Chad Reed second in US Open countback
Chad Reed’s aim for a third US Open crown was well on the way to being accomplished in Las Vesgas on the weekend, before a challenge for the final event holeshot saw his race plan turned upside-down
Chad Reed’s aim for a third US Open crown was well on the way to being accomplished in Las Vesgas on the weekend, before a challenge for the final event holeshot – and the US$250,000 prize money – saw his race plan turned upside-down. Reed comfortably won the opening night main event, leading from start to finish after claiming the holeshot. His superpole win earlier in the evening meant he had satisfied all three criteria for the night in order to go on and challenge for the major prize the next day.
“I learned a lot in my heat race,” Reed explained. “I pushed my way through the first turn and that made the race easy for me. The holeshot is very important, and I worked hard to get up there.” Saturday night was the turning point for the Australian, who went down in a three-rider battle for the progressive holeshot. Out of rhythm and well down on the lead riders, Reed forced his way through the field, but crashed again on separate occasions. He finished 8th in the main event. “I was going for the holeshot and went down,” said Reed. “Timmy (Ferry) had a bad night last … we race with a lot of emotion and things happen,” he said.
At the conclusion of the event, Reed’s initial dominance saw him tied with fellow Yamaha rider Grant Langston on points. Langston was awarded the US Open win on countback, having finished second in the Friday night main event. And while the result was slightly disappointing for Reed considering his early dominance, he was pleased to be able to go out and take charge of the event first up and was looking forward to the rapidly-approaching AMA Supercross season. “This has been my first indoor Supercross for some time, and second is a great result.”
“The win was definitely on the cards if it had not been for the first corner crash, which gives me good confidence as I prepare for the 2008 season that begins in the first week of January.”
