CHAD REED: The King of Kings rip Under the Radar trailer
Australia’s Chad Reed bolstered his points lead of the 450 class with another solid result at the weekend’s Redbud round of the Lucas Oils AMA Pro Motocross Championship, finishing 1-3 and second overall.
Rebounding from a difficult race at Thunder Valley, Reed pushed hard in practice but opted to conserve his energy for the opening moto and consolidated to record the fifth fastest lap.
A spirited charge to the first corner saw the 27-year-old claim his second holeshot of the year and establish a solid lead over his closest competition in the opening laps.
Settling into a comfortable rhythm, Reed kept his cool as he was challenged for the lead, opting to slip back a spot and apply the pressure, rather than attack.
The strategy paid off, and the Rockstar Makita Suzuki pilot was able to re-pass the lead rider and maintain his advantage for the remainder of the race.
A less-than-ideal start in the second moto of the day saw Reed scrapping for position for the opening laps.
He moved into fourth and lined up third for an easy pass around mid-race distance.
Positive signs showed for the multiple AMA Supercross champion as he picked up the pace in the closing stages, challenging for second in the final few corners and only missing out by a margin of .05 seconds.
“It was typical Redbud this weekend,” said Reed. “It’s a great track to be out front on but when you’re behind, coming through the pack and making passes is really hard.
“It felt good to get that holeshot early in the day and work my way through for a win.
“I felt better today, certainly not 100% but I was able to conserve myself and use the energy when I really needed it.
“The second moto showed why it’s so important to get a good start. Once the leaders start making that gap then you have to really suck it up and push yourself just to make up that ground.
“This result is good for the championship. We’re chipping away, week after week, and leave here adding a few more points to the tally.”
Reed took 45 of a possible 50 points from Redbud and extended his lead over Andrew Short to 22 points.
The championship takes a break for a week before resuming at Spring Creek in Milville, MN, on July 18.The Scarlet Claw film