Austin Forkner Got Stitches in Between Motos Saturday After Footpeg to the Leg
Fans watching the AMA Pro Motocross Championship on the Peacock broadcast saw Austin Forkner and his mechanic riding off the track early in the opening moto of the season. Just a few minutes into the race, his moto was over. Then we learned about what had happened.
Forkner had a collision with another rider—who we believe was Jeremy Martin—after he went down in a blind spot over a roller. The crash forced Forkner to head back to the pits and get looked at. In between motos, he got stitches in his left thigh, then he went back out for the second moto. These guys are warriors, man!
In moto two, he came through 22nd after a late crash, just barely missing out on earning a point. He scored 40-22 for 31st overall in his first Pro Motocross race aboard a Triumph TF 250-X. Plus, it was his first Pro Motocross race since the ’23 season finale on August 26, 2023.
Forkner said the following in a team post-race release:
"It was not an amazing day. I rode good and was close to the top guys in qualifying. I came together with someone on lap one of the first moto and tipped over on the backside of a roller. The following riders did not see me and I got hit by someone, then a lot of riders hit my bike too. I was sore, I must have got a footpeg into my leg, because I needed stitches from the medic unit between motos. I tipped over before the halfway point in moto two and started riding quite well after that but then crashed again. There were just some racing incidents. I am okay, and I am ready to battle on next weekend."
Forkner posted on Instagram after Monster Energy AMA Supercross:
“The biggest goal for me this year was to make it through the season healthy, and I’m proud to have done that.”
While he DNF’ed the first moto of the season, he is probably glad to be able to race the second moto.
Triumph was led by Dutch rider Mikkel Harrup (15-16 for 16th overall in his Pro Motocross debut), then Jordon Smith (13-23 for 19th overall), followed by Forkner (31st overall). Stilez Robertson started the first moto but eventually pulled out of the race due to his lingering wrist injury bothering him.
Forkner posted two photos of his leg on his Instagram story (which last for 24 hours before disappearing), but they are not overly gruesome.
