Chad Reed settles for fifth in Arizona

Australian SX champ Chad Reed has put in a strong effort in the second round of the 2012 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship, his taking his TwoTwo Motorsports Honda to fifth place.

American rider Ryan Dungey (KTM) took out the event in Phoenix, Arizona, with Jake Weimer (Kawasaki) second, Ryan Villopoto (Kawasaki) third and Kevin Windham (Honda) in fourth place.

Overall Reed sits in equal third place in the AMA Supercross Championship, with fifteen rounds remaining.

Though reed was second fastest in qualifying during practice, he crashed in his heat race while scuffling with James Stewart, which complicated his run for the podium. As such, he finished seventh in the heat, which meant his gate pick was not great, and his approach to first turn congested in the pack.

"We were actually better this week to last week - the results on paper just don’t show it," Reed explained after a tough event.

"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," he continued.

"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," Reed added.

The third round of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross takes place on January 21 in Los Angeles at Dodger Stadium.

Monster Energy AMA Supercross Round 2 Results: Phoenix

1. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM
2. Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki
3. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki
4. Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda
5. Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Honda
6. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda
7. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda
8. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Yamaha
9. Brett Metcalfe, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Suzuki
10.Josh Hansen, Elbert, Colo., Kawasaki          

Monster Energy AMA Supercross Season Standings (After Rd 2 of 17)

1. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM – 45
2. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki – 45
3. Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Honda – 38
4. Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki – 38
5. Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda – 31
6. Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda – 29
7. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Yamaha – 28
8. Justin Brayton, Murrieta, Calif., Honda – 25
9. Josh Hansen, Elbert, Colo., Kawasaki – 22
10.Brett Metcalfe, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Suzuki – 22