Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing’s James Stewart couldn’t be more excited about this weekend’s season-opening round of the 2013 AMA/ FIM Supercross series at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California.

Midway through 2012, Stewart joined the championship-winning Yoshimura Suzuki squad and has been focusing his efforts on racing the Suzuki RM-Z450 in the upcoming 2013 season.

Last year, Stewart captured a solid second-place finish at one of the Anaheim Supercross rounds. He also picked up two victories, plus two more podium finishes before incurring injury midway through the season.

Despite this, Stewart still finished seventh in the overall championship points last season. He had previously won the AMA supercross championship in 2007 and 2009, so he’s no stranger to winning at this level.

In the end, however, the 2012 championship was won for a second consecutive season by Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto, with Honda’s Davi Millsaps finishing runner-up and KTM’s Ryan Dungey taking the third step on the podium.

This time around Stewart, Villopoto and co can expect a tough time from a slew of riders, including top talents such as Honda stars Kevin Windham and Chad Reed, Kawsasaki pair Jake Weimer and Blake Baggett and KTM’s Mike Alessi, to name a few.

Check out this video clip of Stewart with Villopoto.

“I honestly don’t remember the last time I looked forward to the start of a racing season as much as I’m looking forward to this one,” said Stewart.

“I’ve been really lucky in that we’ve had several months to test, which helped us all come together as a team and helped me get comfortable with the Yoshimura Suzuki RM-Z450. We’ve got the bike set up perfectly for my riding style and it’s working really great. I’m so excited to get back to racing and I feel like Anaheim 1 and the whole 2013 season is looking good for me, for the RM-Z450; and for the whole Yoshimura Suzuki team.”

GEICO Honda’s Windham has gone to the gate of an AMA Supercross more than 200 times in his 20 years of racing and he’s ready for more as the Anaheim Supercross opener looms on the horizon.

“I talk to so many people about what I do and what they do,” the 34-year-old Windham said. “I hear so many stories and most people can’t imagine being a professional motorcycle racer. Me, I can’t imagine being anything but a racer. It’s all I know, and the past few years, I’ve really learned to appreciate it.”