Chad Reed has finished fifth at Round 2 of the 2012 Monster Energy AMA Supercross at Phoenix Chase Field.
The Australian, was the second fastest qualifier following the afternoon practice sessions, but a crash in his heat race while battling James Stewart for the race lead set the scene for a tough evening.
Reed’s seventh place heat finish afforded him a less than ideal gate pick and a bad start in the ‘main event’ saw him buried mid pack as the field approached the first turn.
Sitting seventh at the halfway point, Reed traded blows with Stewart before working his way past Canard and Strong to secure fifth.
His results has dropped him to third place in championship behind Ryan Villopoto and Phoenix winner Ryan Dungey
“We were actually better this week to last week the results on paper just don’t show it,” Reed said.
“I felt like for the most part it was positive. What we worked on since last round was better and we learnt some things throughout the day that were both negative and positive.
“The first four laps of my heat race was good, I went forward and was charging. We had an issue during testing last week which rose its head again in the heat and I lost the front.
“In the ‘main event’ I found myself in the wrong place at the wrong time every time. Everyone I came up on was racing hard and instead of me racing hard and charging forward and putting myself in the right position I was continually in the wrong place each time.
“I felt like I rode great here and there and it was a step forward in many ways, its just the result wasn’t there.”
TwoTwo Motorsports and Reed will return to the test track ahead of next weekends third round of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross at Los Angeles Dodger Stadium.
