Reed rides absent rival

When Chad Reed says of Supercross rival James Stewart, "We've never respected each other," he's not kidding or parroting a script to hype an event that doesn't need hyping.

A day before the climax of one of the nastiest points battles in AMA Supercross history, Reed was irritated Friday when series-leading Stewart didn't bother to attend the morning news conference at Sam Boyd Stadium.

"As a rider he's amazing, but he has some flaws. When he pulls stuff like he did today ... I don't know," Reed said.

Stewart and Reed will go footpeg to footpeg on the stadium's dirt course tonight to decide the season champion. A sellout crowd of about 38,000 is expected for the 17th and final race of the season.

Stewart has 11 victories and Reed, the reigning champion, has three victories and 11 runner-up finishes. Stewart leads him by six points, and a fourth-place finish will give Stewart the championship in what race promoters say is the closest points race in the series' 19-year history.

Not that Stewart felt like talking about it Friday. One of his representatives notified event officials late Thursday that Stewart would not attend the news conference for undisclosed reasons.

When Reed learned Stewart wouldn't be joining him on the podium, he smiled as though he had just gotten out of a bad blind date.

"I think you're very influenced by the people around you, and I'll leave it at that," said Reed, who rode the past two seasons for the San Manuel Yamaha team that Stewart joined before this season.

"It seems weird that you would miss the final press conference of the year. As mad as I was about something or at some people, I never had it in me not to show up. The sport is far bigger than any one rider. Athletes come and go."

Another reason Stewart played hooky might have been to avoid discussing sanctions this week against teammate Kyle Chisholm for intentionally running into Reed last Saturday in a race at Salt Lake City. Chisholm was thrown out of the race, suspended for this week and fined $5,000.

After leading early at Salt Lake City, Reed dropped to second. Then Chisholm, a lap down to Reed and Stewart, clipped Reed's rear wheel with five laps to go, briefly slowing Reed.

"I felt I was in a great position. I was feeling really, really good and strong," Reed said.

Stewart went on to his 11th victory of the season, and Reed finished second. Their clash continues tonight.

"This is cool," Reed said. "I've got nothing to lose, and pretty much, in NASCAR terms, (it's) checkers or wreckers."

Because Stewart has finished lower than second only twice this year -- both times after crashing -- the race could become a two-wheel demolition derby.

"I'm going to race James Stewart the way he has raced me and everybody else," Reed said. "A lot of people watched last week's race and were a little disappointed, so if (riders) take things into their own hands, that's beyond anything I can control.

"I want to win the championship, and I'll do whatever it takes for me to be the champion."

Stewart, presumably, has no comment.

Contact reporter Jeff Wolf at jwolf@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0247.