Chad Reed interview – Monster Energy Cup and future plans
Chad Reed was a last-minute entry on a privateer Honda at the Monster Energy Cup after his plan to race cars the same weekend fell through.
Reed was steady in all three motos for ninth overall as he gets ready to bring his Honda to France, Australia and New Zealand for the pre-season supercross races ahead of the 2020 season.
But will Reed be lining up at Anaheim? Tom Jacobs caught up with Chad at Vegas to talk about his performance, his chances of racing next season and his car racing exploits.
You put the old show back on the road a bit with the team here!
Yeah with Goose and my mechanic this year from JGR, Ben, and then the box van, it’s fun, I had a good weekend.
Is this race like a test or how do you look at this?
Yeah, it’s just getting ready for Paris and then I have a race in New Zealand and Australia, it was good we didn’t have any issues, now I just need to start riding and training on a motorcycle.
How much time did you have before on the bike?
We did four days of riding in six weeks!
Because you were busy racing cars?
I wouldn’t say that, I was waiting for answers from my old team and that was it really, of course I’ve been busy racing cars but Monday through Friday I can ride a dirt bike and I haven’t been able to do that but now it’s all good, now we know what we are doing, I’m excited to put the time in and get up to speed.
Will you do the complete series next year?
Not yet, we will see, I would like too but we will see. I would do it by myself but I need to find funding, I need money. If I have to put my own money into it I will put my own money into car racing.
How does that translate, putting your dirt bike skills into car racing?
It’s pretty close, racing is racing at the end of the day but there are a few little things here and there that you need to do differently. Learning the pavement, the tyres, tyre life all those things you have to learn and don’t really have to deal with in moto.
What is the thing that drives you still to race next year? To still go for the podium and who what you can do?
I think just in general, going for it and feeling like you are doing the work and try to be the best you can, win races, be on the podium top tens, top fives, whatever that is.
It’s a life you know so well and have been doing for so many years…
Yeah and 2019 was a fun year, it was a shame that I got hurt because in general I think it was a positive year. Coming off a really hard 2018, i would like to come back next year and be competitive.
Why did you pick the Honda?
Mountain Motorsports had a couple of them there and we thought we will take those ones and ride’em!
Last question, you were one of the guys that tried out the new radio communication system (between rider and mechanic during the race), how did you find it?
Actually I really like it, in general it was quite nice, I think for safety it’s much safer and I think we need that communication for 2020, I really do. I think it’s a safety advantage, I hope next year they let us do it in supercross.
