Racer X - Motocross & Supercross NewsRacer X
  • All Series
  • Subscribe Now
  • One Click Sign-In

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    OR

    Sign in with your username and password

    • Sign In
    Unfortunately your Personalization privacy settings prevent us from showing you this Login. Please update your consent to see this content.
  • Supercross
    • News
    • Schedule
    • TV Schedule
    • Results
    • Standings
    • Teams
    • Riders
    • Tracks
    • The Vault
  • Motocross
    • News
    • Schedule
    • TV Schedule
    • Results
    • Standings
    • Riders
    • Teams
    • Tracks
    • The Vault
  • SuperMotocross
    • News
    • Schedule
    • TV Schedule
    • Results
    • Standings
    • Teams
    • Riders
    • Tracks
  • MXGP
    • News
    • Schedule
    • TV Schedule
    • Results
    • Standings
    • Teams
    • Riders
    • Tracks
  • GNCC
    • News
    • Schedule
    • TV Schedule
    • Results
    • Standings
    • Riders
    • Tracks
  • Loretta Lynn’s
    • News
    • The Vault
  • More Series
    • Supercross
    • Motocross
    • SuperMotocross
    • MXGP
    • GNCC
    • Loretta Lynn’s
    • MXoN
    • WSX
    • Australian SX
    • Australian MX
    • Canadian MX
    • EnduroCross
    • Straight Rhythm
  • Features
    • 10 Things
    • 30 Greatest AMA Motocrossers
    • 3 on 3
    • 250 Words
    • 450 Words
    • Arenacross Report
    • Between the Motos
    • Breakdown
    • Deals of the Week
    • GNCC Report
    • Great Battles
    • How to Watch
    • Injury Report
    • Insight
    • In the Mag, On the Web
    • Lockdown Diaries
    • Longform
    • MXGP Race Reports
    • My Favorite Loretta Lynn's Moto
    • Next
    • Next Level
    • Observations
    • On This Day in Moto
    • Open Mic
    • Privateer Profile
    • Race Day Feed
    • Racerhead
    • Racer X Awards
    • Racer X Redux
    • Rapid Reaxtion
    • RX Exhaust
    • Saturday Night Live
    • Staging Area
    • The Conversation
    • The List
    • The Lives They Lived
    • The Moment
    • Things We Learned at the Ranch
    • UnPhiltered
    • Wake-Up Call
    • Where Are They Now
    • 50 Years of Pro Motocross
  • Shop
    • New Releases
    • Men's
    • Women's
    • Youth
    • Accessories
    • Sales Rack
    • Stickers
  • About Us
  • The Mag
    • Digital Magazine Bookstand
    • Customer Care
    • Current Issue
    • Newsletter
    • Store Locator
    • Subscribe
    • Sell Racer X
  • One Click Sign-In

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    OR

    Sign in with your username and password

    • Sign In
    Unfortunately your Personalization privacy settings prevent us from showing you this Login. Please update your consent to see this content.
  • Supercross
  • News
  • Schedule
  • TV Schedule
  • Results
  • Standings
  • Teams
  • Riders
  • Tracks
  • The Vault
  • Subscribe Now
  • Table of Contents
Results Archive
Supercross
Pittsburgh
News
450SX Main Event Results
  1. Cooper Webb
  2. Chase Sexton
  3. Justin Cooper
Full Results
250SX East Main Event Results
  1. Tom Vialle
  2. Nate Thrasher
  3. Max Vohland
Full Results
GNCC
Powerline Park
News
Overall Race Results
  1. Steward Baylor
  2. Jordan Ashburn
  3. Angus Riordan
Full Results
XC2 Pro Race Results
  1. Angus Riordan
  2. Cody J Barnes
  3. Grant Davis
Full Results
Supercross
Denver
News
450SX Main Event Results
  1. Chase Sexton
  2. Cooper Webb
  3. Justin Cooper
Full Results
250SX West Main Event Results
  1. Haiden Deegan
  2. Julien Beaumer
  3. Garrett Marchbanks
Full Results
MXGP of
Portugal
News
MXGP Results
  1. Lucas Coenen
  2. Romain Febvre
  3. Ruben Fernandez
Full Results
MX2 Results
  1. Andrea Adamo
  2. Simon Längenfelder
  3. Kay de Wolf
Full Results
Upcoming
Supercross
Salt Lake City
Today
News
450SX Entry List
  1. Cooper Webb
  2. Chase Sexton
  3. Aaron Plessinger
Full Entry List
250SX Showdown Entry List
  1. Tom Vialle
  2. Chance Hymas
  3. Jordon Smith
Full Entry List
Upcoming
MXGP of
Spain
Tomorrow
News
Upcoming
GNCC
Hoosier
Fri May 16
News
Full Schedule
The Conversation: Chad Reed

The Conversation: Chad Reed

December 24, 2018, 3:10pm
Jason Weigandt Jason WeigandtEditorial Director
Advertisement | Advertise with Us
  • Home
  • The Conversation
  • Chad Reed On Signing with JGR, 2019

Alpinestars has been delivering performance of the highest level on the motocross tracks of the world for over 50 years. Racing on Sunday and developing on Monday is a way of life at Alpinestars.

Advertisement | Advertise with Us
  • Share
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Since Chad Reed rode the Ironman National last August for the JGR/Yoshimura Suzuki team, it appeared like it was a simple process to get him signed up for the squad for 2019. Behind the scenes, it wasn’t nearly that easy, as the team lost a title sponsor and Reed’s attempts to find funding from some of his old TwoTwo Motorsports contacts didn’t work either. 

Still, the JGRMX gang stepped up when needed, keeping its full four-rider 250SX lineup, and giving Chad a 450SX deal for 2019 (we hear JGR still doesn’t have all of its outdoor lineup figured out yet, since it’s very hard to predict Weston Peick’s timetable to return from injury.)

