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18th November, 2009

FullNoise.com.au One on One with Dan

Heading into the 5th round of the 2009 Australasian SuperX championship something was a little different than what most of us expected.

Dan Reardon in action at Geelong.

Chad Reed was not dominating the series, in fact Chad Reed was sitting back in third in the championship standings. Sitting perched onto of the Championship was none other than Dan Reardon, another Australian Supercross champion who has spent the last couple of years plying his trade on the tough AMA circuit.

Dan was kind enough to spare a few minutes on the Thursday evening leading into the Parramatta round of the series to talk about the season so far, his bike and mechanic and also his plans for 2010 where he will be making the Switch not only to a permanent 450 ride but also a change of team and Machinery when he steps aboard the Moto Concepts Yamaha YZ450F for the entire AMA season.

INSIDER: Your Supercross season has gone pretty well to date, and you are currently leading the championship, is this how you envisioned the season to go?

REARDON: Umm results wise I don't know, coming into this series I wanted to have a different attitude than I had last year, I think last year I focused on all I wanted to do is beat Chad and I let a lot of other things go out the window, I had a lot of crashes and a lot of injuries last year.

This year my attitude has changed , I have wanted to stay consistant and safe and at the same time build on the series, build on the momentum so when I get back over to the states I have a good momentum going. So yeah so far so good I and Chad have had some good races, at the same time we have not really battle battled yet, I am looking forward to that day, and the day when we can go back and forth that would be cool.

INSIDER: You are riding the CRF450 over here for Supercross you also spend the outdoors in the AMA on the same bike, Although you are no longer on the Factory connection Honda team for 2010, were you still able to bring some parts over form the US to run on your current race bike?

REARDON: I bought my suspension, my linkage, the triple clamps, a lot of engine parts, the whole head some gearbox parts, there is quite a lot. I have the same mechanic over here that I had in the states with Charlie over here, He is really familiar with the bike, and we have done a lot of testing with the bike with seeing what worked and what didn't. We just wanted to bring the best bike we could over, the bike feels very similar to the bike I had over in America.

INSIDER: You just mentioned that you were able to bring Charlie Castanzo your mechanic for the past few years back over here with you, has that made a big difference?

REARDON: Yeah, yeah it does, I and Charlie have an awesome relationship going, we defiantly understand each other, and he is an unreal mechanic. He knows the bike like the back of his hand and I trust the guy 100% when I come to working on my bike, and I know he always does a good job.

I wouldn't want anyone else but Charlie, we are trying to get Charlie for next year I would like for him to follow me throughout America again, fingers crossed we can get something worked out.

INSIDER: I was going to ask if you were trying to get Charlie over to the team you will be riding for next year the Moto Concepts team.

REARDON: Yeah that would be good; everyone knows know that I have gone over to moto concepts and will be jumping on the new Yamaha. When I get to the states it is going to be busy I only have three weeks to jump on the bike and understand and learn test as much as I can, it will be a hectic three weeks and it would defiantly help to have someone that is willing to put in the effort. That first three weeks is going to be pretty critical. It certainly would be good seeing him over there and working on my side.

INSIDER: As you said it is going to be tough, you will only have three weeks, and I guess currently being contracted to the Woodstock Honda team you wouldn't have the chance to even ride the new Yamaha.

REARDON: Nah it doesn't, Yarrive is an awesome guy, really understands the sport and understands what needs to be done, the biggest problem is the Yamaha has not even been realised I think there are only a few in Australia at the moment, the boys have only just started riding them in America, Yeah it's going to be hectic, I feel reasonable comfortable that I can adapt to a new bike quickly and so far the feedback we have had from the guys riding the Yamaha is really good bike.

James looks unreal on the bike, at the US open he looked really comfortable on the bike, probably more comfortable then he looked when he first went to Yamaha. I think by the time we get over there and do some riding I should have a pretty good base setting and we should be able to improve from there.

INSIDER: The bike you are jumping on is the new Yamaha, and Yamaha do not for 2010 have a factory team as such in the states, the teams are all Privateer Teams, do the teams still share information about the bikes and work together in some way to develop the bike?

REARDON: I think so, I think the fact that Yamaha don't have a factory team, they will still want to promote their bike, the best thing to help that is to give as much support as they can to the teams using their equipment and there are a few out there, I'm super confident after talking to the guys at Moto Concepts that the bike is going to be unreal, the engine is going to be awesome, the suspension is going to be good, they use all great products so there is no reason the bike will have any faults or won't be capable of running up the front.

That was really important for me, making sure I chose a good strong team that has a strong bike and some good backing and also some good personnel on board. Steve Lamson is the team manager for Moto Concepts and everyone knows he is a legend he is a champion and it is going to be awesome having someone with that experience to guide us in the right direction.

INSIDER: Was the Yamaha Moto Concepts the only deal on the table or did you have a bit of a choice?

REARDON: There were a couple of other offers, there was another Yamaha offer and Kawasaki offer, I was also talking to the team I was with in factory connection, It was tough the economy over there right now is so bad, I am thankful just to have a ride, all the riders out there now understand how critical it was. We need to just survive the next couple of years and hope the economy starts to turn around, just really thankful I got a ride and now will make sure I put in the effort to make sure I have a good end result.

INSIDER: You now have the ride you really wanted, you are back onto a permanent ride on the 450 and we have all seen how fast you can ride the 450, how important was it to get a 450 ride for 2010?

REARDON: Yeah you know everyone now sees that I am a 450 rider, it's where I feel really comfortable, and it is where I want to be. I may have made a mistake when I jumped back on the 250 but hey you live and you learn, it definitely was not a waste of time, I learnt a lot and the racing was unreal. The team that I was with supported me unconditionally it was really good. But you are right I am jumping back on the 450 and that's where I feel super comfortable, I think this series is building some great momentum for America.

INSIDER: You will be going straight from this series into A1 and will be carrying some good momentum, are you looking for big things next year in America on the 450?

REARDON: I am looking for better results, the 450 class heading into next year is definitely stacked, and there are a lot of good riders up there.

The series is really long to build from the first round and build right through to a strong series will be important, 17 rounds will be along series for me, and I have not done that before.

I have to be careful not to burn out; especially with all the riding and racing I have done over here, so time management is going to be really important. Over three years I have had plenty of Experience so I should have this covered I'll do the right things and put the right things in place to make sure I am healthy and strong at each event.

INSIDER: Just turning back to the current Supercross series for a moment, you are heading into the last three rounds with a 1 point lead over Jay and a seven point gap to Chad, what is it going to take to hold on and win this championship?

REARDON: I think just composure, stay smart and really not to think about the championship just yet. There are still three rounds to go and it is always when you think what if and the championship is close that is when mistakes come into play. I just want to have a good ride, just get good starts again Forget about Canberra and concentrate on putting good solid motos together, If that is the case and that happens then I should come out with a good result.

INSIDER: Cool Thanks for your time,

REARDON: Thanks.

