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Reed withdraws from 2010 MX of Nations

// August 24th, 2010 // 18 Comments » // BLOG

Multiple World Supercross Champion Chad Reed has announced his withdrawal from Australia’s 2010 MX of Nations team in order to continue an intensive treatment program for the Epstein Barr Virus which de-railed his AMA Pro Motocross season

The Australian was diagnosed with the debilitating virus in July and is currently undergoing treatment at a leading medical facility in San Diego.

In handing over the reigns to three-time Australian Motocross Champion Jay Marmont, Reed acknowledged that Jay was without a doubt the best candidate and his performance was the benchmark of the Australian Motocross scene

“Trying to make the “smartest” decision, isn’t always the easiest decision so it is really hard for me to announce that I am not going to be racing in the 2010 MX of Nations, Reed stated.

“I am always extremely proud to represent my country at this event, not only is it an honour to be chosen, Team Australia has always been a case of my best mates and I racing together. However, based on my performance and health this year I have to make a smart decision and I feel that there is someone else who deserve this honour more than I do.

“For the past three years no one has come close to Jay’s performance in the Australian Motocross scene. Even in the middle of the greatest personal adversity he didn’t drop the ball once and I think he will truly do his country proud,” he continued.

“Getting well is my Number One priority right now, I have to be healthy and ready for the 2011 AMA Supercross Series and AMA Pro Motocross Championship. I’m doing everything I can to be back and ready to race and I sincerely hope I can earn the right to be chosen to represent Australia again next year.

“Many people have said to me ‘everything happens for a reason’, this train wreck of a year has forced some changes in my program which I think have been a blessing in disguise. I have so much passion for this sport and I still have the drive to work hard and win. A big thank-you to all my family, friends and fans who continue to support me,” Reed concluded.

Reed’s racing plans for the remainder of 2010 season remain uncertain at this time, he will consult with doctors following test results at the completion of his treatment to determine the next steps.

Statement from Chad Reed about his 2010 racing campaign

// July 24th, 2010 // 66 Comments » // BLOG

Hi Guys,

Please see my letter below that sets straight the situation around my 2010 racing season. I have spent most of the last month in and out of my doctor’s office getting tests done, trying to figure out what is going on.

Knowing that I have worked hard during the week on and off the bike, each weekend I head to the race excited to get out there and get some wins on my Monster Kawasaki – ready to defend the Number 1 plate that is on my bike. The team and bike are prepped and ready on race day and then I’m unable to race like I normally can.

Where is the fight that I normally have?….. For most of this outdoor season I have been frustrated and questioning every part of my program, wondering why I am unable to race to my full potential. It’s embarrassing riding with the #1 plate on and not battling at the front. I don’t take it lightly, and I knew I had to get to the bottom of my issues.

Many people have commented that it’s due to my role as a new dad, but that’s not it. Tate makes me want to race harder, I want my son to be proud of me and I want to teach him that by working hard you can achieve your dreams.

People think that the passing of my friend Andrew McFarlane was another reason that I may not be riding to my full potential, that I’m keeping it safe. That’s not it either, I have always ridden within my safety zone and I know Andrew is up there pumping me up to get some holeshots and win some races like he always did.

These two reasons alone make me want to race harder and give it everything I have, to be an example of hard work to my son, to live life to the full and be thankful for doing what I love to do, and that is race a motorcycle. I’m not ready for retirement. I want a few more championships indoors and out.

So finally with all that said, I got my results back from the doctor, I have Epstein Barr Virus. I know some other riders have had it, and I never thought I would be sitting here saying the same thing. It explained my fatigue issues on the track. I knew it wasn’t my fitness, but I was struggling to finish moto’s. It just got to a point where it was dangerous for me to be out there.

My doctor, team and I have decided that I need to be off the bike for a while to try get this handled. I am really disappointed to be out again. This year has been a personal worst for me. I have often been referred to as Mr. Consistent, but this year has been far from that.

I want to apologise to my fans for not being able to race for you and I want to take this opportunity to thank you for your support and sticking by the 22 this year. From the worst times, comes the best times, and I will be working hard to kick this illness so I can get back on track and to winning races as soon as possible.

Thanks for your support and understanding at this time.

