On October 22, 2001, we alerted our readers that a talented young man was on his way to the U.S. from Australia to contest AMA Supercross and Outdoor National Motocross events for Yamaha of Troy. We had a feeling Chad Reed would be very special, and his results this year have exceeded even our expectations.
The 19 year old Reed had never ridden on American soil, but he stepped right into the premier, 250cc Supercross class for the first three rounds, and finished 6/5/8. Since then, he has won all three of the East Coast 125 Supercross series rounds in a convincing manner. This is the series that includes Grant Langston and Mike Brown — the two, top 125cc riders from last year.
We believe Reed signed a one-year contract to race with Yamaha of Troy. Both his speed and his poise (he is a very cool customer who very rarely crashes) have, not surprisingly, drawn the attention of every team manager in the pits. Make no mistake, there will be a bidding war for Chad Reed’s services for the 2003 season. In the meantime, look for Reed to get even faster on a supercross track as the series progresses, and to fight for the 125 Outdoor crown later this year.
