Aussie Reed wins Dutch 250cc Motocross Grand Prix
Photos: [Left]: Australian Chad Reed in action at the earlier World 250cc Motocross Championship round at Broadford (Victoria) and his KX 250 awasaki at the 2001 MXoN’s in Belgium.
Chad Reed becomes first Australian to win a 250 Motocross Grand Prix, at Lierop
Australian Chad Reed created history on 2 September 2001 at the Lierop Motocross Grand Prix, becoming the first Australian to win a 250cc round of the FIM World Championships.
Riding for Jan DeGroot’s factory Kawasaki team, rookie Reed was a revelation aboard his KX250, dominating the Grand Prix of Lierop (Netherlands) and eventually finishing the year second to multi-time World Champion Mickaël Pichon.
The loamy sand circuit is one of the toughest in Europe, with Reed winning the 40 minute plus two lap moto by more than 50 seconds ahead of Frenchman Mickael Pichon (Suzuki) who won ten Grand Prix events that year to win the World Championship.
Dutch 250cc Motocross Grand Prix \ Simone Passeri (In Italian)
Honda Finnish rider Jussi Vehvilainen was third, ahead of two Frenchmen Frederick Bolley (Honda) and Johnny Aubert (Yamaha).
That year, all FIM Grand Prix events were staged on the same day at the one venue, with Australia hosting Round 3 on 15 April at Broadford in Victoria, after successfully staging the 500cc Grand Prix the year before.
It was at this event where Australians Reed – along with the late Andrew McFarlane and Michael Byrne – were competitive against the World’s best, which opened the door for international opportunities in both motocross and supercross.
After shining at the 2000 Australian Grand Prix, winning the 125/250 class race at the Motocross des Nations (World Teams event) in Belgium and finishing on the podium at the Paris Supercross, Reed earned a contract with Jan DeGroot’s factory Kawasaki team to race in Europe for the 2001 World 250cc Championship, bypassing the traditional step via the 125cc class.
After finishing second in his first attempt at a World Championship, Reed then signed a deal with Team Yamaha of Troy racing supercross in the States for 2002 and, together with his high school sweetheart, Ellie, they made the move from Europe to the US to fulfill his childhood dream.
Reed was immediately a revelation and took the country by storm winning all but two supercross races that season to win the 125cc East Coast Supercross championship. That year, he also led Australia to victory in the World Cup of Motocross, with Michael Byrne and his cousin Craig Anderson.
The rest is history, with Reed going on to win two FIM World Supercross Championships and multiple AMA Pro MX and SX titles in an illustrious career with his professional racing career spanning more than two decades.
Results - Dutch 250cc Motocross GP, Lierop
Reed, later that year at the 2001 Motocross of Nations in Belgium with the late Andrew McFarlane (left) and Michael Byrne (squatting).
40-minute, plus two laps moto, Liereop
1. Chad Reed (AUS, Kawasaki)
2. Mickael Pichon (FRA, Suzuki)
3. Jussi Vehvilainen (FIN, Honda)
4. Frederick Bolley, (FRA, Honda)
5. Johnny Aubert (FRA, Yamaha)
6. Gordon Crockard (IE, Honda)
7. Claudio Federici (IT, Yamaha)
8. Joshua Coppins (NZ, Suzuki)
9. Danny Theybers (NL, KTM)
10. Colin Dugmore (ZA, KTM)
Overall Final World Championship Placings
1. Mickael Pichon (FRA, Suzuki) 318 points
2. Chad Reed (AUS, Kawasaki) 190
3. Gordon Crockard (IE, Honda) 188
4. Claudio Federici (IT, Yamaha) 157
5. Pete Beirer (DE, Yamaha) 140
6. Joshua Coppins (NZ, Suzuki) 136
7. Frederick Bolley, (FRA, Honda) 133
8. Jussi Vehvilainen (FIN, Honda) 93
9. Yves Demaria (FR, Yamaha) 90
10. Colin Dugmore (ZA, KTM) 72