Chad

Reed has series leader in sights as AMA Motocross heads to Spring Creek

// July 14th, 2010 // 28 Comments » // BLOG

Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Chad Reed has made the most of a rare break in proceedings on the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship calendar, using the fortnight off to train, test and maintain the momentum built in the first half of the 2010 season.

The #1 plate-holder made back lost ground in the race for the title with a solid second place finish at Red Bud at the beginning of July, and showed he was able to match the pace set by leader Ryan Dungey.

The Australian returned to his US base in Florida following the event and has been practicing on his own purpose-built motocross track at every possible opportunity, as well as completing a positive tyre test.

This weekend’s event, to be held at the Spring Creek Motocross Park in Millville, Minnesota, will be a pivotal one for Reed who needs a strong points haul to keep his goal of back-to-back 450 class championships alive.

“It’s rare to get a weekend off and I’ve been doing everything I can to keep the momentum of the last few rounds going,” said Reed.

“I’ve been putting lots of time into riding my own track and keeping myself sharp. Red Bud was a positive result but there is still more to come I feel.

“It’s the business end of the season and I feel like I’m ready to get going. The team and our sponsors have put in an amazing amount of work and I’m aiming to repay them with the results I know I’m capable of.”

The defending champion has one overall win next to his name in the 2010 outdoors season, but has built his campaign on consistency to keep in the hunt.

With six pointscoring opportunities remaining, Reed is placed second, 64 points behind Dungey.

Australian viewers can catch Fuel TV’s live broadcast of the 450 class from 6.30am on Sunday morning (July 18th).

450 Class Championship Standings

1. Ryan Dungey, 268pts
2. Chad Reed, 204pts
3. Brett Metcalfe, 201pts
4. Ben Townley, 189pts
5. Andrew Short, 189pts
6. Josh Grant, 182pts
7. Mike Alessi, 177pts
8. Kyle Regal, 122pts
9. Ryan Sipes, 114pts
10. Kyle Chisholm, 108pts

Racer X Films: Chad Reed

// July 13th, 2010 // No Comments » // BLOG

An in-depth interview with Chad Reed as featured in the August 2010 issue of Racer X.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW

Reed on the podium and back in the championship hunt

// July 4th, 2010 // 8 Comments » // BLOG

Defending AMA Pro Motocross Champion, Chad Reed has bounced back from a run of disappointing results to finish second at Michigan’s Red Bud National, Round 6 of the 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship.

In what turned out to be the most exciting race of the season so far, Reed was fourth off the start and raced neck-and-neck with championship rival Ryan Dungey for second over the closing laps of the race.

Race leader Ben Townley crashed with half a lap to go and his bike flipped in the Australian’s path, unseating Reed momentarily. Despite the small off, he still crossed the line second.

Another good start in the second 450cc Moto saw Reed sitting comfortably fourth on the opening lap of the race, he moved into third on Lap 3 and was second by Lap 7.

The Monster Energy Kawasaki rider maintained second and amassed 44 championship points for the round, elevating him to second in the championship standings with six rounds still remaining.

“It was a good day, I rode strong and made good top five starts in both motos,” Reed said. “This track is amazing but it was a little over watered which left it muddy and deep with only one good line.

“In the first race I felt I had what it takes to win but when Townley crashed on the last lap I was on the left side while Dungey was on the right, and unfortunately his (Townley’s) bike flipped my way and I came off. If it had flipped the other way things would have been very different.

“I didn’t really ride my race in the second moto, I tried to force the issue and made little mistakes that cost me time and allowed Dungey to pull away.

“We have definitely made some good ground today and we still have six rounds remaining so it is far from over,” Reed stated.

The seventh round of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross will be held on Saturday July 17 at Spring Creek Motocross Park in Millville, Minnesota.

The 450cc class will be aired in Australia live on Fuel TV from 6.30am (Sunday July 18).

*Australian TV Networks wanting footage for News stories should contact Fuel TV or Fox Sports.

