Kit Palmer | January 6, 2017
Supercross: Chad Reed Interview: When Chad Reed launches off the starting gate at Angel Stadium Saturday night, it will mark a milestone in the veteran’s long career. It will be the Aussie’s 40th-career start at the Anaheim Supercross. Think about that. Forty starts! That truly is an amazing number. How time flies. It doesn’t really seem all that long ago when the two-time supercross champ (2004, 2008] made his supercross debut at Anaheim I in 2003, and he really didn’t even know he had that many starts since then until recently.
Supercross: Chad Reed Interview
Chad Reed is no stranger to Angel (Anaheim) Stadium. Photography by Kit Palmer
“It is pretty crazy,” Reed said of having already raced in Anaheim 39 times. “Someone was asking me what I should wear for a butt patch and was thinking of ideas and sent out a couple of texts—because I didn’t want to do the math [laughs]—and they looked into it and it was 40. This will be 40 and that’s pretty crazy. When you think about it, eight wins, 40 times, my 17th year in a row coming here and to be up there [racing among the leaders] every time, I think that speak volumes what I’ve been able to achieve and sustain, and I’m excited as ever to be honest.”
Anaheim number one for Reed came in 2003 and it was the most memorable of the 39 he’s done so far.
“In ’03 and coming in and being a rookie and wanting to so badly beat Ricky Carmichael and pretty much come out—I didn’t holeshot, I was second and was in the lead within half a lap and just rode away from the field, that was probably, still to this day, my easiest win ever, so to think how elite the sport is and something you’ve dreamed of and at your idol’s “house,” [Anaheim Stadium] I think was really surreal just how easy it happened. That was probably my favorite one, mostly by how bizarre and crazy—it was a typical Anaheim in the way crazy shit happened behind me, and I just rode a solid 20 laps and won my first ever career race in a place and stadium that you always dreamed racing in, let alone being the winner.”
Supercross: Chad Reed Interview
You can read about Chad Reed’s first supercross win at Anaheim by clicking here.
Would winning this Saturday at the age of 34 (Reed turns 35 in March) top even that first win?
“Winning this Saturday night would be awesome. I want to win. We have rain in the area and it looks like it’s going to stick around; it excites me. It makes it a really tough weekend; it can end in disaster, but it also bring potential. It’s either good or bad, there is no in between in a mud race.”
As if winning isn’t motivating enough for Reed to win, but there is another reason.
“I just got told that I’m tied with James [Stewart]—I don’t know how many Jeremy [McGrath] has—but me and James are tied with three Anaheim I wins, but more importantly, Ricky, James, Jeremy and myself are all tied at eight wins at Anaheim and winning again would give my nine which would make me the winningest Anaheim rider, so there is a lot to be excited about.”
Supercross: Chad Reed Interview
If Reed can pull off another win at Anaheim, he’ll have more wins here than anyone, including Jeremy McGrath, James Stewart and Ricky Carmichael.
And there is not reason to believe that Reed can’t get that win number nine. He’s says he feels in great shape and is ready to race for a win and another championship, which would be his third in supercross.
“I feel great. It’s been a while since I’ve felt this way. I honestly think that in 2012 and ’14 were the last times I felt this good and at ease with myself, and both those years that I felt like I gave away titles. In 2012, I think I had everything and more to be a champion that year and then ’14 was weighing up to be the same, but I got hurt both years. So I have some unfinished business to take care off, ’14 was a long time ago and ’12 was even longer, and ’08 [his last supercross title] was even longer than that, so there is a lot of water under the bridge; some will tell me that I’m crazy and others try to embrace it, for me I’ve just worked hard and want to prove myself that the fire within and the passion that I have is for all good reasons.”
Reed, who spoke of James Stewart earlier, says that he’s truly sad that it looks as though Stewart, who he has raced again at Anaheim many times over his 39 starts, won’t be racing this weekend.
Supercross: Chad Reed Interview
If Reed is to win, he’ll have to top defending champ Ryan Dungey.
“I’m truly sad, our indifferences aside, it’s sad to see such an individual with credentials like he has [not riding], but you can only bring one person, it’s sad he’s not here. Talent-wise, he’s deserving of being here, but then the big picture, no one thinks that, and I, as a team owner, I wouldn’t take that risk either. He needs to change a lot or let it go.”
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