Blake Baggett Dealing With Unknown Virus, Will Sit Out Washougal

The Rocky Mountain ATV/MC-KTM-WPS team announced today that Blake Baggett will not compete in the Washougal National this weekend. Although Baggett has competed in all 16 motos of the 2019 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, the team statement said Baggett “has been fighting an illness and not feeling well backing up to the general start of the MX season.” 

The team said Baggett is dealing with an unknown virus but the “issues worsened after the heat from the Jacksonville, FL race, followed by Southwick.”

“I'm not one to ever through in the towel even on a race,” Baggett said, “but after last weekend and through this week I was best advised by my doctors and team that it was time to sit one out until we figure this virus I got going on out.”

"As of today, we have not been able to put a finger on exactly what Blake has,” said team owner Forrest Butler. “As his team owner, along with everyone else close to him, it is certain that he is carrying some type of virus and the effects are wearing the rest of his body out so much that the safest thing to do for Blake right now is pull out for this weekend. We will continue to work with new doctors that have come in to play as of this week, find out what he has, and get him back healthy again."

"From my end, I just want to see Blake healthy and that is all that matters. …He has proved to ride through just about anything, and right now he's just showing that he is human and can get sick too. I am confident we will get things figured out, and be back on track soon enough,” said COO Ray Butts.

Through eight rounds of the 2019 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, Baggett has recorded four top-ten overall finishes and two top-five moto finishes—including winning the first moto at High Point in June. He sits eighth in the 450 Class points standings.

While the team said Baggett will not line up this weekend for the Washougal National, is it unknown how long he will be out. We will provide more information when it becomes available.