Saturday night at Parramatta did not go the way Dan Reardon had planned, after heading into the night with a slim one point lead, an early exit in the unforgiving Survival format took Reardon from a one point lead to a ten point deficit in the Championship. The good News for Dan is there are still two rounds to go with the teams and riders heading to New Zealand this weekend and then to Brisbane for the grand finale just over two weeks later.

18th November, 2009

Supercross Round 5: Parramatta

Hi everyone,

Paramatta held an awsome event.  It was prob the biggest turn out in Supercross so far. Practice went good.  I was about .4 of a second off Chad. My heat race went well. I worked my way up from fifth to first, took the lead and won with ease. As for the main, the format was diifferent again and not something that worked in my favor. With small mistakes and confusion with the layout, I was knocked out early.

It was as unexpected for me as it was for everyone else. Very Disapointed but I have put it behind me and looking forward to New Zealand this weekend.

Dan Reardon

10th November, 2009

Supercross Round 4: Canberra

Hi everyone,

For the first time ever Canberra hosted a round of the Super X Series.  It was Round 4 and I had a good week leading into the weekend.

The track layout was good, but the dirt became really hard. In my heat race, I got off to a good start and finished out in front. The track was really difficult because of how hard the dirt was. It was a three 10 lap format, but the night racing didnt go as planned. I struggled with starts all night and just stayed consistent throughout the night program.

Finishing 3rd for the night was what i would call "making the best of a bad situation". There were changers that had to be made on the bike over the weekend that were out of my control. Things will be back to normal for the next round at Parramatta.

Dan Reardon

2nd November, 2009

Supercross Round 3: Peth

Hi everyone,

An awesome weekend, everything went as planned.  practice went good, chad and i went back and forth in qualifying times. the venue was indoors, track being a little smaller than usual.  the format this weekend was again different from the last, have three separate heat racers and a 10 lap final.  my heat racers i went three from three, getting good starts in all of them, carried the momentum in to the main; got another solid start and led from start from finish.

Dan Reardon

27th October, 2009

Supercross Round 2: Geelong

Hi everyone,

Second round this weekend in Geelong Victoria.  Track was awesome, really wide which would make great racing. Didn’t have chance to ride all week as I was run down from flying back from America. Format was different with a 4 six lap final. My Starts were really good all night. Three out of four Holshots.  Moto 2, I finished first  and the other three I finished 2nd behind Chad. Chad was riding good this weekend. I wasn’t 100% but I finished a consistent 2nd overall. Can’t wait for Perth I really enjoyed last year here it was a great event and look forward to racing again there this weekend .

Dan Reardon

20th October, 2009

Supercross Round 1: Tasmania

Hi everyone,

Awesome to have an Australian Supercross in Tasmania.

The Woodstock Honda team and my bike was great. It took me until 2nd practice to have the bike set up the way I like it for racing.

The night format was great, two 10 lap finals. My heat race went to plan and I had a great gate pick for the main events.
Second fasted in one lap shoot out , only .2 second behind fastest lap time.

Race one, got holeshot pulled away quickly. Finished nearly 7 seconds in front of second place.

Race two, Got holshot and again pulled away quickly. Unfortunately early in race made a mistake in sand section and dropped the bike. Went back 9th place. Pushed through again and finished 4th.

Overall 2nd on the night. Great start to the series.Hope to see you all at the next round  

Dan Reardon

15th October, 2009

It's Been A While...

Hi everyone,

well it has been a while since I have updated my blog. For the last 3 months I have been recovering from a shoulder injury while I sustained in the 3rd round of the AMA motocross series.

My first race back was the US open over two nights in Las Vegas. I had been back on the bike for about 4 weeks. I was excited to come back racing and was looking forward to the event as I had competed the previous two years.

It was an awsome weekend. It was great to be out racing again.

First night took a little bit to get the bike set up for the track. The night progressively improved. I come 2nd in my heat race and placed 3rd in the main event.

The next night the track was completely different. My lap times had improved and I won my heat race. I got the holeshot in the main event and finished with a consistant fourth place which gave me 3rd overall for the weekend. It was my first podium result in the USA. This race was a good momentum builder for me before I return to Australia to compete in the seven round Australian SX series wich kicks off this weekend in Tasmania.

Dan Reardon

15th January, 2009

PHOENIX

Hey everyone,

Well after A1 I had some time to think about the weekend, and what I could work on during the week.  My week was strong and I was ready for Phoenix. Last year the track was really hard packed, but this year the dirt was very similar to Anaheim, soft and rutted.  

Practice went pretty good for me, by the end of the second practice I felt real comfortable with everything and was ready to race.  

First Heat Race, I hole shot but over braked myself into the first turn and got caught up on a tuff block, putting me back into sixth.  I moved through the pack quick and ended up in 3rd, just behind the leaders. I ended up having the second fastest lap time of the night.. so I was ready for the main.  

My start didn’t go as planned and from there it turned into a recipe for disaster. I got hit 2nd turn and went off the track, finding myself in 19th when I regrouped. Charging through the rest of the field, I was up to 10th just before halfway. Tthen another rider crashed right in front of me. I ended up going down as well, putting me back in about 16th. I  then moved forward again and finished the race in 10th. Disapointed with the weekend, I still believe I have the speed, I just need to come together on Race Day.

Many Thanks,

Dan Reardon

7th January, 2009

ANAHEIM 1

Hey everyone,

Well the 09 season of SX has already begun. Anaheim 1 always has so much hype, from riders swapping bikes, teams, and sponsers that A1 is one of the most exciting rounds out there. For me i felt like I was ready.

I had a good off season and was looking forwad to showing what i had in store for the 09 season. The tracks so far this year have changed compared to what they were like last year. There have been some faster, more mx additions to the track.  Qualifying went good, team mate trey holeshotted, I was just behind, passed Trey through the first set of whoops and lead for the next couple of laps. Both trey and lawrence, passed me in the same section, over the back of the track. It wasnt till they passed me, I figured what i was doing wrong, trey ended up crashing on the last lap, which finished me in 2nd.

In he main event I got off to an awesome start and lead  the 20 riders into the first turn. I lead for about 3 laps, Weimer passed me, which ran me in second up untill lap 8. Braton and I came together in a turn, ending up with both of us going down. Unfortunately I couldn't restart and ended up DNF. So far this week has been real good, and I cant wait till we are in Phoenix for round 2, this weekend!

Many Thanks,
Dan Reardon

30th December, 2008

GEARING UP FOR '09

Hey everyone,

I can’t believe how quickly this year has gone, I’ve now been in the States for just over 14 months.  So far the preparation for the new season has gone really well.  I had a good time back in Australia, as I was there for nearly 2 months. The racing back there was awesome and I can’t wait until I come back at the end of '09.

Jumping back on a 250 was exciting, and the last 4 weeks have really gone to plan. I had Christmas day off, just to hang out with the small amount of family that I have here, as well as a bunch of mates.

