Chad Reed to contest AMA MX in 2009

Chad Reed will contest the 2009 AMA MX outdoor series.

Rockstar Makita Suzuki Factory Racing announced today that two-time AMA Supercross Champion Chad Reed will contest the 2009 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship after having opted to sit out the last two MX seasons.

Reed will race his Rockstar Makita Suzuki RM-Z450 in the Motocross class in the 12-round series, which kicks off this weekend on Saturday, May 23, 2009, at Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, California.

“I’m really looking forward to racing the Outdoors this year,” said Reed. And I’m excited about it for several reasons. The last few years, I didn’t race Motocross because I really felt like I needed to take a break after the Supercross season. But this year, I feel so comfortable with the Rockstar Makita Suzuki team and everybody has been so supportive that it just makes me want to get out there and race. Also, I’ve been impressed with the changes to the series that MX Sports has done and I think they’re taking it in the right direction. So I really want to be a part of that and support the series and the sport. My team and my sponsors have stepped up to make this happen and I can’t thank them enough.”

In the 2009 AMA Supercross Series, Reed led the points chase for most of the season and finished up in second place overall. The Australian raced his Rockstar Makita Suzuki RM-Z450 to three victories and finished on the podium in all 17 races, save one.

Reed is a former two-time AMA Supercross Champion, THQ World Supercross Champion, AMA Supercross Lites Champion and a World Motocross Grand Prix winner.