Unbound Energy’s Chad Reed Misses Out On ’06 SX Title In A Close One

May 9, 2006, 6:34am

First lap miscalculation forces Aussie to play catch up, loses title
to rival Carmichael; Unbound Energy-backed Nick Wey wins top
privateer award

CARLSBAD, Calif., (May 8, 2006) – Unbound Energy-backed Chad Reed (Yamaha) battled valiantly, like the champion he is, but managed to come up just a bit short in the Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series’ final stop in Las Vegas - making the podium (3rd) but losing the overall title to rival Ricky Carmichael.

“It’s disappointing not to win, but I gave it everything I had
tonight,” said Reed, who wound up third overall in the premier
Supercross class standings. “All I asked of myself this weekend was not to leave anything on the table and I feel I did that.

“No excuses. I was the third best guy this year.”

Reed’s lone mistake in the race came early on the first lap where,
due to traffic, he wasn’t able to clear a triple jump section. This
allowed Carmichael to build about a five-second lead early, which
Reed tore into and cut to 2.6 seconds by lap ten. The two would then
trade off hot laps with Carmichael pulling ahead at times, then Reed
reeling him in.

“I’d reel him (Carmichael) in and he’d reel it back out,” said
Reed. “Just like a yo-yo.”

In the end Carmichael would take second by less than four seconds,
with James Stewart winning the overall. The train of Stewart,
Carmichael and Reed would finish some 45 seconds ahead of 4th place Kevin Windham.

Unbound Energy’s Nick Wey put up another top shelf performance,
bringing his MDK Motorsports Honda into a 6th place finish in the
finals and, better yet, laying claim to the Top Privateer award which
includes a generous cash prize from Live Nation, a brand new Toyota Truck and a Weekend Warrior trailer.

“Yeah, I’m pumped,” said Wey in a pre-finals interview in front
of the sold-out Sam Boyd stadium crowd with track announcer Terry
Boyd. “I fought hard for top fives and podiums all year and am
stoked about the Top Privateer award, $25,000 from Live Nation, the
Toyota truck and Weekend Warrior trailer.”

Unbound Energy/Moto XXX’s top finisher on the weekend was Kyle
Lewis. Lewis scored a 14th place finish in the main event.

All of the Unbound Energy-backed athletes return to action in two
weeks for the opening round of the 2006 Toyota AMA Motocross
Championship at Hangtown (May 21st).