Motocross riders are not immune to injuries.
Even defending champions.
Add Chase Sexton to that list after Team Honda HRC announced on Thursday that the newly crowned Monster Energy AMA Supercross 450 Champion will miss the second round at the Hangtown Motocross Classic.
“I’m super-bummed to miss this weekend’s race,” Sexton said. “I feel like I rode well at Pala, and I was really looking forward to Hangtown because it’s a good track for me.”
Sexton took a fall earlier in the week during a multi-team test at Fox Raceway. That in combination with a qualifying crash from last weekend’s opening round at the same facility and suffering from an illness, the team made the decision to pull the No. 23 rider from the entry list.
“Unfortunately, I was already pretty banged up from my qualifying crash on Saturday, and now with mono and Tuesday’s concussion on top of it, I want to do the right thing and hopefully be back on the track soon.”
According to the team’s release, there is no scheduled return date for Sexton but he is not expected to be out as long as others, some of whom have sustained season-ending injuries and surgeries. Sexton finished second in both motos and the overall in last weekend’s KTM Fox Raceway National behind teammate Jett Lawrence, who swept the 450 class weekend.