Chad Reed plans to race himself into shape on return from injury. Image: Simon Makker/Makkreative.com.

Australia’s greatest ever supercross export Chad Reed will count on his schedule in the Terex Australian Supercross Championships to prepare his for the 2013 Monster Energy Supercross season in the US.

After sitting out much of 2012 following his injuries sustained at the Dallas round this year, Reed faces a lengthy road to race fitness and sees his home supercross series as the perfect way to kick-start his comeback.

Reed debuted his TwoTwo Motorsports team outfit and all-new 2013 Honda CRF450R in Australia at Phillip Island’s round two of the ASX series with a convincing SX-Open 20-lap main event win.

“That is kind of the plan [to race back into shape],” said Reed. “We were late on getting our new bikes and everything like that. I just think that this schedule I’m creating myself, it gives me an opportunity to mentally get prepared for next year.

“You can spend a million laps around the test track, or at home, or work your arse off with your trainer, but I think getting out there and dropping the gate with 19 other guys, there is really no substitute for it.”

The former American and world champion believes more time racing is exactly what he needs to work towards being race-ready, without the fear of re-injuring himself being in the back of his mind.

“So for me I think mentally it’s a good thing to get out of my mind, just completely forget about my knee, don’t even ride on the cautious side,” he added. “You know, just try to get to a point where I can ride aggressive, ride fast and not be worried that I’m going to get hurt.”

Reed currently sits seventh overall in the SX Open standings after missing the Dubbo’s season opening round. Two rounds of racing remain in the 2012 series.

The Monster Energy Supercross, an FIM World Championship, season will commence at Anaheim in California on Saturday, 5 January 2013.