Chad Reed facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chad Reed |
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Reed in 2009
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| Nationality |  Australian |
| Born | 15 March 1982 Kurri Kurri, New South Wales, Australia |
| Motocross career | |
| Years active | 1998–2020 |
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Chad Mark Reed (born 15 March 1982) is an amazing Australian motocross and supercross racer. He was born in Kurri Kurri, Australia. Chad is famous for winning many championships.
He won the AMA Supercross 450cc title twice. He also won the AMA Motocross 450cc championship once. Chad holds the record for the most main event starts in AMA Supercross history. He has started 265 races! He also has 132 podium finishes, which means he finished in the top three many times.
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Chad's Early Racing Days
When Chad was a kid, he had a horse named Fern. His cousin, Craig Anderson, started riding dirt bikes. This made Chad interested in motorcycles too. He decided to trade his horse for his first bike, a Yamaha PW50.
His family bought a small piece of land near Kurri Kurri. It was a wild, bushy area with no house or electricity. Chad's family worked hard to clear the land by hand. They built a home and several tracks for Chad to practice on.
Chad's family supported him a lot in his early years. Every weekend, his dad Mark, mom Robyn, and younger brother Troy traveled across Australia. This allowed Chad to compete against other riders. People often called Chad the 'underdog' back then. But he soon proved them wrong! In 1997, he won the Australian Junior Championship. This showed everyone his talent.
Racing in Australia
Starting as a Pro (1998-2000)
Chad Reed became a professional racer in Australia in 1998. He went straight to the top 250cc class. This was a big step, as most riders start in the 125cc class. Chad quickly became very competitive. He won the Australian 250cc Supercross Championship in both 1999 and 2000.
Racing at Home (2007-2010)
In 2007, Chad came back to Australia to race. He competed in a round of the Australian Motocross series. He won both races, beating Daniel Reardon. This made Reardon famous for racing so closely with Chad.
In 2008, Chad helped create a new Australian Supercross series called Super-X. He also raced in it and won almost every race. He took home the Australian Supercross Championship. Chad won 6 out of 7 races that year.
He continued his success in 2009. Riding a new Monster Energy Kawasaki bike, he won 4 out of 7 races. Chad won the championship by 23 points. This was his fourth Australian Supercross Championship title.
In 2010, Chad raced the first round of the Super X series in Newcastle. He rode a Honda bike sponsored by Vodafone. Chad won this event too. He beat American riders Josh Hansen and Justin Brayton.
International Racing Career
First Steps Overseas (2001-2003)
In 2001, Chad went to Europe to race. He joined the FIM World 250cc Motocross Championships. Chad was amazing on his Kawasaki bike. He won a Grand Prix race in the Netherlands. He finished the year in second place overall. This was a huge achievement for an Australian rider.
Chad moved to the United States in 2002. He joined the Yamaha of Troy team. He won almost all the Supercross races that season. This earned him the 125cc East Coast Supercross championship. Chad also got his first 125cc National victory in Pennsylvania.
In 2003, Chad moved up to the 250cc class. He rode for Factory Yamaha. In his first 250cc Supercross season, he finished second. He was only 7 points behind his rival, Ricky Carmichael. Chad won 8 races that year! He finished third in his first 250cc Motocross season.
Becoming a Champion (2004-2008)
Chad won the 2004 AMA 250cc Supercross series. He had great battles with other top riders. Chad earned 10 victories that season. He finished second to Carmichael in the motocross season.
In 2005, James Stewart joined the 250cc class. Now, Chad, Carmichael, and Stewart were all competing. Chad won five races that year and finished second in the championship.
The 2006 season was very close. Chad suffered a shoulder injury but kept racing. He and Carmichael were tied for points in the final race. Chad finished third, and Carmichael finished second. Chad lost the championship by only two points. He won two races that season.
In 2007, Chad decided to start his own team, L&M Racing. He had support from Yamaha and other sponsors. Chad won one race and finished second in the championship.
In 2008, Chad won nine races in the AMA Supercross season. He beat Kevin Windham to win his second AMA Supercross title. This season had many exciting races. Chad won the championship by 13 points.
New Teams and Challenges (2009-2012)
Chad joined team Rockstar Makita Suzuki for the 2009 season. He had intense battles with James Stewart Jr. They often raced very close to each other. Chad lost the championship by just 4 points, winning 3 races.
