Open Mic: Chad Reed
Tuesday, October 30, 2012 | 1:00 PM
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PrintCourtesy of Alex Gobert and MotoOnline.com.au
Chad Reed’s return to Australia came with a huge amount of pressure during the Phillip Island round of the Terex Australian Supercross Championships, which was increased by the presence of close friend Valentino Rossi during the main events.
Any time Reed is on track back home in Australia he’s expected to dominate, however after a lengthy period off the bike and an ultra-tight track at the Island, victory was far from a certainty for Reed on Saturday afternoon.
The TwoTwo Motorsports team owner/rider managed to get the job done in fine style in the end, leading all 20 laps of the main and celebrating ahead of a greatly appreciative grand prix fan base –- many of whom were exposed to SX for the first time.
MotoOnline.com.au spoke to Reed directly after the main event to get his thoughts on the event, to find out where his fitness is at and to discuss his progress made since he last competed back home in 2010.
MotoOnline.com.au: It’s MotoGP weekend, a massive weekend for supercross in Australia, and you just won the main event. That must be a cool feeling?
Chad Reed: Yeah, it’s always good winning, doesn’t matter what side of the pond you’re on. So yeah, just pumped that I did three starts, won two or three races, and I got great starts. That’s something that I struggled with and I was a little bit behind last week in Vegas, so it’s always nice to make progress week after week.
It was good to do 20 laps, the lap time was on the short side, but it’s good to get out and there just do the feeling of just going through. There was a lot of lappers, so I had to be really careful. I wish I had a pit board actually, I just kind of wanted to be able to see lap times and just ride off of the pit board and see where we go, but yeah I’m excited.
Chad Reed will contest in the remaining rounds of the 2012 ASX series.
Simon Makker/Makkreative.com photo
You came back for the Monster Energy Cup and you’re now here one week later, so is the plan to race yourself back into fitness after so long off?
Yeah, that is kind of the plan. We were late on getting our new bikes and everything like that. I just think that this schedule I’m creating myself, it gives me an opportunity to mentally get prepared for next year. You can spend a million laps around the test track, or at home, or work your arse off with your trainer, but I think getting out there and dropping the gate with 19 other guys, there is really no substitute for it.
So for me I think mentally it’s a good thing to get out of my mind, just completely forget about my knee, don’t even ride on the cautious side. You know, just try to get to a point where I can ride aggressive, ride fast and not be worried that I’m going to get hurt.
This event is obviously very unique, the first time in the world that we’ve seen supercross at a MotoGP event, with Valentino Rossi and guys like that watching on. The track was tight, but this has a lot more pluses than minuses, doesn’t it?
A lot of the younger riders, I hear them saying, look at the track it’s so small, and everything like that. But when you really look at the big scheme of things, and how awesome it is that we are here in front of MotoGP. If you go and walk around the pits, as you know, there are Europeans, English, Americans here, it’s a special weekend I think.
For me to see Vale [Valentino Rossi], [Andrea] Dovizioso, Nicky [Hayden], all those guys in the Monster thing just checking us out, that’s such cool feeling. We see them hanging over the fence being fans like I am. Tomorrow I’ll be that guy in the garage looking at their bikes, watching them go round and cheering on Casey [Stoner]. So I think it’s a special weekend that nobody else has been able to do in the world, so hats-off to Yarrive [Konsky] and his crew.
Reed was the first to debut Honda's 2013 CRF450R in Australia at Phillip Island.
Simon Makker/Makkreative.com photo
A couple years ago we saw you debut that TeamVodafone Honda in Australia, and then form TwoTwo Motorsports for 2011. This is actually TwoTwo Motorsports’ Australian debut, so it must be a special feeling to come back as not only Chad Reed the racer, but you’re a team owner now and everyone loves the TwoTwo brand.
