Austin Forkner will skip Round 2 of the SuperMotocross Championship at Chicagoland Speedway in an effort to heal from a tweaked knee suffered during the Pro Motocross season.
“It’s Friday; you’re probably wondering why I’m not at the race,” Forkner said in a video on YouTube. “I will just say now that I’m bummed I’m not at the race. I really wanted to finish these last couple of ones out, but us and the team made the decision to sit these last ones out.”
Forkner was featured last week as the 250 rider most likely to advance from the Last Chace Qualifiers in all three rounds. In fact, he won the LCQ at zMax Dragway and finished sixth in the first feature despite having a bad gate pick. He fell in Moto 2 and finished 19th to score a 13th overall.
After failing to finish in the top 20 in points, Forkner would be required to advance through each LCQ for the three-round playoff. The team has decided the extra gate drops Forkner was anticipating favorably for has become a disadvantage. The concern is that the constant strain on his knee would exacerbate the injury.
“I tweaked my knee a few weeks ago - the one that I tore earlier in the year - I think it was at Ironman,” Forkner said. ... And it’s been not great. It would swell up again, and then I would have to get it drained, and it would swell up again. It’s just doing stuff like that, so my team and I came to the decision that we should sit out these last couple of rounds and let my knee rest.”
Max Anstie has also decided to skip the final two rounds of the SuperMotocross season after finishing 16th overall with an 18th in Moto 1 and 15th in Moto 2.
“The team and I have decided to switch our focus back to (Australian) SX and WSX coming up here shortly,” Anstie said in an Instagram post. “I’m looking forward to defending my (Australian Supercross)title and going for the top step in (the World Supercross Championship) later this year. So I’m back on the SX track and won’t be competing at the final 2 SMX rounds. See ya in Adelaide in three weeks.”
450 riders
Lorenzo Locurcio, shoulder
Cooper Webb, concussion at Nashville, banged up ahead of RedBud practice
Eli Tomac, Achilles tendon | It was just a freak deal | returning in 2024
Christian Craig, elbow
Marvin Musquin, wrist
Malcolm Stewart, knee | Signs two-year extension
Justin Barcia, collarbone and shoulder | returned at Unadilla
Chase Sexton, concussion | returned at RedBud
Jason Anderson, vertebrae | returned at RedBud
Dylan Ferrandis, concussion | returned at Pala
Aaron Plessinger, hip | returned at Salt Lake City
250 riders
Hardy Munoz, head and face
Jordon Smith, wrist and thumb
Guillem Farres, arm
Jeremy Martin, wrist
Nate Thrasher, hip
Cameron McAdoo, shoulder
Stilez Robertson, knee| returned at Unadilla
Austin Forkner, knee | returned at Spring Creek
Seth Hammaker, arm and wrist | returned at RedBud
Jo Shimoda, collarbone | returned at Atlanta
Jalek Swoll, arm | returned at Pala