The AMA outdoor contenders will face the intense heat of Texas this weekend. Image: Simon Cudby.

Last Saturday in California, the opening round of the 2012 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, set the tone for what is sure to be a captivating season.

This Saturday, 26 May, the series moves to Wortham, Texas, for the Miller Electric Freestone National, presented by Yamaha.

The big story of Hangtown was James Stewart’s return to the outdoors on his new Yoshimura Suzuki, as he took an impressive 1-1 victory in the 450 class.

Behind Stewart was Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey who took his 450 SX-F to second place on debut, putting in a solid ride and pressuring Stewart at one point. Expect to see more of these two riders battling it out before the season-end.

Mike Alessi rounded out the top three overall on his MotoConcepts ride with a 7-3 result. One rider to keep an eye will be Stewart’s former JGRMX teammate, Davi Millsaps. Millsaps took an impressive second place in moto one, only to suffer some bad luck in moto two finishing in 14th.

All three 450 Class podium finishers are previous winners at Freestone – Stewart in 2008 en route to his perfect season, Dungey in 2010 for his first premier-class victory, and Alessi in 2009 for his second career win.

Last season at Freestone, Dungey missed a second consecutive victory at the track when he ran out of fuel during the closing moments of the race.

In the 250 Class at Hangtown it was the Blake Baggett show, winning the Hangtown opener again in dominating fashon for the second year in a row.

Baggett took 1-1 finishes on the day, digging deep in moto one to take a victory on the final lap after suffering a bad start.

Victims to Baggett’s pure speed were GEICO Honda’s Justin Barcia and Red Bull KTM’s Ken Roczen, who took second and third respectively in the overall standings.

Barcia has the holeshots on-lock, but was unable to keep the pace throughout each moto. Roczen is fast but also had issues, making small mistakes at critical times.

Last season at Freestone in the 250 Class, Tyla Rattray emerged victorious with 2-1 moto scores. With his move to the 450 Class, the old division will see a first-time event winner on Saturday.

Freestone Raceway is one of the most challenging tracks on the Lucas Oil Motocross schedule. The facility consistently tests every rider’s physical and mental toughness with its mix of speed and technicality.

The track’s trademark sand whoops, affectionately known as the 12 Pack, will be a focal point for fans and riders alike, while the sprawling layout will allow for close competition among all competitors.

The series heads into the heat of Freestone Raceway in Texas for round two this Saturday, where the riders will be pushed to their limits on the demanding circuit.