So far it’s been a wet winter and we're probably going to see a few wet super crosses along the way. We are now down to 3 days until Anaheim. The new program that I am on, with new trainers and mechanic have been awesome leading up to the race.

As the series progress I will keep you all updated. Be safe and have a happy new year.

Many Thanks,
Dan Reardon

2nd December, 2008

SEASON END

Hey everyone,

I couldn’t think of a better way to finish of the SuperX series by racing in my home town. The SuperX series for me has been a little bit of a rollercoaster ride, I've felt that my speed has been good, I've just had a bit of bad luck with a few crashes. The last round was awesome, biggest crowd and I had a whole bunch of friends and family there supporting. I just want to say a big thanks to all the people who made this possible. Honda Racing Team have been awesome, the promoters and track crew were great. I think SuperX in Aus has definitely stepped up, and I look forward to coming back here next year. To all my family, friends and fans, thanks a heap. The support from everyone is awesome.

Many Thanks,
Dan Reardon

25th October, 2008

REARDON FALLS VICTIM TO SX TRIPLE CHALLENGE

Riding for Woodstock Geico Powersports Honda, Factory Connection, reigning Australian Supercross Champion Dan Reardon suffered a sickening shoulder injury while running among the leaders in the Australasian Super X Championship's new Triple Challenge in round three at Geelong's Skilled Stadium (VIC), today.

Second in qualifying on the #122 Woodstock Honda CRF450R, Reardon went on to storm through to win his 10-lap heat race by an incredible 22.548 seconds.

Streaking away in the lead of the first six-lap sprint of the Triple Challenge Main Event, Reardon held out Chad Reed for just over half race distance before being relegated to second place by the World Champion.

Away to another strong start in the Triple Challenge race two, Reardon was again running hotly in the top three through the first couple of corners before another rider crash landed on top of him and ended both Reardon's race and overall event with a dislocated shoulder that saw the 22-year-old carted to hospital for further medical attention.
 
DAN REARDON:
"I've got to have my shoulder looked at again when I get back home to Brisbane, but I should be good to go for the next round."

AUSTRALASIAN SUPERX CHAMPIONSHIP
SX OPEN - ROUND 3

3rd September, 2008

REARDON TO RIDE SUPER X WITH WOODSTOCK HONDA

Supercross sensation and reigning Australian Champion, Geico Powersports Factory Connection Honda's Dan Reardon is returning to home to contest the all-new Super X Championship with Woodstock Honda Racing and in association with American Honda, Geico Powersports and Factory Connection.

Australia’s latest talent taking the international race scene by storm, Reardon will take time out from piloting his Geico Powersports Factory Connection Honda CRF250R in America to contest the Australasian Supercross Series.

Winning three consecutive Australian Supercross titles from '05 - '07, the reigning champion will be on a mission to defend his Supercross crown, going head-to-head with some of the world's top racers.

Hailing from Logan Village, Queensland, 22-year-old Reardon has clearly dominated the Australian off-road race scene and is again set to be a major contender in the Super X fight for glory, riding with support from his current team - Geico Powersports Factory Connection Honda and sponsors of Woodstock Honda Racing.

Dan Reardon - Australian Championship Victories:
2005 - Australian Pro Lites Supercross Champion
2006 - Australian Pro Open Supercross Champion
2007 - Australian Pro Open Supercross Champion
2007 - Australian Pro Open Motocross Champion

DAN REARDON:
"I’m really pumped to be coming back to race in Australia and defend my Supercross title on my Geico Powersports Factory Connection Honda and we really appreciate the support from Woodstock Honda Racing Australia.

"Racing here in the States has been intense and its great experience for me as a rider, which helps me develop as a rider and achieve the goals I have set in the future. 
 
"Check out my website www.danreardon.com for all my updates on the US AMA Series and the new Super X series in Australia."

BRAD McALPINE - TEAM MANAGER:
"Reardon was in a class of his own when he left Australia at the end of last year, and now with a heap of experience and some very strong results in the US AMA series, it's going to be very exciting to have him in our team and to watch him race.

"Dan is a definite contender for the Super X crown, and the Woodstock Honda team will be working to give him whatever support he needs to defend his title."

For further information about Geico Powersports Factory Connection Honda visit www.factoryconnection.com or for more about Woodstock Honda Racing go to www.woodstockhonda.com.au  

7th September, 2008

Steel City

Hey everyone,

Well here we are, last round of the AMA Motocross Nationals. Steel city, is one of those rounds where everyone expects it to rain. So this yeah the track builders didn't worry about ripping the track. For Saturday's practice the track was a super-hard pack, bit of a freeway really. It went reasonably well and I was sitting in a comfortable spot for Sunday.

The track on Sunday hadn't changed much and it didn't rain so the track was set to be hard and slippery. Timed practice went well. I qualified 7th which allowed me a good gate pick.

The weekend didn't go so well. I had a good start in the first moto, but on the second lap I made a big mistake, jumped off the track and lost about 10 positions. It made it hard to regroup on a track that was so fast and smooth.

Putting the first moto behind me, the second didn't fair a whole lot better. I tangled with a rider up the starting straight, nearly went down. Again, I started at the back of the pack worked my way up to the top 10.

Now I look forward to coming to Australia and racing the Supercross series, testing has been going well, and I can't wait to come back home and compete in the new super-x series.

At the moment We are getting everything packed ready to ship over and be race ready for the first round in Perth.

Dan Reardon

26th August, 2008

Southwick

Hey everyone,

This week the 2nd last round of the AMA was held at Southwick. This is the only sand track of the American nationals.

Saturday: The track looked good. First practice went pretty good, times were where I wanted them, same with the next practice. One thing about Southwick is that it gets rough real quick, but it's not your usual sand track. It has a real hard base to it, which makes it a little tricky for bike set up.

Sunday: First practice again went reasonably well, there were a lot of riders on at the same time. And because it was a soft track, all the fast times come out of first practice. On the second practice almost everybody was 4 seconds a lap slower then their first practice.

First moto: Got a reasonable start, was in about 12th after the first lap, worked my way closer to the front and ended up with an 8th. Lately they have been grooming the track in between motos, so the track doesn't get as rough as it probably has been in the past.

Second moto: My start was actually worse than my first one. I came together with my teammate up the starting straight, which left me a bike length behind everyone heading into the first turn. But by the end if lap 1 I had worked my way up to about 15th. I worked hard to catch the front runners, again finished 8th, but being consistent over the weekend gave me a 6th place finish. Now that I am nearly 100% healed, I am looking forward to the last round at Steel City.

Dan Reardon

20th August, 2008

Millville

Hey everyone,

Well the weekend has just passed, and Millville hosted the 10th round of the ama motocross. As all of you may know I am just coming back from a separated shoulder. The first practice on Saturday I felt a little off, there were a few bike adjustments that we needed to make for the second practice. This time practice was lot better, still not feeling 100% I came in 8th fastest.

