The A1 track layout was a challenge for TwoTwo despite a heavy pre-season testing schedule.

Australia’s Chad Reed admits that the circuit layout experienced in Anaheim’s opening round of the 2012 Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, created a number of challenges for TwoTwo Motorsports over the weekend.

Reed bounced back from a difficult afternoon, where he qualified eighth, to win his first heat race of the season before backing that result up with a solid second behind Ryan Villopoto in the main event.

But it was the tight layout of A1 that had many struggling during the round, with Reed’s night salvaged by some aggressive set-up changes to his factory Honda CRF450R before the night show.

“This track was totally different to what we have tested on in the lead up to the start of the season,” Reed explained. “It really only had one line so was very hard to pass on.

“I struggled a little bit through practice but the guys made some aggressive changes to the bike before the heat race which really helped me.”

Reed got a good start in the 20-lap main event, sitting third after the first turn. He moved into second on the opening lap and was over seven seconds clear of third place when he went down on lap 14.

The former dual series champion remounted and retained second place, holding off a late charge from Ryan Dungey over the closing laps of the race.

“My starts were good and I was happy to get second tonight in this field of riders,” Reed added. “I had a small tip over in the race, I was looking for new lines and lost the front.”

Reed will now prepare for round two of the 17-round series, which will be held on Saturday, 14 January at Chase Field in Pheonix, Arizona.