Top Ten 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship Results – Red Bud Raceway – Buchanan, Michigan

450 Class (Overall Finish)

1. Ryan Dungey (1/1), 50pts
2. Chad Reed (2/2), 44pts
3. Ben Townley (4/3), 38pts
4. Andrew Short (3/5), 36pts
5. Brett Metcalfe (5/4), 34pts
6. Josh Grant (6/6) 30pts
7. Kyle Regal (7/7) 28pts
8. R Sipes (8/8) 26pts
9. Mike Alessi (10/9) 23pts
10. Nick Wey (9/12) 21pts

450 Class Championship Standings

1. Ryan Dungey, 268pts
2. Chad Reed, 204pts
3. Brett Metcalfe, 201pts
4. Ben Townley, 189pts
5. Andrew Short, 189pts
6. Josh Grant, 182pts
7. Mike Alessi, 177pts
8. Kyle Regal, 122pts
9. Ryan Sipes, 114pts
10. Kyle Chisholm, 108pts

Reed eager to improve as second half of US Motocross series looms

// July 2nd, 2010 // 5 Comments » // BLOG

Defending 450 class titleholder Chad Reed is hoping to shake a recent form slump and re-assert himself as a threat when the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship continues at RedBud in Buchanan, Michigan, this weekend.

The largest event on the outdoors’ calendar is also the half-way point, and Reed knows he must find pace in order to chase down series leader Ryan Dungey.

While it’s been an up-and-down season for the Australian, consistency has kept him in the hunt. When unable to challenge for a spot on the podium, Reed has kept his cool and collected points where others have pushed to beyond breaking point.

The only rider to take an overall victory away from Dungey, Reed said his focus was fixed on starting well and felt this was key to keeping in check with those setting the pace.

“I love coming to RedBud, it’s a big race meeting and I always look forward to racing here. Last year this was the event that really helped me moved forward in my goal of taking the outdoors title,” said the Monster Energy Kawasaki rider.

“The past few events have been decided at the start gates. With such an even field it is important to not get mixed up in the back, you give the front guys an advantage that takes the entire moto to make back.”

Reed has collected points in all five outdoor rounds to date heading into the sixth he sits third on the championship standings. He has 160 points next to his name, 7 shy of fellow Aussie Brett Metcalfe.

The RedBud track is home to the largest obstacle in US motocross, ‘LaRocco’s Leap’, a 120-foot uphill triple jump that has to be approached at top speed.

Australian viewers can tune in to Fuel TV’s live broadcast of the series at 5.30am on Sunday morning and again at 8.30am.

450 Class Point Standings – After 5 of 12 rounds

1. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki, 218
2. Brett Metcalfe, Australia, Honda, 167
3. Chad Reed, Australia, Kawasaki, 160
4. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM, 154
5. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda, 153
6. Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Yamaha, 152
7. Ben Townley, New Zealand, Honda, 151
8. Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Yamaha, 108
9. Tommy Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Suzuki, 101
10. Kyle Regal, Kemp, Texas, Honda, 94

Reed still in the hunt despite tough Thunder Valley showing

// June 28th, 2010 // 9 Comments » // BLOG

Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Chad Reed faced an uncharacteristic struggle for pace at the weekend’s Thunder Valley motocross round, unable to recover from a pair of slow starts to both 450 class motos in the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship.

The defending champion finished 10-7 for a 9th overall for round 5. Consistency has kept the 28-year-old at the head of the field for the first half of the season but he acknowledges that he must step it up to remain in title contention.

“It was a tough day, I couldn’t get going and really struggled to make any ground during the motos,” said Reed.

“In terms of the championship it was costly, I dropped a spot and Ryan (Dungey) added another big bag of points.

“We’ll be looking to come back strong for the next one at Red Bud. If I can get away well I feel like I can be right there challenging for wins.”

The Aussie will be seeking redemption at this weekend’s sixth round and the centrepiece of the US championship, Red Bud.

He is placed third behind fellow countryman Brett Metcalfe, who is 7 points ahead. Ryan Dungey is a further 51 points away in the class lead.

450 Class Championship Standings

1. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki, 218
2. Brett Metcalfe, Australia, Honda, 167
3. Chad Reed, Australia, Kawasaki, 160
4. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM, 154
5. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda, 153
6. Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Yamaha, 152
7. Ben Townley, New Zealand, Honda, 151
8. Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Yamaha, 108
9. Tommy Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Suzuki, 101
10. Kyle Regal, Kemp, Texas, Honda, 94

Reed sets sights on Thunder Valley MX podium

// June 23rd, 2010 // No Comments » // BLOG

Defending 450 class champion Chad Reed has vowed to continue his push to make back points on the leader of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross championship when the US-based series visits Thunder Valley in Colorado this weekend.

