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Newly-crowned Monster Energy S-X Open Supercross FIM Oceania champion Chad Reed will have no time to rest on his achievements after dominating the S-X Open Auckland on Saturday night, flying back to the US and preparing for an intensive period of rallying and research in the lead-up to Christmas.

Following an immediate departure to the US via Australia, Reed will fly to Italy later this week to take part in the Rally di Monza for his first official outing in a rally car. Reed, 36, tested a Hyundai i30 rally car in Italy in June in the lead-up to the 2018 Monza Rally.

“I’m really looking forward to jumping in a rally car and having some fun,” Reed told MotoOnline.com.au after his emphatic victory at Mt Smart stadium on Saturday. “It’s only going to be a quick trip, as at some stage in the immediate future I’ll also have to jump on a plane to Charlotte to do some testing.”

Reed, who has been aboard a JGR-prepared Autotrader Yoshimurs Suzuki Factory Racing RM-Z450 since the Monster Energy Cup in October, says the two southern hemisphere outings – the AUS-X Open Sydney and S-X Open Auckland – have provided the team with valuable intel moving forward, but stopped short of saying whether he’s signed to race the 2019 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship with the Charlotte-based team.

“I really think these two races gave us really clear information and understanding of our weaknesses, and we need to address those,” Reed elaborated. “We’re all-hands-on-deck, and the information we’ve gathered from Sydney and Auckland will be passed on. Those guys have been working their asses off back there.”

Reflecting on the Oceania supercross championship, Reed had nothing but praise for the AME Management team that overcame significant odds, including more than 20mm of rain earlier in the day, to ensure that Saturday night’s race went ahead as scheduled.

“These guys are still so fresh – this is only their fourth year, and to be presented with scenarios like they encountered, battle against time, live TV and all those things, it made me really proud to be part of the whole event,” he said. “In the US, the Feld guys has been doing it for years and they still don’t always get it right.

“But AME were really receptive when I told them quite straight-up what my opinions were and what I’d learnt from experience. They listened and we were able to put on a great show for the fans, which is ultimately what it’s all about.”

More than 20,000 people attended the inaugural S-X Open in Auckland on Saturday night, in what’s been called the biggest supercross race in Australasian history.