The Emergency Department – 2022 AMA Supercross Round 4 – Who’s In And Out

*Seth Hammaker (47) will be on the sidelines after a practice crash left him with a laceration to his spleen and compression fractures to 2 thoracic vertebrae.*

This Supercross season is only 3 rounds deep. But the big names are starting to fall to injuries already.

The San Diego round was a tough one for the field. From first corner issues and crashes in the whoops, the track gave a lot of challenges for every rider throughout the day. The whoops was an awesome set. If I’m honest that’s what I want from a supercross whoop set. It reminded me of the days that Chad Reed would blaze past Ricky Carmichael as the lapped riders rolled sideways through them.

But it was the somewhat insignificant first corner that was the final straw for Joey Savatgy’s ACL-Less knee. Despite trying to ride through injury. It didn’t last long. He managed Oakland ok. But San Diego Heat race was the end of the story for him. A Further tweak to the knee in the first turn crash left him unable to continue. Joey has already had surgery this week and will be out for at least Supercross. I’m rather disappointed that Joey wasn’t able to manage the knee through the season as it would have been a great story if he maintained good results with the injury. But it was not to be.

*As reported earlier in the week Adam Cianciarulo will miss most of the season with a knee injury.*

Adam Cianciarulo is another big name that is now out for the supercross season. I was on the bandwagon that he was riding into form after his shoulder injury. I felt that was being justified with the fastest qualifier result from San Diego. Only to find out he crashed in qualifying after that fastest lap. Then got bumped around in the first corner crash in the heat and that was pretty much the end of his season. For Adam, that’s now 3 Supercross seasons in the 450 class that have gone very badly from an injury point of view.

In the 250 class. We hinted at the news in last weeks edition that wasn’t public yet. It was confirmed late that Seth Hammaker had a big practice crash mid-week. Big injuries for him that arent simple injuries. A laceration to his spleen and compression fractures to 2 thoracic vertebrae. The spleen is a serious issue as internal bleeding can be an unnoticed issue at the time of injury and can lead to serious complications. But the Compression fractures are also significant. This fracture type means that the vertebrae have been essentially squashed. They are now shorter than they were pre-fracture. Essentially two very different types of injury. But two very serious injuries that will take a significant amount of time to recover from.

With 14 rounds to go. We already have a significant injury list recorded in 2022. This will start to open the field up to some more of the privateer field to make main events. But will it also cause more of those guys to push beyond their control to make the main and have this lead to more injuries? Hopefully not. The injury rate in the first three rounds is quite high. 7.3 injuries per round so far in 2022. Compared with 3.7 in 2021 for the first three rounds. Hmm, what’s been the difference for the increase in 2022?

Remember to stay up to date on all the injury news via our social feeds @always.moto on Instagram.

See you next week Moto fans.

*Justin Cooper posted on his Instagram just what he is dealing with!*

THE INJURY LIST – GOING INTO ROUND 4 – ANAHEIM II

As always, If your favourite rider is on this list, most likely they have been to the Emergency Department recently. 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!

If we have missed a rider or got an injury update wrong let us know. alwaysmoto2019@gmail.com or @always.moto on Instagram

Adam Cianciarulo #9 – Monster Energy Kawasaki
Injured When? Practice at San Diego Rnd 3

Injured What? Knee. No specific details were provided at this stage.

Return to Riding Timeframe – Unclear.

Next race prediction – Outdoors Rnd 1?

Freddie Noren #61 – Privateer KTM
Injured When? San Diego Rnd 3

Injured What? Laceration to hand following contact with Alex Ray in LCQ

Return to Riding Timeframe – 1-2wks pending stitch removal

Next race prediction – Expect him to attempt to race A2 but may not be the best outcome for him.

Seth Hamaker #47 – Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki
Injured When? Practising mid-week prior to San Diego Rnd 3

Injured What? Laceration to spleen and compression fractures to T7 and T8 vertebrae. This is a significant injury and will require a decent amount of time off the bike.

Return to Riding Timeframe – 8-12wks

Next race prediction – Outdoors Rnd 1?

Jess Pettis #150 – Red Bull KTM
Injured When? Midweek practising before Round 3

Injured What? Reports are conflicting at this stage. Will have more info on this in next weeks edition.

Return to Riding Timeframe – TBC pending injury details

Next race prediction – Jess is expected to race the east coast 250’s so pending injury type and severity this may be possible, delayed or non-existent. I will let you know next week.

