Source: Supplied.

Australia’s Chad Reed will race a Discount Tire/Monster Energy-sponsored Yamaha YZ450F at the 2015 Monster Energy Cup, which takes place this Saturday at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas. The announcement was made today by Yamaha Motor Corporation.

It’s tipped Reed will lead a returning Yamaha factory team in the 2016 Monster Energy AMA Supercross series, however his Monster Energy Cup appearance comes as a one-off announcement at this point.

“Chad and I talked a couple of times during the summer, and he expressed interest in riding a Yamaha YZ450F,” commented Keith McCarty, motorsports manager for Yamaha Motor Corporation. “While he was rehabbing from injuries suffered earlier in the 2015 AMA Supercross season, he wanted to try out a Yamaha.

“So we got him a YZ450F to train on, and he really liked the bike. He felt that he could be competitive on it. Well, one thing led to another, and he decided that he wanted to give it a go on the Yamaha at the Monster Energy Cup.”

“I’m really excited to take this trip down memory lane with Yamaha,” Reed said. “It’s great to be working again with a group of guys that I had so much success with many years ago. I’m looking forward to this weekend, and this special opportunity to race a Yamaha at the Monster Energy Cup.”

Reed’s one-off ride is sponsored by his long-time partners Discount Tire and Monster Energy and he’ll run his trademark 22 competition number on his bike. He’ll be pitted under the Yamaha transporter canopy alongside the Yamaha bLU cRU amateur riders, who will be competing this weekend.