Image: Simon Cudby.

Chad Reed is celebrating a mega win at the first Atlanta stop of the 2015 Monster Energy AMA Supercross season, capitalising on a main event holeshot and dominating all 20 laps.

It’s been a rollercoaster season for the Discount Tire Racing/TwoTwo Motorsports team owner and rider, with his Atlanta victory silencing critics in the mid-stages of the season.

“It’s nice to get a good start like that and get out front and actually ride to your potential,” Reed reflected in Racer X Online’s Monday Conversation.

“For whatever reason I’ve been really struggling at the beginning of the races. Even when I do get a good start, just haven’t been able to do anything with it.

“Tonight it was nice. Would have been kind of sucky to ruin a good holeshot like that. That first turn was tough to control; it was way tighter than you could ever imagine.

“I rolled out of it way before you even think you should, trying to get to the inside and pulled it off. It felt good. Wire to wire.”

With red plate holder Ryan Dungey closing in on the final laps, Reed was able to make one last charge on the final two laps and clinch his first win since Anaheim 3 last year.

“Five laps to go, you know, you get the realisation that this is real, I could pull this thing off,” he continued. “I kind of tightened up a little bit and started holding my breath and started to run into lappers.

“He kind of made up a bit of time, but I just tried to play that time as best I could and the last two laps just made a big push and held him at bay.”

With the result, Reed climbs to seventh in the standings and just five points out from Eli Tomac in fourth after eight rounds.