USA Insider No.68 presented by Lucas Oil – Plenty on Reed’s plate!

Jason Weigandt

Welcome to our weekly web-exclusive column, Transmoto USA Insider Presented By Lucas Oil. Penned each week by our man on the ground, Transmoto’s US Correspondent, Jason Weigandt, USA Insider presents the story-behind-the-stories of the AMA supercross and motocross scene.

Chad Reed hasn’t raced since February, but he’s a busy man. His wife Ellie just gave birth to their new baby girl, Kiah, while they’re also trying to keep up with the now two-year-old Tate.

Chad himself is wearing his business hat trying to bring his TwoTwo Motorsports team to the next level, while also rehabbing his knee. He found some time to hang out this weekend at RedBud, where he told me he’s a month out from getting back on a bike. He did rule out the idea of racing some of the Lucas Oil Nationals in the U.S. before the end of the season, though, saying he just won’t have time to be ready. He did specify that while he won’t make it back for the end of motocross, but won’t rule out other races this year (perhaps the Monster Energy Cup in Las Vegas in October).

On the business front, time is running out for the TwoTwo team to snag another high-level rider. Most of the biggest names are already locked up, except Chad’s buddy Dean Wilson, who has plenty of other suitors. I’m hearing Chad is having to work hard to try to procure another works Honda from the factory team, and obviously a rider like Dean isn’t going to sign on unless a team can give him the best stuff. If Chad can’t get another factory bike, he may be back solo at the races next year (he could easily sign another rider to race on production equipment, but Chad has said many times that a he’s not interested in another rider unless it’s a rider who can be a consistent podium guy. There aren’t too many of those around).

But while nothing trumps the news of having a new baby, it does seem like Chad has gained another new interest, too. He’s taken a few dabs at four-wheeled racing in local NASCAR events, and seems to like it. Really like it. He told me on Saturday that he’s really fighting to itch to set himself up for more car racing—he wants to do it badly, but he knows it’s about time to become a dirt bike racer again.

Are race cars the distraction that ultimately takes Chad away from the podium? Sounds like a possibility—but then again, Chad likes to stir up the rumour mill. More four-wheeled events and less two-wheeled ones will certainly do that.