Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128210
THQ World Supercross GP SeriesiAMA Supercross Series Chad Reed out-duels R.C. in a Dallas thriller ing his fourth win in a row and his sixth of the AMA series. "That was by far my best race ever in my life," Reed said. "It was a lot of fun just because the crowd - that's what they want to see. Everybody comes to my [autograph] line, and I'm sure everybody goes to Ricky's line and says, 'We want to see you race.' Tonight they got to see a race and definitely got what they paid for." With only three full-time, factorybacked 250cc riders on the starting gate, it wasn't much of a surprise to By KIT PALMER PHOTOS BY STEVE BRUHN IRVING, TX, APR. 12 T his one might not have had the charge or electricity of the Ricky Johnson-vs.-David Bailey duel at Anaheim in 1986, or the Jeff Wardvs.-Jeff Stanton shootout in this very same stadium in '89, but the Chad Reed versus Ricky Carmichael duel of '03 in Dallas will still go down in history as one of supercross' best. Unfortunately, just 39,643 supercross fans - a rather small crowd by today's supercross standards - got to witness it. But those who did show up certainly saw a good one. After all, when two riders like Reed and Carmichael trade places for the lead at least eight times, you don't forget about it anytime soon, although Carmichael would like to. That's because the defending supercross champ came out on the short end of the stick after a racelong, back-and-forth contest with his series rival Reed. The Dallas race was one of only a few times this year that Reed and Carmichael have gotten away together and then duked it out for the entire race. Earlier in the year, they got together at Anaheim Ill, and Carmichael came away the victor this time, Reed got his revenge, post- a APRIL 23, 2003ยท cue I (Above) One lap it was Ricky Cannichael (4) leading Chad Reed (22), and the next lap it was Reed leading Cannichael. The two riders battled back and forth at the Dallas Supercross, but it was Reed who was leading when it was most Important - at the end. (Right) Larry Ward (10) grabbed the holeshot and went on to finish seventh. e nevvs see Carmichael and Reed get out front early. MotoXXX/Yoshimura's Larry Ward, on the big CRF450R, nailed the holeshot ahead of Carmichael, who banged handlebars with Reed and Mach 1 Yamaha's Heath Voss all the way down the start chute. "We all hit, and he [Carmichael] drilled Reed," Voss said. "Reed was on the right side of me, and Ricky was on my left side. Ricky beat me out of the gate. He moved over on me big-time." "I was kind of leaning to the right, and I didn't want to let off the gas, because I would've been screwed," Carmichael said of the shaky start. "We bumped and went all over the place. It wasn't intentional; I just wanted to keep the gas on. But I held on to her." And that he did. Carmichael emerged from the first turn in second place, Reed about fifth or six. "My starts this weekend were terrible, which kind of bums me out," Reed said. "I've been working very