Sunday: Weather was good and track looked sic. First couple of practices I struggled a little bit, still having small problems with my shoulder, and just not being super comfortable with the track. First moto got a reasonable
start, which put me in about mid pack, I worked my way up to 11th, went forward and back a few times and ended up finishing it off there.

Second moto, got a good start, I was in forth after the first turn, things were going good, then I fell over the back part of the track, ended up going back to 39th place, picked myself back and tried to charge to the front to gain as many points as I could, about half way, I nearly hit the ground hard and end up tweaking my shoulder one more time, couldn't finish the moto and called it quits then and there. I was a little disappointed with the out come of the weekend, but this week I will work hard to keep my shoulder healthy and look forward to Southwick this coming weekend.

Don't forget to check out next week's blog to see the latest result. Once again I appreciate all of your support.

Dan Reardon

29th July, 2008

Short Update

Hey everyone,

Just to give you all a little update, things are definitely looking better for me. My shoulder is getting better everyday. I am doing rehab everyday to get where I need to be. I wasn’t able to race again over the weekend but I am looking forward to getting back on the bike again this week. I am excited to race the last few rounds of the outdoor nationals. I have the next two weekends off and then I am off to round 10 in Millville Minnesota.

I want to thank you all for your support.

Dan Reardon

10th July, 2008

Red Bud

Hey Guys,

Last weekend I raced round six in the AMA Motocross Championship at Red Bud in Michigan. I’d heard a lot of good things about the Red Bud track, its famous Larocco’s leap and I definitely wasn’t disappointed. For me, it was by far the best track I have ever ridden on throughout my entire racing career. I loved it!

Saturday practice went as I’d expected. The dirt was good and though I didn’t jump Larocco’s leap in the first practice I went for it in practice two. It takes every ounce of energy to jump that jump but it was awesome. My times in both practices were reasonably good but for me, Sunday is the day that really counts. I was actually disappointed to see the checkered flag at the end of Saturday’s practice because I was having so much fun on that track!

 Sunday the track was totally groomed and like brand new again. In the opening practice the track was deeper and smoother but by practice two it was definitely rougher and was starting to harden up. The faster times recorded came out of the first practice session and I got 10th place gate pick.

In the first moto I got a really good jump from the gate but I was kind of swallowed up in first turn traffic. I was probably in about 12th coming out of the corner but I quickly started to move forward. There was one part in the race where I made a bunch of mistakes, taking me from eighth back to around 13th. I put my head down and made my way back up into ninth position where I finished out the race.

In the second moto I felt confident about the new track and how I was going to tackle it. I got another good jump and again the first turn swallowed up riders, but this time my line choice was better. I worked my way up into sixth and was feeling good. I was catching my teammate Josh Grant but with two laps to go I had an encounter with a lapped rider, which saw me taken out of the race. My bike was damaged and I was unable get it started again, which led me to DNF the race. I was definitely riding the best I have ridden so far in the outdoor season and I’m very disappointed with the turn of events. My riding and confidence is definitely getting stronger with every event I race. I know things will continue to get better and as I head east to Maryland this weekend I am feeling 100%. I have heard good things about the Budds Creek track as it was chosen as the 2007 Des Nations track, so I am excited to race on it.

I’ll continue to keep you posted on my results, so check back to www.danreardon.com next week for an update. Once again, thanks to all of you for your support.

Until next week...

Dan Reardon

30th June, 2008

Thunder Valley

G'day everyone!

Last weekend was round five in the AMA Motocross Championship at Thunder Valley in Colorado.  I had been looking forward to this weekend for some time now due to the fact it was the first night race they ever had in outdoors. Weather was fairly good making it easier to ride in.

Friday practice went as usual.  Due to the altitude in Colorado it took a little bit to try and get the bikes set up. It made the bikes feel like I was riding an 80 again. The track had a whole heap of elevations and the majority of it was on the side of a hill.

On Saturday the track had been completely groomed over. First practice was completely smooth so every ones lap times were reasonably close. Second practice things were going good. Had a bit of a crash but regrouped and finished 5th even though the fastest times come from first practice leaving me with 15th gate pick. First moto I got a good jump but didn’t get a clean shift which led me in about 15th in the opening lap. I worked my way up to the front and ended up finishing 7th. Second moto started about 8.30 so it was completely dark. The lights didn’t do a whole heap so it was harder to see the ruts and bumps. My start wasn’t the best so I was in around 15th in the leading lap, but worked my way up to 7th again and that’s where I remained at the finish. Overall, I finished 5th which has been my best results so far. I’m pretty happy with the way things turned out. I made up valuable points on the people I needed to. Each weekend just keeps getting better. The team was reasonably happy with all four of us finishing in the top ten overall.

I’m looking forward to Red Budd in Michigan this weekend.  I heard it was one of the best tracks so it should be good. Be sure to check out next weeks blog for results on the weekend. Thanks again for all your support.

Until next week guys,

Dan Reardon

16th June, 2008

Pennsylvania

G'Day All,

Last weekend was round four of the AMA Motocross Championship at Mt Morris in Pennsylvania. I was told that it’s usually a wet event and sure enough when I rocked up on Saturday it had been raining; the track looked sweet! I didn’t think practice was going to be that wet but halfway through the track walk the skies opened and it poured down with rain. Practice was shortened to only one session and they didn’t even run the 450 practices due to the lightning.  The track in practice was so slippery, super muddy and the ruts were long. Believe it or not, the wet conditions actually made feeling out the track a lot of fun. It rained all through the night so come Sunday morning it was extremely muddy, though the track builder did a great job of clearing a lot of the mud before the races.

The first practice was again shorted to one session instead of two. The track was very one lined in the mud and I struggled to get ahead as I kept getting stuck behind riders. I ended up qualifying 12th, which meant I got 12th pick of the start gate.

In the first moto, they ripped the whole track prior to the race and it was super smooth. I got a pretty good start and was sitting in sixth place but towards the end of the opening lap I ran off the track and got stuck in the mud. I dropped back to 19th or 20th, so I had a pretty tough job ahead of me to play catch up and pass riders on the boggy track. I hadn’t even reached the halfway mark in the race and I ran out of goggle tear-offs. I had to manually wipe my googles, which was pretty tough on such a super rough track. I finished 11th which I wasn’t very happy about but it made me more determined to get a better result in moto two.

In moto two I was on the start line ready to launch when my start button broke. As it was an up uphill start I just did what I could to try and get away reasonably from the gate. I wheelied off the start and was in about 17th place by the end of lap one. I accelerated pretty quickly up into eighth position and rode consistently to hold onto the top ten spot until the end, which felt good. I was happy with eighth place after a tough start.

Overall I finished the Pennsylvania event in ninth place. Not the great result I wanted but it was still good to finish in the top 10. After riding fairly consistently in the opening rounds, I am now sitting seventh in the championship, which is great. I'm really looking forward to Colorado in two weeks time and I’m hoping for a drier track this round so I can continue to chip away at the championship point’s tally. Check back again in a fortnights time to see my post race blogg from Colorado.

