He is seven years younger, but how much has Malcolm Stewart's career been shaped by #7?
Words: Paul Malin | Photos: Red Bull Content Pool & MotoConcepts Honda | Malcolm Stewart Interview
How did you get introduced to bikes, was James the catalyst?
Actually, it was my dad, he grew up racing and then James and then, seven years later, I came along.
Was it difficult, or how difficult was it growing up as James Stewart’s brother?
I think it was cool, you know, obviously my brother is seven years older than me so, at the time, I didn’t really realise what was going on, but I think it was just cool to have a brother dominating so, if anything, it only helped me be better.
How was the banter, the camaraderie, the piss takes between you growing up – was he always putting you down or was he quite the supportive older brother?
At the time, of course, you’re always gonna think little brother, big brother and in a sense you’re probably always gonna put down the little brother but, at the end of the day, you’re the little brother and you want him to do good but, at the end of the day, brothers always fight but then he always wanted me to be successful so I think that was half the reason why he was always hard on me.
You’re known for your fun-loving attitude … what was your best verbal ‘comeback’ after something he said to you growing up? Has there been a few?
Yeah, there’s been the odd couple, there’s been plenty of times where he’d throw down a lap time and be like ‘you’re never gonna get close to within two seconds of that time …’ and then I’d get mad and go out there and be like a second off; there’s thing where he’d say that I couldn’t do and just do it. It’s just a brother thing, man, there’s always those little brother, big brother things but, of course, I’m the little brother so I’ve always wanted to beat him, the spotlight was always on him but, at the same time, I was like “One day I’m gonna be just like him …” and you know, years later, here I am; the spotlight’s on me!
What’s the best prank you ever played on James and how did it go down? Does he have a good sense of humour?
Yes he does, and usually it’s like I’d just go out and roost him, or little things like that, I’d just put dog poop in his shoes; I’ve done all kinds of things, that’s probably why half the reason he hated me (laughing) but I was a very head-strong child growing up so you couldn’t tell me what to do.
How was it having French rider Eric Sorby living with you guys – when was that, 2002?
Man, Sorby is awesome, he’s a great guy and been around since 2002 racing for Mitch Payton and he even came around and stayed with us in ’08 or ’09, but he’s a really good guy. He means well and, like I said, he even helped me with little things like technique and stuff like that, he’s always been good at jumping through whoops. He always gives me pointers and he’s like my brother …
And that’s a relationship that still endures to this day, right?
Yeah, sure. That relationship is always gonna be there still at the end of the day.
Tell me about the TV series about you guys, Bubba’s World – what was it like to be a part of? You would have been pretty young at the time?
It was cool and, more than anything, it was different and kinda like a reality show. Everyone was like “do what you normally do …” and I’m like “it’s kinda hard to do when you got a camera sitting in my face …” but, you know, at first I was so young, a lot of everything you saw of those shows was me eating the donuts and stuff (laughs) or just hanging out, that was how it really was. Like I said, I was always a very headstrong child and I still am, ask my parents; I give my parents a hard time still (laughs) …
When did everything click for you – where you thought ‘I can do this’
Erm, you know, I didn’t really take racing seriously until … I wanna say 2010, I just did it just because it was something I was good at; I never really took it serious, I was just there, you know? I would only race a few races and then be like, go to Loretta’s, qualify just enough to go to Loretta Lynn’s and I wouldn’t do any other big races. What really made me realise how good I was, was back in 2011 I went pro and got a couple good results and I was like ‘man!’ and I’m still eating buffalo wild wings, still eating garbage and then I was like … I never train and I was like “man, I can actually use this to my advantage if I put a little bit more effort into it,” and then the years come, the more effort you put in the harder it got for me (laughs) but then like you said, things really started clicking for me, we got everything right and we ended up winning a championship in 2016 [250SX East] so that was a good year. Going into it I was like “I just wanna win some races” and that’s usually how it goes; you win some races and the next thing you know you have a championship battle.
You finally stepped out of James’s shadow when you won that title – how much of a relief was that and what did it mean to win a pro title in SX?
