Reed aims for Anaheim sweep

Before the supercross season opened last month, former champion Chad Reed complained of frequently finishing second or third in recent years and said, “I just want those wins back.”

So far, he’s getting his wish.

With reigning title-holder James Stewart out because of a knee injury, Reed has won three of the first four races in the 17-race Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series.

The Australia native is the favorite again tonight as the series makes its third and final stop of the year at Angel Stadium. Reed, 25, won the first two Anaheim races for his Yamaha team and again last weekend in San Francisco.

If Reed wins tonight, he would become only the second rider to sweep all three Anaheim races in a single season. Stewart became the first to accomplish the feat last year.

“I came into the season prepared to lay it down,” Reed said after the San Francisco victory. “I want to get these race wins.”

Reed also leads the series standings with 97 points; Honda’s Kevin Windham is second with 78. Despite 29 supercross wins in his career, Reed often has been a bridesmaid to more dominant riders, first to five-time champion Ricky Carmichael -- who retired after last year -- and later to Stewart, who won the 2007 title.

Reed won the title in 2004 when Carmichael was injured, but otherwise he has finished second in points three times in the last five years.

Stewart had surgery last week to repair his injured left knee and hopes to recover in time for the start of the motocross season May 25 at Glen Helen Raceway in Devore.

Kawasaki said Friday that Santa Ana native Travis Preston would replace Stewart for the rest of the supercross season. In the sport’s second-tier class, Supercross Lites, Suzuki rider Ryan Dungey tonight also will try for a three-peat -- sweeping all three Anaheim races in the same season.

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james.peltz@latimes.com