As always, thanks for your support!!

Dan Reardon

9th June, 2008

Texas

G’day everyone!

This weekend I raced round three of the AMA Motocross at Freestone Raceway in Texas. The track was really flat and had no elevations. The dirt was like loam clay with a bit of sand and the whole track had been ripped pretty deep. The temperature was really intense which made riding conditions really tough. It was about 100 degrees all weekend with humidity at 100%.
Saturday we had two practice sessions. During these sessions I took my time to feel out the track and my bike, like I always do, and I worked with my mechanic to make adjustments to my bike setup for Sunday’s racing.

Sunday the track had been ripped again and it felt brand new. We had two practice sessions to determined the gate pick and I got eighth, which is way better than my previous rounds.

In my first moto I missed getting that elusive good start and was in about 17th place off the gate. It was tough work making my way up to 10th, only to crash and be relegated back to 18th. I gathered myself up and pushed hard back through the field to finish in 11th place.

In moto two I again didn’t get a great start and was in about 16th by the third turn. It was so hot out on the track that it made working my way up to seventh place incredibly tough. The last three or four laps of the race were more about survival then anything else. I have never ridden in conditions like that before. It was so hot that my body felt like it wanted to shut down. I was giving it my all just to hold on and finish the race. I suffered a mild heat stroke and it took sometime to recover. I was really happy to finish the race in seventh in such scorching conditions.

Combining my race one and two results put me sixth overall for the event. That bettered my best result last week, so I have to be happy!

I will head into this week’s race at Mt Morris, Pennsylvania with high spirits. As my results continue to improve each week my motivation continues to grow. I will keep on chipping away at that championship points tally.

Until next week guys,

Dan Reardon

5th June, 2008

PRIZE WINNERS!

Hey Guys,

Just want to send out a big thanks to everyone who subscribed to my website. Having a good fan base is extremely important to my career, it keeps me strong and on track knowing I have so many great people behind me. Congratulations to those who won a prize today especially our Grand Prize winner David Fingleton, hope you enjoy the Jersey mate. Keep checking my website www.danreardon.com for all the updates on the AMA motocross series.

Thanks again guys.

Dan Reardon

And Our Winners Are...

A video of Dan drawing our lucky winners will be up on the site in the next few days. Check back soon!

The winner of the awesome personally autographed Dan Reardon Reardon jersey courtesy of Autographed Collectables is:

David Fingleton, Hallet Cove

Our runners up who receive an awesome Dan Reardon Race Pack are:

Ashley Bailey, North Maclean
Daniel Brouwers, Australia
Jayden Goodsall, Rockhampton
Aiden Hodges, Forest Lake
Adam Nicolson, Bendigo
Jack Reardon, Gunnedah
Leight Richards, Hobart
Keith Shireman, Searcy
Annette Wensing, Mogo

We'll notify our lucky winners over the next few days. For everyone else, keep visiting the site and thanks for being a fan!

4th June, 2008

Hangtown

G’day everyone!

So I raced round two of the AMA Motocross at Hangtown in Sacramento, CA over the weekend and I feel pretty good about my result. As it is with each round I race, every track is new to me, which is both exciting, yet daunting for me. I can only anticipate prior to each round what the track will be like and turn up there ready to give it my all. The track and dirt at Hangtown was really similar to the Broadford round of the Australian Motocross Series. The track was really rutty but hard packed, with choppy bumps in the turns making it hard to choose the right bike set-up.

Saturday

I just used the practice sessions on Saturday to feel out the new track and get myself sorted on the bike. Practice went pretty good. I felt comfortable on the track and on the bike, and I only made a few small changes in preparation for Sunday’s racing.

Sunday

The mornings practice session went well but I had a pretty decent crash in it, but everything was ok. Neither my bike nor I were damaged in the crash so that was good. Qualifying was pretty intense. All the riders were super close this weekend and basically from 2nd to 18th position was within 1.5 seconds of one another. It was good close racing. I qualified fourteenth fastest which isn’t too bad out of 40 starters. I knew I would just have to go out there and make the most of my gate position.

In the first moto, I got a really bad start and by the end of the first lap was in about 27th or so. Now I really had my work cut out for me as 90% of the time your race result comes down to the start you get. It’s definitely much easier to record a good result when you don’t have to focus on passing 26 riders! I just tried to work my way toward the front of the order as quickly as possible. I got up as far as fifteenth and then just got into a bit of a rut and was unable to get past anyone else before the races end, which I was pretty disappointed about.

Heading into moto two I knew I had to pull out a great start if I wanted to have any chance at finishing in the top ten. I jumped from the line and was right there challenging with the lead which felt awesome. I was sitting in third on the opening laps but I made a big mistake in the back section of the track ruining my entry into the downhill double. I wasn’t able to jump the double, which allowed two guys to get by me. I kept a good pace and did my best to run with the top 5 riders. This moto definitely went better and I ended up finishing in eighth place, which is my best AMA Motocross race result after two rounds.

Knowing I can run with the top five guys really motivates me to keep on going and I know that with more testing and preparation I will find the right combination to stay up there and get on the podium this season.

I am really pumped and looking forward to Texas this weekend.

Until next week guys...

Dan Reardon

29th May, 2008

Opening Round: Motocross

G’day everyone back home!

After the East/West Shootout race at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, in preparation for the opening round of the Motocross Championship at Glen Helen Raceway, I did a lot of testing and riding, which was great training for my Motocross debut. Glen Helen is renown for being a fast and long track so having plenty of track time was great. Most of the bike testing for the team was left up to me because the other riders on my team where injured. I didn’t mind doing most of the testing because it gave me more of an opportunity to work with the team and get a better understanding of the bike. Unfortunately in the lead up to Glen Helen everything was going smooth and I was feeling good until I twisted my ankle while practicing. That made things a little more difficult for me as I had to cut back on my bike time to recover.

Saturday....

The track looked and felt good, and I was keen to go riding. My first practice out was all right as I got a good opportunity to feel out the track. My lap times were around 2:45, which was good. I personally prefer longer lapped tracks and Glen Helen is definitely the longest track I have raced around.

Sunday....

For qualifying, I didn’t go as well as I had hoped due to some issues we were having. I tried working through them and did what I could to make the most of the situation. We changed things up and everything seemed to be in place as I sat on the line ready to race my first AMA Motocross race. I wasn’t sure what to expect exactly when the gates dropped but I felt strong and prepared.

In the first moto I got a real bad start and was sitting in about 20th place by the end of the first lap. I worked my way through the pack lap after lap and with about 7 minutes to go I was sitting in 11th. I held that position for the rest of the race.

