ARLINGTON, Texas – After a thrilling finish to the first heat race of the 250SX East class at AT&T Center, Austin Forkner was looking to seal a solid night and perfect start to the 2024 season after his win in Detroit earlier this month.
Determined to change his fate, Forkner started the 2024 season with a dominating performance at Detroit. Dodging a pileup in the opening turn, he took the lead from Chance Hymas and led every lap to win his first race since Foxborough in April 2022.
A week later to Saturday night, Forkner continued that domination with a veteran move on the young Haiden Deegan to take the heat race win. Even with a bad start, Forkner was able to reel in the Star Yahama rider and pass with less than two laps remaining.
“The start wasn’t ideal,” Forkner reflected after Heat 1. “I need to figure that out for the main, it will make my life a whole lot easier. But that was good. Coming through the pack like that was good. I was able to work through arguably two of the fastest guys in the class right now. So that felt really good and just showed me that I can do it.
“Prefer a better start and we’ll work on that for the main event but it’s a good start to the night.”
He did just that.
The main event started solid for the No. 64 Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki rider. He crossed the holeshot line fourth overall and was quickly able to get the lead by the third turn. Over the next 16 laps, he held a consistent one and a half second gap over Deegan.
Everything was smooth.
Then it wasn’t.
With five laps remaining, Forkner skidded after landing a tabletop jump, catapulting him off the course and landing directly onto the concrete side path.
And that which has plagued the Missouri native dawned again.
For the fifth time since 2021, Forkner would face a season-altering injury.
In 2021 in Houston, Forkner broke his collarbone during the third 250SX Main Event of the year.
The following year, Forkner re-injured his collarbone right here in Arlington.
In January 2023, Forkner crashed in the opening round of the 2023 SuperMotocross World Championship with a season-ending knee injury: a full thickness ACL tear, lateral meniscus tear and a fracture to the top of his tibia and fibula. He also broke a bone in his hand.
Later that year during the Pro Motocross season, he tweaked his knee and skipped the second round of the SuperMotocross Championship race held at Chicagoland Speedway.
After being transported to a local medical facility, the team released an update on Forkner’s health the following afternoon.
“Pro Circuit Racing rider Austin Forkner has suffered a spine a scapula injury from yesterday’s incident in the 250 Eastern Regional Main Event.”
Forkner’s father also provided a separate update on social media.
“Austin’s CT Scan on his head came back good. Fractured L3 & L4 in back but no surgery, has to heal on its own. He has a broken scapula, which will heal on its own, so no surgery. They have been discharged from (the) hospital and (are) heading back to California.
“Austin said one of his contacts came out of his eye halfway through the race. Maybe that played a part in (misjudging) the double.”
There is no official word yet on Forkner’s timeline for return but fans and colleagues all have shared across social media wishes for a speedy recovery for the 25-year old.
Best wishes and a speedy recover to Austin. Dude that was a terrible crash maybe the worst i have witnessed. If it was me, I would call it a career as L3 and L4 fractures are nothing to mess with. Just thinking of your long term health and safety and life has much more to offer than just motocross…