Chad Reeds title run down to the wire
Just one
main event final is all that separates Chad Reed from his second AMA/World
Supercross title.
The series' undeniable pacesetter has led from the
moment the season started, and heads to Las Vegas this weekend with a valuable 10-point
buffer over second place. While its been an incredibly successful season
for the resurgent Australian who has won 8 finals to date, it has also been
unbelieveably challenging. The 26-year-old has had victory snatched from
him on a number of outings, but none have come close to what seemed to be a
season-ending practice crash just over a fortnight ago.
Nursing a broken
shoulder and some painful flesh wounds, Reed scored what could be a crucial
nine points, just hours after being
released from the emergency room at the Detroit round, and bounced back to score two
consecutive second place finishes, amassing the necessary points to keep Kevin
Windham at bay. In the face of adversity, Reed has fought back with
incredible grit, and his toughness will be tested one final time at Sam Boyd
Stadium in Las
Vegas this weekend. Though he doesn't need to win
to secure the 2008 title, backing off is something that does not come naturally
to Reed.
"It's all or nothing this weekend," said Reed. "I would have
liked to have built myself an unbeatable lead heading into the final at
Las Vegas but it
hasn't happened that way. It's been a very testing few weeks, and a
tough season, and it all comes down to Saturday night's race."
"I've got
what it takes, I can win this, and I'm pumped. Windham has a lot of work in front of
him. I'm still very sore but the pain just becomes a blur when a
championship is at stake, I've worked too hard to miss out now."
If
Windham wins,
Reed will need to finish within the top 6 places to win the Monster Energy AMA
Supercross crown. The pairing will be tied on points if the Aussie crosses the
line in sixth, but his tally of race wins will hand him the crucial
advantage.
AMA 2008 Supercross Class Championship Standings
1. Chad
Reed, Kurri Kurri, Aust, Yamaha, 340
2.Kevin
Windham, Centreville,
Miss., Honda, 330
3.Davi
Millsaps, Cairo, Ga., Honda, 262
4.Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda, 261
5.ݬJoshua Hill,
Yoncalla, Ore., Yamaha, 210
6.Tim Ferry, Largo, Fla., Kawasaki, 206
7.ݬNathan
Ramsey, Menifee, Calif., Yamaha, 173
8.David Vuillemin,
Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki, 158
9.Nick Wey, Dewitt, Mich., KTM, 144
10.Paul Carpenter,
Ithaca, N.Y., Honda, 136
