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IMAGES/WONDERGOAT Coming out in the first heat of the 450’s, lined up with Roczen, Canard and Bogle, Chad came up
just short of a straight transfer spot into the main. He got off to a decent 5th place start across lap one, and stayed there, unable to gain any ground on the qualifying top four spots. His assertiveness seemed to be engaged as he rode solid and stylishly smooth across the wet surface with the conditions worsening every lap. The collected stability would have done more damage if it wasn’t for the unusual five lap heat races that the final round provided. Heading into the 2nd semi of the night, Reed rolled the bike to the line without a glimpse of uncertainty of what the night would ultimately hold for him. He had the inside line coming out of the gate and started 2nd behind the sketchy lines of Weston Peick who seemed to be struggling in the slickness. Coming across the first triple, Peick over jumps and washes the front end out allowing Reed to walk through an open door into the lead. For the remaining three and a half laps, Reed rode flawlessly smooth in route to another semi win and the last best gate pick into the main event. With the two 250 series’ having been decided in rather excruciating delight minutes before the gate drop, Reed used the rhythm found in his semi to take the final sixteen laps of the season and end on a positive note. As the field crossed lap one, Chad found himself in 6th, right at the center of the most vigorous group in the main, Reed put his head down to keep the mud out and the vision clear. With Millsaps taking a digger in the whoops to end lap four, Reed found himself in 5th. Musquin went down as well, pushing Reed up to
4th on lap six but was quickly outgunned by the #4 of Blake Baggett. From there, Canard had reeled Reed in and pushed the Factory Yamaha to do a little back and forth battle for the next few laps before Canard pulled ahead on lap 9. The very next lap, Chad snapped back into 3rd out smarting Canard in the final rhythm section. Once passed, Trey runs into trouble never seeing Reed again, while the #22 of Chad put in work to catch back to Baggett in 4th. Getting stuck in lappers, Chad had to push hard to make a move on Baggett but does so by pushing the yellow #4 wide in the second to last turn, making his way to 4th by the time the shortened race was over. Finally returning to the top five for the first time since Santa Clara, Reed most definitely ended the night and season on high note. At an age that many never reached while still racing professionally, Reed has got the skills to pay the bills and moves into his off season with plans on racing a couple of Europeans racing. No matter where it is, the next time we see Reed, it is sure to be battle as the #22 has got nothing but a burning desire to continue sketching his name as Supercross legend.
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