In the second moto I got yet again another bad start and I was sitting in 15th by the second turn. Unfortunately I began to have bike issues on the second lap and I tried riding it out. I did what I could to hold a point position but riders from behind slowly started to catch up with me. The issues we were having were definitely out of my control. I finished the race outside the top 20, something I was very disappointed about.

Overall, I was genuinely disappointed with the results of my first Motocross series event especially as a lot of what was going on I was unable to do anything about. But I learnt a lot about the other riders and what pace I have to run with. There are still 11 more rounds to go and I'm feeling more motivated then ever to give it my all and get the results I know I'm capable of. 

We are racing at Hangtown this weekend, so until then...

Dan Reardon

8th May, 2008

Vegas Baby!

Hey Everyone,

Well, I raced the East/West Shootout in Vegas over the weekend, the final Supercross race before the outdoors series starts, and equaled my best result of the season, fourth place. In the week leading up to the Las Vegas event I spent my time practicing at the Honda test track. With the long break in between Houston and the final West Coast Supercross Lites round in Seattle, we began practicing for the outdoor series which starts in three weeks, so it was important to spend as much time as possible last week getting Supercross practice in. My trainer Derin is always switching things up for me, and as each week goes by I am feeling more and more motivated and pumped.

I knew the Las Vegas weekend was always going to be an exciting one, but the atmosphere of that place is unbelievable. The track was awesome and the lap times were really long. I think each lap was on average about 1 minute and 10 seconds. The east and west coast divisions don't actually practice or race the heat races together, so I was racing against the people that I'm most familiar with early on. First practice went as normal and I felt comfortable. I just went around feeling the track out. Second practice I laid down good lap times and was eighth fastest which is pretty normal for my practices. I was happy with the way I felt on the bike and was pumped for my heat.

In the first heat race I got a good start and was sitting, I think, in about fourth or fifth place when someone crashed right in my path in the whoops section. I couldn't avoid him and I went down also. I tried to do what I could to catch up but I missed qualifying for the main by one position, which meant I had to race for a start in the main via the dreaded LCQ race.

In the LCQ I got another good start though I made a mistake missing the first triple because I didn't shift gears properly. I worked my way up to fourth and held that position throughout the entire race qualifying for the main, which I was highly relieved about. Unfortunately it gave me last gate pick, so I was going to need to pull out an awesome start if I wanted a good result.

Sitting on the start line I told myself I had nothing to lose and I gave my start everything I had. I hole shotted the race! Unfortunately I made a few mistakes on the first lap, which moved me back to third place. I battled my teammate for a while until he passed me, putting me in fourth position where I remained for the rest of the race. That was the fourth time I had finished in fourth place this year, equaling my best result.

With the Supercross Lites series now over, and having time to reflect, I sometimes wonder if I put a little too much pressure on myself in my debut year. I set myself a big goal before coming here and I suppose I am a little disappointed that I didn't finish where I wanted to be. But, I have learned a lot in my first season and I know how I will do things differently in preparation for next year to give myself the best possible opportunity to shine here. But, I will take the good with the bad, put my head down, and work harder than I have ever worked before for the upcoming Motocross season, which kicks off later this month. I am pumped to just get out there, train hard and mix it up with all the boys!

Cya at the outdoors everyone!

Dan Reardon

28th April, 2008

Seattle, Washington

Hey Guys,

Well, the final round of the AMA Supercross West Lites Championship was held in Seattle, Washington over the weekend and I was expecting a wet race. I was told that 90% of the time it rains in Seattle when we race but fortunately it was dry. To prepare for the race, I stuck to my normal training program only switching up bike time and cardio training.  The track was really soft to accommodate for the wet weather so it didn’t flow as good as some of the other tracks that I've raced on.

In practice I had a crash which limited my session and I only got half the amount of track time. After practice and qualifying I was 8th fastest which is pretty standard for me. In my heat race I got fourth pick of the start gate and I was feeling pretty good and confident. The starting gates dropped and I got a good start going into the first corner of the heat race. I was sitting in second place but one and a half laps into the race Austin Stroupe went down and I was able to check out and hold a comfortable first. This was my first ever heat race win so I was pumped. It was an awesome feeling to be able to get up on that podium and thank my team and the people around me for all their hard efforts this year.

Going into the main I was feeling confident after my heat race result. Unfortunately I didn’t get the start I had hoped for and in the first corner I was sitting in about 10th position. I got caught up in an eight rider pile up in the second turn and went down. I  tried to get up and get going as quickly as possible but I just couldn’t restart my bike, so I had no choice but to DNF the race. I have to say I was incredibly disappointed with this result, as I put a lot of time and preparation into that race and I wanted to finish the season on a high. I know I have to take the good with the bad, as that's racing, but sometimes it's a bitter pill to swallow.

So, this weekend I am heading back to Las Vegas for the 2008 East/West Shootout. This will be the first time I have raced in Nevada since my debut race at the U.S Open last year. I recorded a good result there, so let's hope Vegas brings on more good luck this week. I've just got home from a day of testing at the Honda test track with the boys and I’m really pumped and confident that I can achieve a good result.

Thanks again to everyone for there support and especially my Australian supports who've made the trek over the pacific to watch me race in the U.S this year. It's great to have so much home support.

Cya Later

Dan Reardon

21st April, 2008

Houston, Texas

Hey Everyone,

So, I've had some time away from the Supercross track but have been busy training and getting prepared for the outdoors series which is only weeks away and I feel like I am nearly ready. I have a new trainer, Derin Stockton and we have been mixing things up on and off the track. I'm really pumped with my new training program.

Last week I got the call from my race team offering me the opportunity to ride a CRF450R at St Louis Supercross. I hadn't ridden a Supercross race since Housten 8 weeks ago, so I jumped back on my 250 last Tuesday and practiced Supercross leaving me Wednesday and Thursday to ride and test the 450. We did as much as we could to prepared in the limited time we had and to get the bike set-up for the weekend. It was my first time back on a 450 since leaving Australia back in July 2007, so I was looking forward to getting back on it. Come Thursday afternoon after another day of testing, I felt prepared and in a comfortable mind set for the weekend.

In Saturday practice I had a couple of crashes; the track was definitely pretty narly with alot of ruts in the track. I wasn't entirely happy with the way my practice and qualifying rides went but coming into the first heat I was cofident I would turn it around like I have always done. In my heat I got a reasonably good start from the gate and I was in about sixth on the first lap. I worked my way up to second by lap four and I shuffled between second and third throughout the race until I was taken out with about half a lap to go. I picked the bike back up but lost a bit of time restarting it and by the time I got going again the race was almost over so I moved through into the LCQ (last chance qualifier race).

On the LCQ line, I was positioned on the far outside gate. I tried to make the most of my gate position in those first 10 seconds and got away to a reasonable start, but I was boxed out in the first corner and was sitiing at the back of the pack. I tried to work my way through but in the short six lap race I just ran out of time. I was disapointed that I didn't make the main but was stoked to get back on a 450 and see where I stood up against the other 450 riders.