Ah, it meant everything, more so because we made history with me and my brother; you never seen brothers win a championship in the States, I think that’s never been done. So the fact that I clinched that was more of a dream come true for me, like when we did Straight Rhythm, you know, two brothers winning that, and it’s more like I said, I’m a humungous family thing and I put my brother first before I race a motorcycle. He’s the reason why I’m still doing this today, that’s what keeps me going.
Tell me about the brand SEVEN – James still owns it, does he mind paying you – is he like ‘man, you want how much?’
You know with James, he’s actually like “you go out there and you put the effort into it …” of course he’ll pay me but it’s more like we have our own little deal put together, it’s things about the company, about what ideas and stuff; for me, I’m not too worried about getting paid from SEVEN MX. We are SEVEN and it’s the family and it’s one thing I will never do, I will never let money get in the way of family.
What does Mookie get up to when he’s not racing? What is fun for you when you’ve got a weekend off?
If I got a weekend off the first thing I usually do is get my fishing poles and stuff ready and Saturday morning I’m on the lake at 6am.
Do you go home after or camp out?
I go home, just hang out, get a good night’s rest. When I’m home and I’m back in Florida, fishing … that is everything to me! It’s everything; fishing, wakeboarding … anything that has to do with the lake, I’m all about that. I got a fishing boat, a wakeboard boat and that’s all we do is just burn gas in those things.
It was your first time at the Paris Supercross in November, how was it?
Every time I’d been it was in Lille so I’d never had the chance to see the Eiffel Tower but the race was closer in Paris so I got to visit that; just things like that, and as a racer it’s not always just about racing, you got your own little bucket list and I think that’s the reason I like travelling overseas and those fans, man, they love me over there so it gave me a big smile, and man it feels so good. You even get to see some of the MXGP guys that you never get the chance to see, you only ever see ’em on TV, so to say “hey” and have a talk with them is cool. At the end of the day we are all just one big happy family, but when the gate drops we go racing, but we all come from the same base and we all know how much it took to get there.
You’ve had some tough times since signing with Smartop/Bullfrog Spas/MotoConcepts Honda?
I started training with Gareth Swanepoel after I signed with the team in 2018 and everything really just kinda clicked for me and I told myself: “If I don’t make it work here, I’m pretty much done!” I knew I had the speed and the talent, but Gareth helped me and obviously the team didn’t give up on me. I kinda wanted to ride a Honda, ’cuz I won a championship on one; we got ready but unfortunately we got hurt. Then we rode Monster Cup and did really good and again in Paris.
Quickfire
When and where were you born?
Haines City, Florida – October 27, 1992
What was your first bike and
how old were you?
First bike was a PW50 and I was five.
When was your first race?
Dade City MX, Florida
Running or cycling?
Cycling
Motos or play riding?
Errrrr … pit biking.
Grilled chicken or deep-fried?
Oh, being from the east coast everything’s fried.
Steak or pasta?
Pasta.
French fries or baked potato?
Oh, French fries! Everything fried.
Night in or night out?
Night OUT.
Lights on or lights out?
Lights OUT!
Favourite movie?
Errr … Ninja Turtles.
Favourite actor?
Donatello (laughs) … he was always my favourite guy anyway, so whoever that guy is, I like him!
Country or rap?
Erm … I like both; being back and forth you get a lot of both. Rap! Let’s say rap!
Last concert you went to?
Little Wayne, 2014.
Jetski or apres ski?
Jetski … what’s the other one? (Note: In Europe when you go skiing, and you get to the bottom of the slopes at the end of the day, you hit the turps and get on it. Translates as ‘after ski’). You see, I’ve never been in the snow, never seen snow! Never physically been in snow. In Indy it snowed one year but I never been snowboarding or anything like that in my life.
Mum or dad?
Oh, I’m a momma’s boy!
If you and James lined up at the compound tomorrow – who’d win?
Me! Me … me! I mean, he would die trying to beat me but he’s still got it. He’s still got it!