Reed Qualifies For Daytona Supercross.

Kit Palmer | March 6, 2010

Chad Reed said last week that he was hoping to make his return to racing at the Daytona Supercross, and he indeed made a last-minute decision to ride today. Reed, who broke his hand about a month and a half ago, hit the track for practice and timed qualifying and laid down the quickest lap time in the 450 class. However, he still might not race later tonight.The Monster Energy Kawasaki rider set the quickest time in the first session with a 1:02.830 run on the long and technical Ricky Carmichael-designed and Mark Barnett-built track. However, Reed did not come close of backing that up in the second outing, but he didn’t need to. He was ninth-fastest in the second session in which he did fall once. He was quick to remount but never really tried to better his time from the first session after his get-off.Following practice, Reed said that he felt good to be out on the track again. “It’s awesome to be out there; I don’t feel too bad,” Reed said.But he has not committed to suiting up for the evening program just yet. “I’m still weighing my options,” he said.Series points leader Ryan Dungey of the Rockstar/Makita Suzuki team was next fastest, which he claimed on the rougher and more rutted track from what they had seen in the first session. Dungey knocked off a 1:03.338.Next quickest was Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto who posted a 1:03.441 in the first session.Red Bull Honda’s Davi Millsaps was fourth fastest, and GEICO Powersports Honda’s Trey Canard was fifth fastest.But no one was quicker than Lites rider Christophe Pourcel on the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki. The class leader in points smoked a 1:02.237, and he even did it in the second and rougher practice session.Next fastest in the Lites class was Pourcel’s teammate Dean Wilson with a 1:03.501, which he clicked off in the first session. Third-quickest overall was Rockstar Makita Suzuki’s Austin Stroupe, followed by DNA Shred Stix/Yamaha’s Nico Izzi.The track, which features a rather different-than usual layout, is shaping up to be a typical Dayton track – rough and torturous.”It’s getting rough and choppy,” said Dungey. “I think by the main event, it’s going to be real tough.”The weather for racing will be excellent for tonight’s racing; it will be clear with cool teperatures.