Reed makes it four from six at RedBud

A win and third place finish helped Chad Reed capture his fourth overall AMA Motocross victory of the season at the RedBud National on Saturday.

The Australian was content to let Davi Millsaps lead the opening minutes of moto one before making the decisive move on lap seven. Reigning champion Ryan Dungey wasn’t going to let the TwoTwo Motorsports/Bel-Ray Racing Honda rider have it all his own way though and very nearly stole victory on the final lap, only for Reed to firmly close the door.

Ryan Villopoto, the third of this season’s title contenders, suffered a crash in the early stages before fighting back through the field to finish ninth.  

Millsaps meanwhile held on to complete the podium ahead of Brett Metcalfe, Justin Brayton and Andrew Short.

Villopoto then rebounded superbly from his heat one accident to claim victory in the second and rescue his weekend.

The Monster Energy Kawasaki rider grabbed the initiative in the early laps before steadily pulling clear of Dungey in second. Reed lost touch with the front two after struggling to pass Mike Alessi but eventually made third his on lap nine, enough to give him the overall win.

Dungey ended the weekend second ahead of Villopoto, who now lies 16 points adrift of Reed in the standings.

Metcalfe’s strong fifth place in moto two saw him finish fourth in the final reckoning ahead of Alessi and Brayton.    

In the 250 class, Blake Baggett notched up his fourth overall win of the campaign in dominant fashion by scoring both victories.

Ryan Sipes had looked good in the opening moto after Justin Barcia crashed out of the lead before Baggett closed in. The Yamaha rider was similarly powerless to deny championship leader Dean Wilson who scored the first of two second place finishes.

Baggett’s dominance was confirmed in heat two ahead of Wilson and Tyla Rattray whose fifth place from earlier in the day was enough to give the South African third overall.

The series moves on to the Spring Creek Motocross National on July 16, live coverage of which can be found on Motors TV.

450 Class (Moto Finish)
1. Chad Reed, Kurri Kurri, Australia, Honda (1-3)
2. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki (2-2)
3. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki (9-1)
4. Brett Metcalfe, Mannum, Australia, Suzuki (4-5)
5. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM (8-4)
6. Justin Brayton, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Yamaha (5-7)
7. Andrew Short, Colorado Springs, Colo., KTM (6-8)
8. Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha (3-13)
9. Kevin Windham, Baton Rouge, La., Honda (12-6)
10. Christian Craig, El Cajon, Calif., Honda (10-10)

450 Class Championship Standings
1. Chad Reed, Kurri Kurri, Australia, Honda - 268
2. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki - 252
3. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., Suzuki - 246
4. Brett Metcalfe, Mannum, Australia, Suzuki - 178
5. Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha - 173
6. Kevin Windham, Baton Rouge, La., Honda - 172
7. Andrew Short, Colorado Springs, Colo., KTM - 130
8. Christian Craig, El Cajon, Calif., Honda - 119
9. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., KTM - 115
10. Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki - 112

250 Class (Moto Finish)
1. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki (1-1)
2. Dean Wilson, Glasgow, Scotland, Kawasaki (2-2)
3. Tyla Rattray, Durban, South Africa, Kawasaki (5-3)
4. Kyle Cunningham, Aledo, Texas, Yamaha (4-4)
5. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Kawasaki (7-5)
6. Wil Hahn, Wichita, Kan., Honda (8-6)
7. Ryan Sipes, Louisville, Ky., Yamaha (3-14)
8. Martin Davalos, Quito, Ecuador, Suzuki (11-7)
9. Cole Seely, Newbury Park, Calif., Honda (9-10)
10. Scott Champion, La Jolla, Calif., Honda (13-13)

250 Class Championship Standings
1. Dean Wilson, Glasgow, Scotland, Kawasaki - 258
2. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki - 244
3. Tyla Rattray, Durban, South Africa, Kawasaki - 242
4. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda - 176
5. Kyle Cunningham, Aledo, Texas, Yamaha - 163
6. Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Kawasaki - 143
7. Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda - 137
8. Gareth Swanepoel, Johannesburg, South Africa, Yamaha - 120
9. Cole Seely, Newbury Park, Calif., Honda - 112
10. Martin Davalos, Quito, Ecuador, Suzuki - 111

Tom Hornsby