We caught up with one of the smartest riders to ever throw a leg over a bike, the legend Chad Reed, at Ironman MXoN to discuss a range of topics from his personal MXoN memories to Jett Lawrence.
We also asked Reed, who was helping Jorge Prado this year when they were both at Club MX, for his view on the situation between Prado and Kawasaki that has left both parties separating and moving on from each other after a nightmare outdoor season.
Reed said: “Yeah, it was definitely a disaster on both sides. I don’t know that Jorge sleeps at night thinking that he was his best version of himself and I don’t know that Kawasaki can put their hand up and say that everything was roses from their side. I just hope that going forward for this sport, we get the best version of Jorge. I think that is what is needed because I think if you take the names out of it, you just want to race and watch good riders from all over the world. Jorge’s still young, so I think it’s still important that we get to see the best of him in the AMA Nationals.
“So I don’t think it’s my place to pick and choose what he did right or wrong, but I think just as a fan of the sport, I want to see the best version of Jorge Prado come out swinging in in 2026.”
Whenever I heard you were working with him at Club MX and obviously you experienced with Kawasaki and you also renewed your own difficulties at factory Kawasaki, I felt you were the perfect person to bridge that gap. Was it close to being bridged when you were there because you obviously have the advice of both sides?
“You know, like the scenario and the situation I think this was very different than mine, I think from Kawasaki side and from the rider side, you know, like I helped. I think Jorge is a super nice kid, is super respectful to me, and so therefore, you know, I tried to help, you know, more from a racer to racer.
“I think the easiest way to say it is, you know, can I contribute, can I help in all areas because I’ve lived all those areas, but you also need to want to take that help and you also want to change it for the better, right? I just, I didn’t know that Jorge ever….maybe I think I was there too late. I think it was already too far gone”.
Get the full interview below as Chad talks about his MXoN memories, Jett and Haiden Deegan:
