So it comes down to this! The final round at Pala raceway will see the battle for the 450 title go down to the wire. 1 point. That’s all that separates Eli Tomac and Chase Sexton heading into moto 1. Nothing in it. No room to play it safe and no room for error.
If Chase goes 1-1. He wins. If he goes 1-2 or 2-1 and Splits that with Eli also going 1-2 or 2-1. Eli gets it done. It’s that close. Nobody can tell you for sure who has the advantage at this track or in this heat. Both riders have won races at Pala, and both riders have had heat-related issues in the past. So, basically, the only way to know what’s going to happen in this title fight is to tune in on race day.
In the 250’s Jett Lawrence has this thing done by Moto 1. But can Hunter Lawrence get things back together and make it a Lawrence brothers 1-2 in the championship? I don’t think so. Jo Shimoda has been riding fantastic lately.
In Injury news there are a few riders out for the final round. I think they heard it’s going to be hot this weekend and took the early vacation time owed from a long season. The heat is going to cause a lot of problems if it gets as hot as they say. It’s already caused the moto’s to be shortened. Something I’m fine with but make that call official after qualifying when you know what the temperature will be. Not 5 days out and things could change dramatically before then. Mother Nature has a tendency to play her own game.
Of interest at this endpoint of the season. Not one solid mention of Epstein Barr Virus in ProMotocross 2022. Seems odd given it’s normally the catchphrase in the pits by mid-season.
With this being the end of the AMA season, there is still plenty of action to come and stay up to date with. Motocross of Nations, World Supercross and Australian Supercross are all yet to start. The AlwaysMoto podcast will cover these as the year continues so keep listening and thanks for reading The Emergency Department throughout all of 2022.
Remember to stay up to date on all the injury news via our social feeds @always.moto on Instagram. Check out more in-depth conversations on all the injuries in our sport on the AlwaysMoto podcast on your favourite podcast app.
See you next series Moto fans.
#injuriesareapartofmoto
If we have missed a rider or got an injury update wrong let us know. alwaysmoto2019@gmail.com
This list has who we know has an injury. What that injury is, as well as when we expect them back at the races. Maybe some extras if you’re lucky!
THE INJURY LIST – GOING INTO ROUND 12 – PALA:
Michael Mosiman #29 – Troy Lee Designs RedBull GasGas
Injured When? Round 11 – IronMan
Injured What? Neck injury. No details are available at this time.
Return to Riding Timeframe – 2-4wks
Next race prediction – SX 23
Joey Savatgy #17 – Monster Energy Kawasaki
Injured When? Round 11 – IronMan
Injured What? Nose laceration and foot injury
Return to Riding Timeframe – 2-4wks
Next race prediction – WSX
Levi Kitchen #59 – Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha
Injured When? Round 11 – IronMan
Injured What? Aggravation to a wrist injury that kept him out since Millville.
Return to Riding Timeframe – 2-4wks
Next race prediction – SX 23
Gavin Towers #532 – RockRiver ManLuk Yamaha
Injured When? Round 11 – IronMan
Injured What? Knee – Undergoing further investigation that isn’t available at this time.
Return to Riding Timeframe – Unclear at this time.
Next race prediction – SX 23
Austin Black #377 – AEO Powersports
Injured When? Multiple issues ongoing throughout the season
Injured What? Multiples issues
Return to Riding Timeframe – will use the offseason to recover. The timeframe is unclear at this time.
Next race prediction – SX 23
Alex Martin #26 – ClubMX Yamaha
Injured When? Before Round 11 – IronMan
Injured What? Dislocated shoulder
Return to Riding Timeframe – attempting to ride his final race before retiring. Normally this is 4-6wks if no surgery is required.
Next race prediction – Attempting to race Pala 2
Dylan Ferrandis #1 – Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha
Injured When? Round 10 – Budds Creek
Injured What? Back injury
Return to Riding Timeframe – 4wks
Next race prediction – MXoN at RedBud
Antonio Cairoli #222 – RedBull KTM
Injured When? Round 10 – Budds Creek
Injured What? Fractured Metacarpal. This is a small hand bone and should be a quick recovery time.
Return to Riding Timeframe – 4-6wks
Next race prediction – MXoN at RedBud
Nick Romano #411 – Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha
Injured When? Mid-week after Round 9 – Unadilla
Injured What? Nick has confirmed via his Instagram post that he sustained a thumb injury mid-week whilst training. Specifically, a tear to his ulnar collateral ligament. This will require surgery to repair.
Return to Riding Timeframe – 8-12wk post-surgery completion
Next race prediction – SX 2023
Brandon Hartranft #41 – HEP Twisted Tea Suzuki
Injured When? Round 8 – Washougal
Injured What? Right Ankle – Ligament Tear
Return to Riding Timeframe – 6wks. HEP has confirmed that Brandon requires surgery and will be out for the remainder of ProMotocross
Next race prediction – WSX in October 2022.
