Reed pumped for MotoGP
TwoTwo Motorsports’ Chad Reed got his 2012 Terex Australian Supercross Championship venture underway today by making the national debut of the 2013 Honda CRF450R at Phillip Island.
Reed rode the first laps of the track built at the iconic Lukey Heights corner of the circuit which is hosting the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix this weekend.
It marks his first outing on home soil since 2010, where he rode and won a one-off race in his home town of Newcastle.
Reed heads to the event coming off an encouraging fourth-place finish at the Monster Energy Cup in Las Vegas, his first Supercross race since the crash in Dallas which de-railed his AMA Supercross title chances.
“Last weekend was my first race back in eight-and-a-half months, it’s so good to be back racing,” said Reed.
“There was a lot of work involved in coming back from the injury, way more than I could have anticipated, I’m just glad that’s done and now I can focus on doing what I love.
“I’m excited to be here, this time of year is normally the time I get to Australia anyway, I would have been here watching the MotoGP anyway but to be here and actually have my gear and do a little racing is a bonus for me.
“I’m really happy and proud to be a part of something pretty special.”
Practice, qualifying, heats and the 20-lap Main Event for the Pro Open class will be held tomorrow.
Entry to the Supercross precinct is open to all ticket-holders at the AirAsia Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix at Phillip Island.
— Dale sidelined from Supercross with torn ACL
MX Nationals MX2 Champion Ford Dale has been ruled out of the remainder of the Terex Australian Supercross Championships to undergo a knee reconstruction on a torn ACL.
The injury was sustained in the second corner of the Main Event in Dubbo a fortnight ago, though it didn’t present as a debilitating problem until after the Queenslander’s gutsy ride to win the final round of the MFJ Japanese Motocross Championship in Sugo last weekend.
Dale had the resulting swelling checked by a specialist who confirmed the injury, and he made the decision with Carlton Dry Honda Thor Racing team owner Yarrive Konsky to have the reconstruction as early as possible to focus on the 2013 season.
“I originally hurt myself in the Dubbo Round on the second corner crash which ended up making me DNF for that race,” said Dale.
“I felt alright so I went to Japan and in the last moto there, I got caught in a rut on the ground in the first ten minutes, I ended the race but it swelled up after I got home.
“I got it checked from my surgeon and had another MRI on it and found that I had torn my ACL ligament and also tore the medial and lateral meniscus which has ended my Supercross season.
“I’m pretty gutted, I was looking forward to the rest of the Supercross season but if I tried to race on it and kept hurting it, I risk missing more races next year so Yarrive and myself decided to get it fixed now.”
Ben Townley will campaign the team’s sole Pro Open entry at Phillip Island this weekend, with Gavin Faith looking to extend his Pro Lites lead and Honda Thor Racing rider Hayden Mellross also eyeing back-to-back round wins.
