Chad Reed Profile & Bio

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Chad Reed is not only one of Australia’s greatest motocross and supercross riders but he’s proved himself to be up there with the worlds best as well, earning him a position as one of Australia’s highest paid sportsmen. Incase you are not sure who Chad Reed is, he’s the guy who rides with the national number 22 and speaks with an interesting accent that’s a blend of Australian and American. That’s what happens to your vocals when you leave your home country to go race and live in the land of hotdogs for many years.

Like all superstars of the sport, Chad Reed has his fair share of fans and critics. You can never please everyone right? The thing I like about him is that he tends to race clean and fair. He’s not cocky and arrogant, and he shows great sportsmanship. And although he has won two AMA supercross titles he’s narrowly missed out on a few more, having to settle for second place to the legendary riders Ricky Carmichael and James Stewart.

Chad recently missed out again on the #1 spot in the 2009 AMA Supercross Championship to James Stewart. They had been battling head to head in a grueling season filled with tension. The overall championship boiled down to the final race, where J.S took 3rd place to claim his 2nd AMA SX Championship, leaving Chad Reed an eye-wateringly close 2nd overall only 4 points behind.

Just like his rivals, Chad traded in his nappies for a helmet to begin riding dirt bikes at the age of 3 1/2. He was encouraged by his mum and dad who left the small, poor town of West Wallsend, Newcastle, Australia to begin training him in Kurri Kurri. His father, Mark Reed, was strict and tough on him when it came to his training. No girlfriends… No smoking… No drinking… And definitely no drugs! All Chad wanted to do from a very young age was to be the worlds best dirt bike rider, and Mark was prepared to help him.

Chad left school at the age of 15 to train full time and was making himself known in the Australian scene with two Australian titles to his name. Though that was the case, his talent never hit the spotlight worldwide until 2001, age 19, when he bypassed the traditional step to the 125cc class and took out 2nd place in the 250cc World Grand Prix Motocross. Shortly after that Chad signed a deal with Team Yamaha of Troy racing supercross in the States, and so he and his high school sweetheart, Ellie, made the move from Europe to the US to fulfill his childhood dream.

Reed quickly established himself as a fierce competitor dropping back into the lites class and winning the 2002 125cc East Coast Supercross Champs. In 2003 Chad moved back up to the 250cc class to play with the big boys. He won the World Supercross Championship but lost the AMA Supercross Title to the G.O.A.T by only 7 points.

In 2004 Chad claimed his first AMA 250cc Supercross Title, but many people debate about whether he would’ve won it had Ricky Carmichael not been out of the series due to a torn ACL. For 2005, and 2007 Reed rode hard but unfortunately for all his effort only managed to place 2nd in both AMA Supercross Championships. 2006 saw him take 3rd place. In 2008 with the G.O.A.T retired and James Stewart unable to race the season due to injury, Chad easily dominated the series and won his 2nd AMA & World Supercross Title. Again many people like to discuss whether he would’ve won had his rivals been competing.

 

These days Reeds focus has turned to his other dream of taking supercross to the mainstream in Australasia. He has channeled his ideas, efforts and money into an all new thrilling series that is changing the sport as we know it in the ‘lands down under’! This is a huge move for Chad, turning down millions of dollars a year racing in the States to set up the Australasian Supercross Championship, but it’s also one that could prove to be highly lucrative for him.

Being a New Zealander myself, I believe this is nothing short of fantastic! It is bringing some of the sports greatest riders from around the world to compete on US standard SX tracks throughout Australia and New Zealand. As supercross becomes more popular and competitive down here, watch out for some tough competition that may be heading to foreign shores to compete against the worlds best… thanks to Chad Reed.

Back in the day..

 

SOME CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2009 – Australasian Super X Champion
2009 – AMA Motocross Champion
2008 – Australasian Super X Champ
2008 – AMA Supercross / World Supercross Champion
2004 – AMA Supercross Champion
2004 – US Open Supercross Champion
2003 – World Supercross Champion
2002 – 125cc East Coast Supercross Champion
2000 – Australian Supercross Champ
1999 – Australian Supercross Champ

PERSONAL STATS

D.O.B: 15/03/82
Place of Birth: Newcastle, Australia
Height: 5’11”
National MX & SX Number: #22
Lives In: Tampa, Florida, USA
Other Interests: Golf, beaches, jet skiing, family
Nick name: Two Two or Reedy

* All care was taken to get this information correct at the time of writing. If anything is wrong please contact me so I can correct it.