Next weekend is the final round of the West Coast Supercross Lites Championship, so I'm training hard and have a positive mind set. I want more than anything to finish off the Supercross season on a good note.

I want to extend a HUGE congratulations to my team mate Trey Conard for winning the East Coast Championship over the weekend. Well done mate you deserve it!

Until next time... Cya

Dan Reardon

20th February, 2008

Houston, Texas

G'Day Everyone,

Over the weekend I raced round seven of the lites supercross championship in Houston, Texas and man was it windy! There was a tornado forecast to go through the stadium while the race was on so we were OK when the roof was shut, but outside, that was a different story. That was my first tornado experience and something tells me it won't be my last!
 
So, the night started off good. I hole shot my heat race which was great and I moved positions amongst the field a little, but held solid for most of the race finishing in third. I was pretty happy with that.

In the main event I got fourth pick of the gate which gave me every opportunity for a good start. Dungey and I got a little tangled up off the start line and I fell right to the back of the pack. Not at all what I had planned considering my good heat race start. On the completion of the first lap I was sitting back in 18th position so I had a fair job ahead of me to chase down the leading riders. I worked hard to make my way towards the front of the group and I was gaining time and making ground with every lap. By the time the white flag came out I was sitting back up in sixth. I kept it strong throughout the entire race but I had to settle with sixth place overall.
 
Not really the weekend and final result I was working toward as I was hoping to gain more championship points, but I now have a bit of time up my sleeve to work hard and get on top of my training in preparation for my next race in Seattle in a few weeks.
 
I'll keep you all posted on my progress and we'll speak again soon.

Cya!

Dan Reardon

14th February, 2008

San Diego

G'day Again,
 
Well, I was really looking forward to San Diego and I had heard a lot about the good atmosphere and great weather for racing down there. What a shame it wasn't all good results for me!

In practice it took a bit for me to get in the swing of things as I was feeling a bit uncomfortable but I had a strong feeling it was going to come good so I didn't worry too much. In my heat race I got an awesome start and was leading for a few laps until Dungey slipped by me, but I finished the race in second which gave me a great gate pick for the final race.
 
I got a reasonably good start in the main race and after a few laps I worked my way up into a comfortable forth place. I felt good and things were going well, until I came unstuck on the camba double, high-siding it. My bike was pretty damaged in the crash - I had no front brake and I also injured my ankle. I got back up and tried to finish the race, but unfortunately the damage caused to my bike in the crash worsened as I tried to ride on and I had to pull off with three laps to go.

I can't remember the last time I had to withdraw from a race because of a crash, so it was very disappointing. It also meant I didn't accumulate valuable points in the championship which are crucial at this point in the season, so that is disappointing for me and my team. I was up in podium contention in the championship prior to this event, so I am going to have to work really hard at the remaining rounds to get as many points back as I can.

It was definitely the worst ride I've had all year, but I will remain upbeat and feel confident that I can redeem myself next week with a good race in Houston.

Thanks all, Cya!

Dan Reardon

6th February, 2008

Anaheim 3

G'Day everyone,

So I raced Anaheim 3, the final supercross round held at Angel Stadium and it felt good to be back at the stadium for the third and final time this season. Because this was the third time I had raced on the track, I was feeling most comfortable heading into this event. I really wanted to put it all together and record my best result of the season.

Practice went pretty good and I was feeling comfortable and confident. Though the track layout changes round to round, it still felt good being in a familiar stadium. I was lined up for the first heat race on the program and I was ready the moment the gates dropped. I hole shotted the heat race and was leading most of the race which felt great. I set the fastest lap time of the race but on the final turn I was brought down, just before the finish line. I did my best to get back up and get going again, but as I was back down the order I was forced to race for a place in the final via the last chance qualifier event.

I got away to a really bad start in the last chance qualifier race, getting caught up in turn two carnage. I was somewhere back around tenth place at the end of the first lap, so I had to work hard to get through to the final as only the top four riders would qualify. I just put my head down and rode hard and I managed to get up into the top four with only two turns to the end.

Being the final qualifier to go through meant I had to settle for the final gate pick in the main race, but I was just happy to be there.

The start was hard in the main race because of my gate position. It was always going to be hard to get a clean start because of my gate, but I worked my way through the pack to sixth place. Unfortunately I crashed midway into the race and fell back to 12th. I kept plugging away at it and worked my way back to eighth place before I received the finishing flag.  I was disappointed with how my racing result turned out as I was really hoping the familiar surrounds would work in my favor and help me record the result I have been working toward all season.

But I will push on and head to San Diego this weekend. I have heard a lot about the track and enthusiastic crowd down there so i am looking forward to getting there.

Again, thanks Australia for all your support and well wishes.

Until next time, Cya!

Dan Reardon

30th January, 2008

Andy's Training Diary

Well here we are at the halfway point in the series and we're sitting in 2nd position!!! Check out Supercrossonline.com for the complete standings.

Despite the injuries Dan's had to deal with, we're really happy with this result. However we are always striving for better and have been working on specific areas at the track to give us just that edge.

Now that Dan is getting closer to being injury free we are able to achieve a lot more during the week at both the track and at the gym. We are slowly getting back to our regular program as we're not having to constantly work around injured muscle groups. We have more options at the racetrack nowadays too. We are slowly increasing the intensity of our cardio and all should be better from here to the end of series.

As always, we are still looking to get on the podium and we have been very close 3 times now. Nobody has any real idea of what Dan has been through so he's the 411. Let me just say Dan never makes excuses. I'm very hard on him and his pain threshold is extreme as he has had to ride with seperated shoulders, broken ribs and so on these past few months. He is HARD AS NAILS and just gets on with the job through visualisation and relaxation techniques and is very mature in his outlook on life. Nothing phases him, which is the one of the many attributes that make him who he is.

We have the utmost respect for our fellow competitors as everyone here is fast and has  good speed. There are many key elements that go into a winning formula and I personally feel he has the right combination.

We are looking to step it up this week at Anaheim 3 after the mudbath at San Fran. If we can maintain momentum leading up to the break after Houston, we will be right where we want to be. But need to finish on the podium while still not losing consistency.

Dan will have a hard earned week off after Houston, then he begins testing for MX and only ride SX once a week for a little while. Our training will also change quite a bit although we've been building a good base for MX in our SX training.

Keep an eye out for danreardon.com as im hoping to give all his fans an insight into his training both at track and off track in video clips and hopefully help the younger riders out a little. Dan is keen to help the young, future Pros out there!

Until next time, hang it out but hang on!

Andy

27th January, 2008

San Franscisco

G'day Everyone, 
 
So I raced round four of the AMA Supercross Championship in San Francisco on the weekend. I knew leading up to the weekend there was a good chance it was going to rain - and rain it did. The race schedule was completely changed around because of the wet weather and we only had one ten minute practice session to familiarise ourselves with the track about an hour before the night program began.

