Reed enjoys winning feeling in series opener -ozzy go- whittierdailynews.com

ANAHEIM - Chad Reed knows all about finishing second. He's done it too many
times in the past while losing to Ricky Carmichael and then James Stewart.

"I'm not patient anymore," the 2004 supercross champion said. "I'm tired of
finishing second and third. It sucks. Been there, done that."

The Yamaha rider, who knows what it is like to win - he's won 26 supercross races
- changed all that Saturday in the Monster Energy series opener in front of
approximately 35,000 in 45,050-seat Angel Stadium. It perhaps was the smallest
season-opening crowd since the series moved its opener to Anaheim 10 years
ago.

Reed, from Tampa, Fla., got out front early, avoided a first-turn accident that took
out heavy favorite and 2007 series champion Stewart and had little trouble in
taking the 20-lap race. Kawasaki's Stewart, from Haines City, Fla., who was in last
place coming off a first-turn hairpin accident, was in seventh place by the fourth
lap and finished second, 21.474 seconds behind Reed. It ended Stewart's three
race winning streak at Anaheim. Tim Ferry finished third.

"I've been thinking about this race since May," said Reed, who skipped the outdoor
season. "I got criticized for it. It was a good slap in the face for those guys. I've
been working really hard. I stepped away from the sport because I needed it."

It was his first victory at Anaheim since 2004, when he won twice.

On a tight, technical course that had a hairpin off the starting line, Reed was in
front at the start but stalled and Grant Langston jumped in front. Reed regained
the lead a lap later.

"I thought I had a pretty decent start," Stewart said. "I got clipped from behind. I
had a couple of gnarly moments out there. Give it to to Chad. He rode really
tough. I pushed hard and I tried." full story on whittierdailynews.com
pic from willtopete.com