Australian Chad Reed is arguably one of the biggest names in world supercross and he’s absolutely fizzing about being back to race in New Zealand this Saturday night.

The superstar will be in Hamilton for the New Zealand round of the Australasian Super X supercross series, the first time the series has ever visited this country.

The Florida-based Aussie has won two supercross world championships, in 2004 and last year, and also won the ainaugural Australian Super X championship last season.

Reed finished runner-up to American James Stewart in the 2009 AMA (US and World) Supercross Championship in and then proceeded to run away with the open class outdoor motocross title later in the season.

The 26-year-old rider is full of respect for New Zealand riders and fans.

“The Kiwi fans are extremely passionate,” he said. “I hear from them a lot through my website and we often get them visiting us in the pits over here in America.”

He said the first New Zealand round indicated how much supercross was growing in Australasia, and he was hopeful that it could propel the sport on to bigger and better things.

“The trip across the Tasman marks the growth of the championship into a whole new sector,” he said.

“As a whole the sport is becoming a lot more popular and I think you will only see it continue to grow and become more and more mainstream throughout the world.”

At least 15,000 spectators are expected to flock to Waikato Stadium for the Super X round.

Promoters are expecting the event to bring almost $3 million into the Hamilton economy.

Photo by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com