend and hope for the best."

"I gave it my all tonight and we have one more weekend to see how the championship ends," said Carmichael. "All I can do is do my best and see what happens in Las Vegas. This points race is great for the fans and the sport."

In the AMA Supercross Lites race, KTM's Mike Alessi won the $1,000 Progressive Direct Holeshot Award but was caught out by the slippery conditions and hit the ground in turn two. That allowed Kawasaki riders Ryan Villopoto and Grant Langston to take the top two positions, while KTM rider Nathan Ramsey caused a log jam that held up series points leader Andrew Short.

On lap two, Langston moved into the lead and was pulling away when Honda's Short shot off the track in the whoops, sending him back in the pack and all but ended his title hopes.

Langston survived the deteriorating condition of the track and went on to take the win the race and second championship in as many years. Villopoto was second and Suzuki's Jason Lawrence third. Short finished in ninth place.

"Going into tonight I knew I needed some help because of where I was at in the point standings," said Langston, who became only the third rider in series history, after Ernesto Fonseca and Stewart, to win titles in both the Eastern and Western AMA Supercross Lites series.

"It was really comforting having him (Villopoto) behind me because I knew that he wasn't going to take me out. Things didn't look so good for me after last weekend, but tonight I made myself ride well in the mud and I won my second championship," added the South African.

Amp'd Mobile AMA Supercross Series Event Results, Seattle:
1. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Kawasaki
2. Chad Reed, Tampa, Fla., Yamaha
3. Ricky Carmichael, Tallahassee, Fla., Suzuki
4. Travis Preston, Hesperia, Calif., Honda
5. Nicholas Wey, Dewitt, Mich., Honda
6. Michael Byrne, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki
7. Ivan Tedesco, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki
8. Kevin Windham, Centerville, Miss., Honda
9. Brock Sellards, Sherrodsville, Ohio, Honda
10. Heath Voss, Mico, Texas, Yamaha

Amp'd Mobile AMA Supercross Series Season Standings:
1. Ricky Carmichael, Tallahassee, Fla., Suzuki, 316
2. Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Yamaha, 316
3. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Kawasaki, 311
4. Ivan Tedesco, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki, 241
5. Nicholas Wey, Dewitt, Mich., Honda, 234
6. Michael Byrne, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki, 228
7. Travis Preston, Hesperia, Calif., Honda, 191
8. Ernesto Fonseca, Murrieta, Calif., Honda, 125
9. Ryan Clark, Waddell, Ariz., Honda, 116
10. Mike LaRocco, Corona, Calif., Honda, 108

Amp'd Mobile World Supercross GP Season Standings:
1. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Kawasaki, 355
2. Ricky Carmichael, Havana, Fla., Suzuki, 343
3. Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Yamaha, 334
4. Ivan Tedesco, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki, 276
5. Nicholas Wey, Dewitt, Mich., Honda, 268
6. Michael Byrne, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki, 259
7. Jason Thomas, Melrose, Fla., Honda, 181
8. Jeff Gibson, Blacklick, Ohio,, Honda, 178
9. Ryan Clark, Waddell, Ariz., Honda, 176
10. Tyler Evans, Corona, Calif., Suzuki, 125

Amp'd Mobile Western Regional AMA Supercross Lites Event Results, Seattle:
1. Grant Langston, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki
2. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki
3. Jason Lawrence, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki
4. Brett Metcalfe, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha
5. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM
6. Ryan Morais, Temecula, Calif., Suzuki
7. Billy Laninovich, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Honda
8. Andrew Short, Murrieta, Calif., Honda
9. Ryan Mills, Clintondale, N.Y., Suzuki
10. Adam Chatfield, Madisonville, Texas, Honda

Amp'd Mobile Western Regional AMA Supercross Lites Final Season Standings:
1.Grant Langston, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki, 161
2. Andrew Short, Murrieta, Calif., Honda, 153
3. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki, 141
4. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM, 129
5. Billy Laninovich, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Honda, 125
6. Nathan Ramsey, Menifee, Calif., KTM, 116
7. Brett Metcalfe, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha, 116
8. Paul Carpenter, Ithaca, N.Y., Honda, 89
9. Ryan Morais, Temecula, Calif., Suzuki, 75
10. Darcy Lange, San Jacinto, Calif., Kawasaki, 64