Stilez Robertson #50 – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna
Injured When? Round 7 – Millville
Injured What? Torn ligaments in Ankle
Return to Riding Timeframe – reports indicate he requires surgical repair. This will be an 8-12wk recovery timeframe off the bike.
Next race prediction – SX 2023
Max Anstie #34 – Honda
Injured When? Round 7 – Millville
Injured What? Concussion
Return to Riding Timeframe – 1-2wks. Was actually only planning to race a few rounds and finish at Millville. So he won’t miss any planned racing action.
Next race prediction – WSX 2022 in October
Ty Masterpool #42 – Privateer KTM
Injured When? Round 7 – Millville
Injured What? Fracture Patellar
Return to Riding Timeframe – Reports from Ty indicate he has completed surgery. This usually involves a cage being built around the knee cap to assist recovery. Likely off the bike for 6-8wks.
Next race prediction – SX 2023
Enzo Lopes #80 – ClubMX Yamaha
Injured When? Round 7 – Millville
Injured What? Post-surgery infection that has not resolved despite his return to racing.
Return to Riding Timeframe – Unclear. Enzo is currently in Brazil during his recovery.
Next race prediction – MXoN and WSX
Phil Nicoletti #715 – ClubMX Yamaha
Injured When? Round 14 – Atlanta and re-injured during preparations for a return to ProMotocross
Injured What? Fractured Ulna
Return to Riding Timeframe – 6-8wks
Next race prediction – Phil was back on the bike preparing for a return to the ProMotocross series but had another crash and managed to rebreak his ulna. Phil is out for the season now and will be focusing on preparations for the 2023 Supercross from about October when he is recovered enough.
Brandon Scharer #91 – ClubMX Yamaha
Injured When? Round 1 – Pala 1, but pulled out at Round 2 Hangtown
Injured What? A crash at Pala led to compression fractures of his mid-thoracic vertebrae. After trying to ride at Hangtown and not realising the extent of the injury Brandon has now got scans and confirmed the injury.
Return to Riding Timeframe – 6-8wks
Next race prediction – Unclear at this time. May sit out remaining of the season as he is not a full-time rider for ClubMX but their team trainer.
Austin Forkner #33 – Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki
Injured When? Round 1 – Pala 1 (Sort of)
Injured What? Shoulder injury. A labral tear that has been around for a while this season was reaggravated. But the Instagram story this week from Austin is interesting. Seems he might be taking the time to get a few other things worked on to be healthy for 2023 SX. Some wrist and forearm work has been done recently. No word on what the injury was or work was required there but good to see he is using the time wisely to recover and be ready come January 2023.
Return to Riding Timeframe – This is usually an 8-12wks recovery timeframe for the labral tear aspect.
Next race prediction – Out for Outdoors
Ongoing from Supercross 2022
Jeremy Martin #6 – Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha/ ClubMx Yamaha
Injured When? Midweek after Round 8 at Arlington
Injured What? Left shoulder – Labral tear. Had surgery and is on the recovery path. Has returned to riding but is now with the ClubMX Yamaha team.
Return to Riding Timeframe – 3-6months
Next race prediction – Seems Jeremy’s comeback for the final two rounds has been stopped. Reports that his shoulder is not ready yet but I feel there may also be some contractual issues at play here. See him back in 2023 SX.
Coty Schock #37 – Phoenix Racing Honda
Injured When? Round 8 Arlington
Injured What? Bruised Lung, Hematoma on the right shoulder, and left knee ACL and MCL tears.
Return to Riding Timeframe – Should be any day now. Coty has posted recently that he has been cleared from Physio for his ACL and that usually means it’s time to get back on the bike.
Next race prediction – We understand his plans are to return to SX in 2023 and not the Outdoors this year.
Jett Reynolds #124 – Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki
Injured When? Round 7 Minneapolis
Injured What? Left Hand Fracture.
Return to Riding Timeframe – Just returned to riding after Pala 1. Has been on the bike for some time now but as per this week’s team press release he is not returning at Unadilla.
Next race prediction – Unclear
Adam Cianciarulo #9 – Monster Energy Kawasaki
Injured When? Practice at San Diego Rnd 3
Injured What? ACL in his right knee.
Return to Riding Timeframe – 3-5months pending graft type used to replace ACL. Adam has recently been cleared and has resumed riding.
Next race prediction – Out for all of Outdoors given Joey Savatgy is filling in. This is a great idea for Adam to just get really healthy and have a proper fitness-based under him come Supercross 2023.