Reed climbed back into second place on the standings after an solid showing at Budd’s Creek last weekend where he put his Monster Energy Kawasaki machine on the third step of the podium.

Improved qualifying form saw the Australian in a much better position as the gates dropped and he is hoping to continue this run and maintain a positive, steady path of development aboard his KX450F.

“In the first few rounds I’d been having a hard time getting in a clean qualifying lap and it meant a lot more work had to be done at the start of each moto,” said Reed.

“We’ve been moving forward with the bike and making some real progress. Ryan (Dungey) rode well last weekend and I didn’t have much for him – I feel like the tracks to come are a lot more like my own practice track so now its my chance to get back within reach.

“Without that tough run at High Point we would be right up there. The team is working hard to bridge the gap and we’re confident of a strong showing over the next few rounds.”

With four rounds complete, Reed is 36 points adrift of leader Dungey. The 2010 season features 12 rounds of competition.

The 450cc class will be aired in Australia on Fuel TV from 10.00am (Sunday June 27).

*Australian TV Networks wanting footage for news stories should contact Fuel TV or Fox Sports.

Top Ten Championship Standings – Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross 450 Championship

1. Ryan Dungey, 171pts
2. Chad Reed, 135pts
3. Brett Metcalfe, 131pts
4. Mike Alessi, 129pts
5. Andrew Short, 120pts
6. Josh Grant, 116pts
7. Ben Townley, 114pts
8. Ryan Sipes, 81pts
9. Thomas Hahn, 81pts
10. Kyle Chisholm, 81pts

Reed leaps to second in the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship

// June 20th, 2010 // 8 Comments » // BLOG

Defending AMA Motocross Champion, Chad Reed has bounced back from the disappointment of last weekends High Point National to finish on the podium at Budds Creek and move to second in the 2010 Lucas Oil Pro AMA Motocross Championship standings.

The Australian got a reasonable start in the first  450 moto, settling into fifth behind championship leader Ryan Dungey on the opening lap.  He maintained fifth for the majority of the race before passing Ben Townley to take fourth with four laps remaining.

Reed got another good start in the second moto and was third into the first turn.  The Monster Energy Kawasaki rider passed Andrew Short for second on Lap 5 and held his position for the duration of the race.

Taking 40 points from today’s event Reed was third overall and jumped from fourth to second in the championship order.

“This was definitely a much better result than last week,” Reed admitted. “But I still feel like I am a little bit off on a few things.

“I guess the hard thing is that I do the majority of my testing in California and the bike was awesome at the first race which was in California.  Since then, I have been struggling a bit and I have also been struggling at my home test track.

“Our challenge now it to iron out a few of these little issues that are holding us back but on a positive note, pretty much every race from here will be on tracks that are more like my track.

“I know we can do better, and there are a few things that we will do to make that happen,” Reed continued.

The fifth round of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship will be held at Thunder Valley Motocross Park in Colorado on Saturday June 26.

The 450cc class will be aired in Australia on Fuel TV from 10.00am (Sunday June 27).

*Australian TV Networks wanting footage for News stories should contact Fuel TV or Fox Sports.

Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Top Ten Round Results – Budd’s Creek

1. Ryan Dungey 3/1, SUZ
2. Andrew Short 1/5, HON
3. Chad Reed 4/2, KAW
4. Josh Grant 5/4, YAM
5. Mike Alessi 2/12, KTM
6. Brett Metcalfe 6/6 ,HON
7. Ryan Sipes 7/7, YAM
8. Ben Townley 14/3, HON
9. Kyle Chisholm 8/8, YAM
10. Justin Brayton 10/10, YAM

Top Ten Championship Standings – Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross 450 Championship

1.  Ryan Dungey, 171pts
2.  Chad Reed, 135pts
3.  Brett Metcalfe, 131pts
4.  Mike Alessi, 129pts
5.  Andrew Short, 120pts
6.  Josh Grant, 116pts
7.  Ben Townley, 114pts
8.  Ryan Sipes, 81pts
9.  Thomas Hahn, 81pts
10. Kyle Chisholm, 81pts

Chad Reed makes the July/August cover of RacerX

// June 15th, 2010 // 4 Comments » // BLOG