Coming without too much surprise, James Stewart did what most thought he would do all season---Win. It's not that he won that surprised me and many others I'm sure, or the fact that the championship came down to the final race (although certainly closer than I thought) but the way that the final race went down that really revealed a lot about the two racers

Here the race series was so close that with Stewart's 6 point lead meant that he had to finish within 4 places behind Reed. So if Reed won the race, Stewart would have had to get 4th to secure the championship (based on total wins). With that in mind,  Stewart not only being a very talented racer but a very smart racer as well, was pushing hard enough to finish on the podium but not hard enough to win or possibly crash on an extremely dry and slick Las Vegas track.

As a seasoned vet, Stewart knows as well as anybody he rides on a fine edge between fast and dangerous. Having all but wrapped up the title, he simply needed to get a good start and more or less coast his way to the title.

Don't for a second think that Reed didn't know this as well.  He too is a talented rider and a smart racer. He's only won one AMA Supercross series championship, but remember he's also won the Australian Supercross title, as well as the presitgous World Motocross Grand Prix before he entered the AMA Supercross in 2002.

Staying with this idea, Chad knew that if Stewart ran a smart race and didn't crash there was no chance he could win the title he so greatly coveted. Not just the AMA title, but the AMA title with Stewart in the mix. He won last year, but only after Stewart blew out his knee.  He definitely had something to prove.

Another thing to factor in, was the way Chad lost the points lead last week. In Salt Lake, the race was extremely close. Chad had taken the lead and battled with Stewart one passing the other, until coming up on lapped rider and Stewart teammate Kyle Chisholm. With only a couple laps left, Chisholm let Stewart passed, and in my opinion purposely blocked and hit Reed allowing Stewart to take a commanding lead and ultimately the race. Bad blood was already there, but this took it over the top.

Displaying his typical arrogant attitude, Reed had the best after race quote. When asked about Chisholm and his move Reed responded "Who's that guy?". Ok, maybe a fair statement but you could see that Reed was not planning on letting what happened slide.

In the final race, problems for Reed started early. Reed didn't do what he had been bragging about all pre-race. Dialing in his clutch. Instead he blew the start and came into the first corner in 9th place with Stewart right on the holeshot winner Alessi's tail.

Coming on strong from the back of the pack Reed managed to move all the way to 3rd place behind Stewart. Stewart running a safe race had allowed Supercross newcomer but lites veteran Ryan Villapoto to take a commanding first place lead. Even though Villapoto was running a different race than Stewart, it's tough to say whether Stewart could have caught him if he wanted to, but that's neither here nor there. Stewart simply needed fourth regardless of the rest of the field's outcome.

Keeping true to his race, Reed closed in on Stewart. Now this is where it's gets interesting and illustrates my point about the character of the racers. Knowing Stewart's current position, and lack of any pressure from any trailing riders Reed decided to try and take matters into his own hands. Instead of passing Stewart on multiple opportunities and running his own race Reed waited until a straight away and then did something I thought not even he would do.  He intentionally went WAY off line, slammed the brakes and straight ran Stewart off the course. Basically his strategy was if I can't beat him, hopefully I can pressure him to crash or in this case make it happen himself. I never liked Chad Reed, I think he's a bit of a dirty racer, but even this hit a new low in what was already a poor opinion of the Australian rider. Fortunately for Stewart he saw it coming, rode off the track then back in to finish 3rd to Reed's 2nd. Outcome...James takes the title.

In a little effort to have some fun, I've cryptically (or not) stated what Reed's title is.  Want to know what it is?  Take the first letter of each of the previous 10 paragraphs, and you'll know what I think about Chad Reed. Watch the race and you'll probably think the same thing too.  Enjoy the enlightenment and congratulations to James Stewart and his sponsors on another incredible season.