For as long as he can remember, Chad Reed wanted to be the world’s best Supercross racer. Like so many other impressionable kids his age, he spent hours on end dreaming about being a factory rider and someday racing in America in front of stadiums packed with cheering fans. It’s a youthful dream shared by many, realized by few...and even fewer Australians. In Chad’s mind there was never a doubt that it was his destiny to be the next King of Supercross.
It wasn’t long before Reed had won all there was to win down under and after successfully defending his Australian Supercross Championship in 2000, Chad headed to Europe. Reed headed first to Europe to race the FIM World Championship series. The venerable series proved to be the perfect showcase for Reed’s natural talent and desire to win. He finished the year 2001 ranked as the second fastest 250cc motocross racer in the world, and it was clear that he’d soon reach his dream of racing in America.
Reed came to the States with one mission; to win the AMA Supercross Championship. He won the 2002 125cc East Coast Championship in his first year, which quickly propelled him into the factory Yamaha team and racing in the premier 250cc class. Even his first year against the best-of-the-best in 2003 was incredible when he won the World Supercross Championship.
Reed won his first Supercross title in 2004 by taking 10 victories for the season and finished 2nd in that year’s motocross season. 2005 saw the epic battle between Chad Reed, Ricky Carmichael, and James Stewart in Supercross. Reed finished the season with multiple wins and placed 2nd in the championship standings. Reed was again very competitive in 2006 despite suffering a level three shoulder separation in mid-season. Going into the final event of the season, Reed and Carmichael were tied for the points lead, making the 2006 season the closest AMA Supercross championship in history. Reed finished the season 2nd in points by only a 2 point margin.
For 2007 Chad Reed created his own team set-up under the Yamaha L&M Racing Team name and again piloted the number 22 factory YZ450F. The season kicked off with the usual battles between the three giants of Supercross; Chad Reed, Ricky Carmichael and James Stewart, with Reed winning the opening round of the World SX Championship in Toronto, Canada. Reed battled injury for much of the season, but still managed to finish on the podium at every round, with just one exception. This consistency delivered him the runner-up trophy in both the AMA and World SX Championships for 2007.
Reed entered 2008 Supercross season with a more relaxed approach and a renewed desire to win races. He won the opening event of the season and never looked back, going on to dominate a total of 9 Main Events and taking his second AMA and World Supercross title. The Aussie completed one of the gutsiest rides ever seen in the history of AMA Supercross when he remounted his bike and took to the grid only hours after being hospitalized with after a practice crash left him with internal injuries and severe damage to his shoulder.
Chad battled hard during the 2009 AMA Supercross Championship, narrowly losing the title to Stewart by 4 points. He elected to race the 2009 motocross season after a 2 year hiatus and clinched the title at round 10 of 12 rounds and accounted for 5 wins. In 2010 Chad began the year on board with Kawasaki. He battled injury and illness through both the Supercross and Motocross season. 2011 is a brand new year for Chad and his newly formed TwoTwo Motorsports team racing. Chad, entering the 2011 season aboard a Honda, is happy, healthy, and in championship contention.
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