Yeah, definitely the brand, it’s gone far bigger than I ever expected or thought it would. I think the biggest thing was, like you said, when I did that Vodafone bike at the end of 2010, I got on a plane two days later and was going to do some trials. I went and rode a Valli Yamaha and a Troy Lee Honda, so at that point the thought of TwoTwo Motorsports really wasn’t even born. So a short few years later here we are, we’ve achieved a lot and to be here at this race and see TwoTwo Motorsports branding everywhere, it gives me a special feeling and I think it’s something no one else has ever achieved. People have tried, but no one has really been successful. It’s a lot of work and it’s hard work, but I enjoy it and it keeps the passion going.
Well done again, I know a lot of people are here to see Casey Stoner in his last race at Phillip Island, but I think a fair share are here to just enjoy seeing Chad Reed in action as well, so congratulations.
Yeah exactly, I think just walking around and even boarding a plane in Newcastle, obviously Newcastle was my hometown and Casey’s hometown too, so walking through the airport all the boys are having some beers around the bar and next minute I hear, “Hey Reedy!”
It was a really cool feeling to board a plane that 99 percent of the people on the plane were all coming down to Melbourne to watch Casey and I to an extent. So it’s a very special feeling and I’m pumped to be a part of it actually.
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I give Reed a lot of credit. He could just retire but instead keeps racing and promoting the sport. Given his horrific Dallas crash and subsequent injuries, he deserves loads of respect……and oh yeah, he is still fast as hell.
Good points JonR145, U forgot also he is the tuffest guy on the track, the millville get off,, then getting up on his feet with a broken leg, ACL and ribs,, I will never know how he did that!
I hope Reedy takes out Villo sometime during the season.
I spoke to a few guys who went to the Moto GP. They said they could not even see the SX track due to the amount of spectators interested in watching. Great to see how popular this sport is.
What is with the Shift gear and the Fox Boots? Did he forget something in the rush to get out of the way of the Hurricane?
Not wanting to be a fashionista, but why run the Brazillian colors? Red bike, green and yellow gear, it looks like someone won the 4yr old coloring contest.
Nice to have the old guy back though. Good job getting back onto the wagon like he promised. Good on ya.
The carbon disc cover makes it look like he was planning for some first turn carnage.
@ BigUglyManiac,
"Not wanting to be a fashionista, but why run the Brazillian colors? Red bike, green and yellow gear, it looks like someone won the 4yr old coloring contest."
Green and gold (in this case yellow) are the national colours of Australia. Just a heads up
Big Ugly, fox owns shift, if shift has boots at all they are not high end, so fox is the logical choice for someone at the top of the food chain when tied to a sponsor. As for the color choice you will need to ask him.
why would someone hope that Reed would take RV out ? So he has a chance at winning ? I have seen Reed do some dirty takeout attempts in the past, but feel he has grown past that crap and is a classier and more sportsman now. I hope only the jerks get taken out and all the greats stay in it til Vegas.
I wish CR,RV,RD,JS,TC,JB,DW,KW and more the best and a full season healthy !
Nice post Jesus.. Lmao.
Reeds suicide attempting pass on Stewart in that bowl turn a few years ago was classic. That's what instantly made me a Reed fan!
"If I can't win, you can't either James!!"
I would love to see a other Guy Cooper - chicken war.. Or Bradshaw - Chicken. It's a lot tougher on 450s to have that tight bar banging racing. I think I saw Dave Coombs write he was in favor of 350s Instead which would certainly tighten it up. I'm in favor of anything Dave Coombs because he seems like one of the last people that "truly" cares about the sport outside of it being a business.
@ mxfans.......You forgot the broken vertebrae in your list, Reed is a boss!
After all the injuries last year, I don't really want to see intentionally anyone "take someone out". If all the big players stay healthy, you'll see some battles, and it could come down to two guys going for the same spot, neither of them backing off. If one ends up on the ground, that's racing. Intentionally running a guy off the track early in the race, like what Whiner did to Dungey, is fairground BS.
Good to see Reed back and racing! He is going to be fast this year!