In heat race one I hole shotted the start and lead for three solid laps. During the heat race though I had an issue with one particular section of the track over the back where I kept making mistakes, allowing Metcalfe and couple of the others boys to slip by me. I finished the heat in fourth place which still saw me qualify straight through to the main event. The track was definitely tough, in the rainy and muddy conditions.

In the main event I got away to an average start which meant I was caught up amongst the pack in the first turn. I had to work hard from mid-pack to get up amongst the lead riders, proving difficult considering the race was shortened down to only 10 laps because of the weather - which I was unaware of. When the white flag came out earlier for the final lap I was working my way up the order and in fourth position.
 
Considering the race conditions on the night, I was happy with my result. After four rounds of the championship and consistent top ten finishes at each round, I am now sitting in second place in the lites championship.

Six months ago if someone had told me I could be sitting in second place in the 2008 AMA lites title race, especially in my first season here, I would've been taken back and surprised. But now I am here and have the opportunity, I am giving it everything I've got.
 
This weekend I'm looking forward to and feeling confident for the third and final Anaheim round race. We've reached the halfway point in the championship, so it's time for me to step it up to the next level.

Remember to tune into www.supercrossonline.com if you want to here my race LIVE!
 
Till next week... Cya

Dan Reardon

20th January, 2008

Anaheim 2

G'day everyone,

Well I raced round three (Anaheim 2) of the AMA Supercross on the weekend and I was pretty happy with how the weekend panned out. I was excited to race back at Anaheim, as I expected the track was going to be different with the theme of 80's night. It was great for me to be able to see so many inspirational Supercross racers and legends under the one roof.

So, everything went fine in practice and I was happy with how my CRF250 was running - it felt really good on the track. This time around at Anaheim, I felt a lot more comfortable and confident - more so than the first Anaheim event. I felt settled in, I understood the racing format and I had a better idea of my competitors.

My heat race was a little disappointing I must say, as I got away to a good start from the gates but got tangled in the first turn. This meant I had to make a comeback ride from the back of the pack to get toward the front  and qualify for the final. I did it, but I had to really work hard.
 
In the main event, I got away to another good start - I pretty much had the hole shot, but managed to run a little to high in the first turn. I got caught up on a first turn tough block which caused me to miss the first jump and I fell back to 10th. From there I was pretty much playing catch up and I had to work my way back through the pack. I had a good battle with my team mate Jake Wiemer along the way though. By the time i worked my way back up to fifth place, I was sitting right behind Metcalfe and we had a good battle for three laps. I got past him in the end and finished the race in a solid fourth place.
 
This weekend I'm heading up north to San Francisco. It should be interesting racing there as the forecast is for heavy rain in the area, so we could be in for another Anaheim One style event!
 
Thanks everyone for you ongoing support and I look forward to updating you on my upcoming results.
 
Cya!

Dan Reardon

13th January, 2008

G'day everybody,
 
Well I raced round two of the U.S. AMA Supercross at Phoenix, Arizona on Saturday night, but the weekend didn't go quite as I had planned. I was disappointed with my results. From start to finish things just didn't fall into place.

In first practice things were going good and I was feeling really comfortable until a small crash forced me to pull out of the first practice session. I got the bike fixed up and came out in the second practice session feeling positive. The top seven guys were all within 0.5 of a second of each other, which gave me fourth pick in my first heat race. I finished third in that heat race and was feeling comfortable and confident for my main.
 
Come the main race, I had a few issues on the line that broke my focus when the gates dropped. I got off to a really bad start which after the first turn left me sitting in 15th place, but I managed to work my way back up to a comfortable fifth position by lap 10. All was going OK until the final lap, when I had a run in with a lapped rider. This unfortunately set me back to 8th place and as it was the final lap, I couldn't make up the lost places by the time I crossed the line. It definitely wasn't the result I wanted or was happy to achieve.
 
But, I can't dwell on the weekends efforts. I have to look forward to round three of the championship coming up. I am looking forward to a hard week of riding and training in preparation for posting good results at Anaheim 2 this coming Saturday.

I look forward to updating you with a happier result next week.
 
Cya!
 
Dan Reardon

6th December, 2007

Anaheim 1

G'Day Everyone,

So I raced my first U.S. AMA Supercross on Saturday night. I think Anaheim 1 went reasonably well. I was a little disappointed with my overall result, but there were a few key factors and elements that played into my result.

My preparation heading into round one was pretty good, but I had a few injuries which didn't make it easy for me to stay on top of my game. My starts were really strong though and overall I think I made a good start to the 2008 series. I'd be lying if i said i wasn't nervous going into my first U.S AMA Supercross Championship race. I'm just glad the first round is over and I now know what to expect. I am more determined and motivated now to become stronger for the rest of the series.

Always remember; you can't win a championship the first round, but you can defiantly loose one by going out to hard and making mistakes.

Round two of the championship is on this Saturday, January 12, 2008 in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. If you want to hear my race live, you can listen online at www.supercrossonline.com.

Thanks to everyone who sent me there best wishes leading into my first race over the weekend. Your ongoing support is greatly appreciated. I'll keep you posted on my results at Phoenix next weekend. 

Talk soon!!

God bless,
Dan Reardon

29th December, 2007

2008 Season Preparation

Hi Everybody,

It's great to be back in touch. It's only 8 days to the main event at Anaheim 1. I have been training really hard, putting in 110%. My team - Torco Racing Fuels Honda are doing an awesome job, helping me to achieve my goal.

I had a great race at Reno doing arena cross, winning both nights. You can read more about that by clicking here.

I've been working harder than ever and it's starting to pay off. Andy, my trainer, and I are starting to step it up with only one week till Anaheim 1.

It's looking like the first round will be a mud-fest, so anything can and usually does happen. San Francisco has been a wet round for the past few years, so I've been doing some mud riding in the Beaumont Hills with Grant and Canard (Before Trey broke his collar-bone) in preparation. I'm no stranger to mud though. I came from last to second place to win the Aussie SX and take the title, so I have fond memories of the stuff.

I've been doing Cardio everyday and my weight is back down to race-weight. I completed a heavy power training cycle during November where I recorded my all-time best lifts on nearly all exercises.

Our training program is top notch. Apart from daily and sometimes twice-daily cardio sessions, I do weights two days a week and some functional training with plyometrics scattered through out.

My diet is very clean with five or six meals a day, depending on workload and our usual assortment of vitamins and minerals.

Finally, the big one is right around the corner and I can confidently say that I've done everything humanly possible to prepare. I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel and I'm now just tapering back slowly, focusing and looking forward to achieving my goals.

I am now settled in the US and it is a great place to be. I'm definitely missing home and all my friends though! I'm on the West Coast and the first race is on the 5th January. Check out the AMA website to see event dates. The tracks here are awesome and it's all good!

My management team and myself would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and look forward to keeping you all up to date with results and preparation for each round.

God bless,
Dan Reardon

SEN's On The Grid Interview

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