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Chad also raced the 2009 motocross season after a two-year break. He won the AMA Motocross Championship with two rounds to spare. He also won the Monster Energy Triple Crown Championship. He won 5 out of 12 races that season.
For 2010, Chad joined the Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team. He had a tough start to the season. He crashed in the first two rounds and broke his hand. Chad returned later but had to withdraw due to an illness. He shared that becoming a new dad and losing a close friend were also challenging.
In 2011, Chad decided to create his own team, TwoTwo Motorsports. He rode a Honda bike with support from many sponsors. The 2011 season was a five-way battle for the championship. It came down to the final race in Las Vegas. Chad won the Las Vegas race but lost the championship by 4 points. He finished second overall. Chad received an award for his amazing effort in starting his own team and still doing so well.
In 2012, Chad was racing well in the AMA Supercross series. He was in second place in points. But he crashed in Dallas, Texas, and injured his left knee. He needed surgery for a torn ACL. This forced him to stop racing for the rest of the season.
Overcoming Injuries (2013-2015)
Chad returned to racing in 2013 with his TwoTwo Motorsports Honda. He faced tough competition from other riders. He struggled with injuries throughout the season. He had knee surgery and later tweaked his arm in a crash. Despite these challenges, he kept fighting.
In 2014, Chad switched from Honda to Kawasaki. He continued to ride for his TwoTwo Motorsports team. He started the season strong, finishing third in the first race. He then won two more races in Anaheim. However, he crashed hard in San Diego and injured his shoulder. He broke his collarbone, which forced him to miss the rest of the 2014 Supercross season.
The 2015 season was difficult for Chad. He won one Supercross race and had two other podium finishes. He later announced that his TwoTwo Motorsports Team was closing down. Chad then announced he would ride a Yamaha for the rest of the year.
Later Career (2016-2020)
In 2016, Chad raced the AMA Monster Energy Supercross Championship with Factory Yamaha. He continued to be a strong competitor.
In 2018, Chad Reed set a world record! He achieved the most career Monster Energy Supercross main event starts ever. He also won the SX-Open Champion and FIM Oceania Supercross Champion titles.
On February 2, 2019, he finished fifth at the AMA Monster Energy Supercross in San Diego. On February 23, he finished third in Detroit. This increased his record for most all-time AMA Supercross podiums to 132. Later that year, he crashed in Seattle and suffered multiple injuries. These injuries ended his 2019 Supercross season.
Chad had announced that 2020 would be his last season. Midway through the year, he switched from Honda to KTM. His best finish in 2020 was a 10th place at the final race.
Chad's Sponsors
Over his amazing career, Chad has had many sponsors. These companies helped him race and achieve his dreams. Some of his sponsors include: Yamaha Motor Company, Husqvarna, Monster Energy, Red Bull, Oakley, Fox Racing, Shift, Discount Tire, Boost Mobile, Pro Circuit, 360 Fly Camera, and Penrite.
Chad's Achievements
- 1997 Australian Junior Motocross Champion
- 1999 Australian Supercross Champion
- 2000 Australian Supercross Champion
- 2001 Motocross of Nations (Belgium) - Race 2 (125/250), 1st Place
- 2002 AMA Eastern Regional Supercross Champion
- 2003 U.S Open Champion
- 2003 FIM World Supercross GP Champion
- 2004 U.S Open Champion
- 2004 AMA Supercross Champion
- 2005 X-Games Supermoto - Bronze Medal
- 2007 King of Bercy Supercross Champion
- 2007 Motocross of Nations (USA) - Race 1 (MX1/MX2), 2nd Place
- 2008 AMA/FIM World Supercross Champion
- 2008 Australian Supercross Champion
- 2009 Monster Energy Triple Crown Motocross Champion
- 2009 AMA National Pro Motocross Champion
- 2009 Motocross of Nations (Italy) - Race 1 (MX1/MX2), 2nd Place
- 2009 AMA Athlete of the Year
- 2009 Australian Supercross Champion
- 2011 Motocross of Nations (France) - Race 1 (MX1/MX2), 1st Place
- 2016 AUS-X Open Champion
- 2018 The Ironman of Supercross (Most AMA Supercross Starts Record)
- 2018 SX-Open Champion
- 2018 FIM Oceania Supercross Champion
Honours
On 13 June 2011, Chad Reed received a special award. He was made a Member of the Order of Australia. This honor was for his great service to motorsports as a professional supercross motorcycle rider. It also recognized his contributions to the community.