Best looking gear in the biz...love the john deere suit....at least it doesn't look like hes racing in pajamas someone threw up on.....albee vs reed in the soil test department....albee is champ ....once saw the zook slam him hard from the top turn-buckel and land a knockout....shook the damn ground..a definite 10..reeds sub orbital is a classic though...gonna give it a 9.5 Very glad Reeds back....c,'mon Canard...its almost a full deck.....Hayseuce ...almost funny...except Reed will have to pick up the pace ALOT to deal with RV.....I hope he and Havoc hold hands and ride around together like always...will make for a nice double BAM SLAM...
Up until relatively recently, Reed rarely crashed. I think he's gotten faster the last few years by pushing it closer to the edge. I can't recall the Yamaha being upside down that often.
Besides Albee, contenders for the all-time highlight-reel crash king would include Magoo, Darrel Schultz, and recent-vintage Stewart. Canard is sneaking into the list also, except he hasn't been walking away from too many of his big ones.
Alessi should be right in there with Reed and Albertyn, as far as gnarley crashes.
Remember when Mike got ran over by most of the class that one time? ow!
@ Mx Bob
There is one big difference when it comes to comparing Stewart to Magoo and Darrel Schultz.
Stu and Magoo got back up
And got back in the race. Just saying.
Cant wait to see Reed at this new national track they're gonna have at Crawfordsville this labor day.
Not that I wish intentional take outs so hope this does not come out the wrong way but what made me a fan of Reed was how he seems to be the ONLY rider out their (before Barcia moved up) that was not afraid to take out top riders.. I see it so many times if like Stewart or RV is right behind them they almost look like they just move out of the way for them and not put up a fight or wont rub a little but and Reed showed that he will rub or even flat out take someone out if he has to...Reminds me of Ezra Lusk a little bit he was never really afraid to rub I remember when he took out Mcgrath in 98 and how much of a stir that caused lol
While I don't recognize one specific rider for "all-time crash champ", I can't think of anyone else who has hit a deer on a race course (MXdN) so, with that, Albertyn has got to get some sort of recognition.
@ motorhead620 & MX Bob, I would add into that comparison that for Shu & Magoo, MX was a passion. It is a job for Stewart at this point and everybody has days where they don't want to go to work or would just as soon punch out early.
@ rickamatuzio, http://www.motocrossactionmag.com/Main/News/BUD-FELDKAMP-BREAKS-HIS-SILENCE-ON-WHY-GLEN-HELEN-9407.aspx . Some light reading before you chisel the monument.
Chad Reed has definitely become a great ambassador. I wouldn't have said that five years ago but, he has really turned a corner and become an asset to our sport. I suppose the getting married, having kids, turning 30 (plus tax by now) and running your own team will do that for you, huh?
I liked the "bomb-pop" looking gear (red/white/blue) better but, he is an aussie racing an austrailian event so......
Speaking of hitting animals on a track and Casey Stoner, didn't he run over a woodchuck or something during a race or practice? It might have been Rossi and different type of animal. My memory is pretty spotty.
I wouldn't wade into the shark tank of comparing Stewart as a person to Magoo, or anyone else for that matter. Just saying he's had some fairly spectacular crashes as of late. I liked the one at Daytona where bike cleared the double without him.
It's funny saying that Reed is cheery picking. Its not like he's traveling to a foreign land. He's just staying home for the winter and racing himself back into shape. What's he supposed to do, give everyone a head start?
To tonewall's point, John Deere is missing a golden opportunity here...
I watched from pretty close at Unidilla ('99?, 2000?) when Tallon Vohland went down right past the the back side of a jump (after grav.Cav., before the tree turns)and every one coming by landed on or ran right over him - including his head! I thought I was going to puke it was so sick, I thought he was going to be messed up major if it didn't kill him. That was gnarly. He was about the only one really giving RC any kind of a challenge that year. He came back eventually that season, but his run was over. He didn't plant a lot, but that one was epic.
Just noticed I said "cheery", not "cherry". I was not trying to make a NZ-related pun, and yes I know they are two different countries.
I didn't watch the video of Alessi getting run over by the pack until I was done racing. I liked to pretend things like that don't happen. It was the guy in about 39th that got him the worse. The flagger must have thought he was dead already, so why waste any more energy.