Reed Podium Streak Curtailed In Atlanta

Yamaha's Chad Reed finished off the AMA Supercross podium for the first time this year after a crash during the main event of round eight of the series at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta meant that the Australian crossed the finish line in sixth position.



The 30th SX event in Atlanta (the first was won by Bob Hannah with a Yamaha) would not see Reed extend his career tally of podium results to 81. The YZ450F rider won his Heat, and also grabbed the holeshot, but slipped off his San Manuel machine while holding the lead after five laps and need the rest of the 17 minute sprint to clamber back to sixth spot. The 25 year old left the Georgia Dome promptly, after gingerly picking up 15 points.

Reed saw his lead in the series, also an FIM World championship, cut to 25 points with nine rounds remaining.

It was left to team-mate Nathan Ramsey to hold centre stage on the YZ as the veteran posted his best finish of 2008 with fifth position.



"It's been like baby-steps since I started riding again, and I haven't quite gotten there yet, but tonight was a good start," said the American, who is sixth in the standings. "I feel my pace is starting to pick up and if I can get up there and race with them, that stuff will all come back to me. I think tonight was another good step in that direction, and it was fun to be racing with those guys."

In the East Coast Lites division top the YZ250F finisher was another Australian, Jake Moss, with fourth position. Five riders from the final top ten were making their SX debuts at the Georgia Dome. Sixteen year old rookie Tyler Bowers was among them - representing the Yamaha of Troy squad - and took a very decent fifth spot on his maiden outing.



"My race was good," he commented. "Unfortunately, I made the rookie mistake of not breathing for the first three laps and by about the third or fourth lap, I was out of breath. By the time I actually started breathing and was trying to get loose, it was too late. I was tired and a couple guys got around me. My mechanic threw-out the pitboard and told me I was in fifth, and it said, 'Lap 10'. I was like, 'Cool, I've got five more laps in me.' I found that extra little bit of energy and made it around to the finish and pulled it off. I was happy with that."

AMA Supercross travels to Daytona for round nine next weekend.

     
Crowd: 67,429
Weather: Dry

     
2008 AMA-SX Atlanta, GA 25/02/2008      
Race 1 - 20 Laps        
Pos.     Rider   Manu.   Nat.    Total Time    
1        David D Millsaps        Honda   USA     17'15.100      
2        Kevin Windham   Honda   USA     0'6.051        
3        Andrew Short    Honda   USA     0'10.236      
4        Tim Ferry       Kawasaki        USA     0'11.014      
5        Nathan Ramsey     Yamaha          Yamaha  AUS     0'33.910      
7        Charles Summey  Yamaha  USA     0'35.912      
8        Paul Carpenter  Honda   USA     0'44.317      
9        David Vuillemin         Suzuki  FRA     0'51.481      
10       Jason Thomas    Honda   USA     -1 Laps        
11       Ryan Clark      Honda   USA     -1 Laps        
12       Heath Voss      Honda   USA     -1 Laps        
13       Bryan K Johnson         Honda   USA     -1 Laps        
14       Nicholas Wey    KTM     USA     -1 Laps        
15       Jacob Marsack   Honda   USA     -1 Laps        
19       Josh Hill  Yamaha     USA     -7 Laps        

Rider Standings  23/02/2008    

Pos.     Rider   Manu.   Nat.    Points
1.      Chad Reed  AUS     184    
2.      Kevin Windham   Honda   USA     159    
3.      Tim Ferry       Kawasaki        USA     137    
4.      David D Millsaps     Honda   USA     123    
5.      Andrew Short    Honda   USA     121    
6.      Nathan Ramsey   Yamaha   USA     101    
7.      Josh Hill   Yamaha     USA     84    
8.      Nicholas Wey    KTM     USA     84    
9.      David Vuillemin Suzuki  FRA     72    
10.     Mike Alessi     Suzuki  USA     69    
11.     Charles Summey  Yamaha  USA     67    
12.     Paul Carpenter  Honda   USA     66    
13.     Ivan Tedesco    Honda   USA     53    
14.     James Stewart   Kawasaki        USA     47    
15.     Heath Voss      Honda   USA     45    
16.     Grant Langston  Yamaha   RSA     38    

Manufacturer Standings   23/02/2008    

Pos.     Manufacturer    Points
1.      Yamaha  185    
2.      Honda   170    
3.      Kawasaki        160    
4.      Suzuki  106    
5.      KTM     84