Reed is joining the team in more ways than one. He’s not only racing for JGR, but he’s selling his house and track in Florida and has already moved his whole family to a new house in North Carolina. This is part of a long interview we did with Chad last week after his JGR deal became official.

Racer X: You’ve said you weren’t going to run your own team again. Does that mean, for the first time, you actually had to square up with the idea you might not go racing at all?
Chad Reed: I would say that, and I’ve said it before, I’ve done a few interviews lately, the common thing for me, after supercross, immediately I was like “Dude, from a racing standpoint that was not fun. I didn’t enjoy it.” Something needs to change, that was way below my expectations and way below what I was able to do in the past. More than anything, I knew the facts behind it. I didn’t feel like “Oh my gosh, I’m 36 years old, my body hurts, I can’t train.” It wasn’t anything like that. It wasn’t age restricting me. It was just the single fact that I had an injury at the wrong time, and it took me a long time to come back from it. So right after supercross, that box was ticked. I wasn’t not going to build my own team again. That was one thing, and I guess when you come to that realization that you’re not going racing on my own, you put yourself in a vulnerable place. You have to confront, “I’m not racing on my own.” Right? That means I have to get a job.

Yeah, if you don’t get a ride, you’re done.
If I don’t get a factory ride, then I’m done. I don’t want to do it for any less than a factory ride. I feel like I deserve it. I’ve won titles, I’ve won more races than anyone else currently racing, and I feel like I’m willing to put in the work to get results for whoever is willing to take a gamble on me. One thing led to another in August, I ended up getting the chance to race a national for this team in August, and one thing led to another and now here I am on, in my opinion, the best bike and team for me, currently today. 

"I’d be lying if I didn’t think I could be competitive at some point this season." John Basher/JGRMX

So how different does this all feel? You’ve been riding at your place in Florida for what, 15 years?
Yeah, I’ve been in Florida for 16 years. Driving down the same road, going to the same place. Same circumstances—did the track get watered? Did it get overwatered? When you’re the boss, you’re responsible for it, and I should also say, you’re responsible for somebody. So now I feel light and I feel free of the bullshit. There’s always bullshit in racing, let’s be honest, but I feel free and light because I don’t have to babysit. I show up and everything is taken care of. The track is ready, the motorcycle is ready, all I have to do is show up.

The weather, yeah, you guys had snow last week, and there’s only a little ice and snow in the parking lots, my kids are honestly pretty pissed off because you guys had quite a bit of snow for December, and I showed my kids some pictures of, “Hey this is where we’re going next week.” So then they’re bummed like North Carolina is a myth, it doesn’t actually snow there. Which I’m totally okay with that! It actually doesn’t feel that weird, this has actually been a home away from home for me since August. I’ve been driving these same roads and through these same neighborhoods. The only difference is now when I’m done riding I get to go home to my family. And that’s awesome.

American fans last saw you race in person at Monster Energy Cup. You did some other off-season races. Are those races any indication at all of how you’re riding, or should we just wait until Anaheim to see how he’s doing?
Um, I’m trying to think how I would answer that. Going to Australia, I won my heat race—speed wise I wasn’t off. I was a little off on practice times in Oz, but I think a couple of different situations and starts in the main events in Australia and I think I was easily a top-three guy. I crashed out of third in the first race. I went to New Zealand and I won all three races pretty easily. The last one, [Justin] Brayton was right on me, and I felt good and comfortable and confident in what I was able to do then. And that guy has been winning a lot of the off-season races, he’s been on the podium, he won a race last year. So yeah there’s a part of me that feels not that far off. I’m 36 years old and I’m not supposed to win races, but I feel like that’s the past. I believe I can. That’s what motivates me day in and day out. That’s why I’m here, to be the best that I can be. It’s not really anything else at this point. That’s what I love about my age. I honestly, I wouldn’t change anything. I wouldn’t turn back time even if I possibly could. I feel like I’m at a good point, I’m happy, whatever my position is is what it is, you just continue to make it work and make it better. So let’s see. I wouldn’t be surprised to surprise some people, and I have some goals. I think they’re realistic.

Advertisement | Advertise with Us
Exhaust Podcast: Chad Reed  Sat Dec 22 Exhaust Podcast: Chad Reed  3 on 3: Buying or Selling? Wed Dec 19 3 on 3: Buying or Selling?

So when you’re on the bike, you feel good? Of course we never know how that is going to translate for sure when we get to the races, but as of now, you feel good.
Yeah. I don’t feel bad. I don’t feel far off at all. Like I said, Australia and New Zealand didn’t go terrible, I got a third in the last race at Monster Cup, and I truthfully wasn’t stoked on how I rode there. I felt like I left a lot out there, and we’ve come a long way with the bike since then. Yeah I’d be lying if I didn’t think I could be competitive at some point this season.

Listen to the entire Chad Reed interview below or by searching Racer X Podcast Network on your favorite podcast app.  

  • Share
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
Previous Next
The List: 2019 MXGP Silly Season Mon Dec 24 The List: 2019 MXGP Silly Season Racer X Awards: MXGP Race of the Year Mon Dec 24 Racer X Awards: MXGP Race of the Year
Presented by:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • Website
Advertisement | Advertise with Us
Read Now
June 2025 Issue Now Available
Get Racer X on your iPhone
Check out all the exclusive content this month on any device!
Read Now
The June 2025 Digital Issue Availalbe Now

Motocross & Supercross News - Racer X

122 Vista Del Rio Drive, Morgantown, WV 26508 | 304-284-0084 | Contact Us
©1999 - 2025 Filter Publications LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Cookie Preferences | Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
designed at: Impulse Studios