Chase Felong #154 – AEO Husqvarna
Injured When? Oakland Rnd 2

Injured What? AlwaysMoto checked in with Chase this week. Chase has been dealing with heel/ankle issues since September of 2020. He re-aggravated that issues in Oakland and has been unable to weight bear on the area since. Chase confirmed he is reviewing with the specialist and will know more soon. Further details on this injury are to come in future editions.

Return to Riding Timeframe – Unclear, but potentially 4-6wks pending outcome of scans to be completed this week. Chase confirmed with AlwaysMoto on Thursday he has had an MRI but awaiting results from the specialist.

Next race prediction – Not before Rnd 5

Mason Kerr #597 – Privateer Kawasaki
Injured When? Oakland Rnd 2

Injured What? Mason updated AlwaysMoto that he actually has a broken rib and 2 bruised ribs to go with the contusion to his shoulder. Mason also sustained a concussion and is on the AMA concussion protocol

Return to Riding Timeframe – 1-2wks

Next race prediction – Will attempt Anaheim 2 this week. Pending him passing the AMA concussion protocol

Chad Saultz #364 – Privateer KTM
Injured When? Oakland Rnd 2

Injured What? Chad was unable to ride San Diego. He was attempting to ride but wasn’t able to overcome the neck injury aspects of his crash. Chad has confirmed with AlwaysMoto that he is dealing with a C5 nerve issue. He will be getting therapy this week.

Return to Riding Timeframe – Unclear. Chad confirmed depending on how he feels he may try to ride this week. But sounds unlikely when we spoke with him mid-week.

Next race prediction – Phoenix Round 5.

Mitchell Falk #612 – AJE motorsports Gas Gas
Injured When? Pre Season

Injured What? Low back injury. Mitchell has ongoing issues with a bulging disc that presses on his sciatica nerve. It seems it has been causing him inconsistent issues that will keep him out of the supercross season. Mitchell will be working on his rehab in an attempt to avoid surgery.

Return to Riding Timeframe – 12wks of rehab is expected

Next race prediction – Round 1 of Outdoors.

Joey Savatgy #17 – Rocky Mountain ATV MC/ WPS KTM
Injured When? Tuesday before Rnd 2 at Oakland

Injured What? ACL Tear.

Return to Riding Timeframe – 3-6months post op..

Next race prediction – Surgery was completed this week. At best he makes Rnd 1 of Outdoors. More likely he will be joint the series near round 4-6.

Colt Nichols #45 – Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha
Injured When? Anaheim 1

Injured What? Multiple injuries. Both arms, burn and hip contusion. Specific details have not yet been released by the team manager when we spoke.

Return to Riding Timeframe – 8-12wks

Next race prediction – Unclear at this stage but likely not until Round 1 of Outdoors.

Justin Cooper #32 – Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha
Injured When? 4/1/22

Injured What? LisFranc fracture to Foot

Return to Riding Timeframe – approx 6months currently reported by his surgeon. Has completed surgery this week.

Next race prediction – At best MX round 1. At worst MX round 6.

Benny Bloss #73 – Team Tedder KTM
Injured When? 22/12/21

Injured What? Lower Leg fracture (Unconfirmed Tib/Fib) and Collar Bone fracture

Return to Riding Timeframe – If Tib/Fib, approx 4months.

Next race prediction – Potentially missing all of SX

Austin Black – AEO Powersport KTM
Injured When? December 2021

Injured What? Austin spoke with AlwaysMoto and confirmed he broke his femur and lacerated a kidney. Surgery was completed to insert a rod in his femur.

Return to Riding Timeframe – 4-5months

Next race prediction – Austin indicated to AlwaysMoto he is expecting to return for Round 1 of Outdoors.

Ty Masterpool #42 – AEO Powersport KTM
Injured When? December 2021

Injured What? Fractured Wrist

Return to Riding Timeframe – 6wks

Next race prediction – Will now switch to East Coast 250’s. If recovery goes well enough. If not, would expect him back for Rnd 1 of Outdoors.

Coty Schock #37 – Phoenix Honda
Injured When? December 2022

Injured What? Collarbone fracture

Return to Riding Timeframe – 2-4wks

Next race prediction – Will now switch to East Coast 250’s.

Joey Crown #355 – Privateer KTM
Injured When? Early November

Injured What? Unspecified multiple fractures