Forkner

Probably depends on the contract and how much longer he wants to keep at it. It was a two year deal so it's likely he has a ride for next year if he wants it. 

I believe he’s got a 2 year deal and everyone involved has said this year is a “just get thru it” year..

Seems to me that as long as Scuba believes…Austin’s got a job at Triumph. That’s one of the things I dig about the legacy of this team…this group of people…all the way down to how and why they kept Jalek(he’s been with this group since he was on 85s…if I’m remembering the Husky years correctly?)

Loyalty is kinda nice to see in this game.

For me it's become a fucking mystery. Forker was someone who could race to win whenever the gate dropped.

Now a 14th might be his best moto result so far this year.

I think he needs to visit a sport psychologist as everything points to a mental block. 

Whatever challange he is facing then I pray that he overcomes it and wins a Championship...man the dude has been to hell n' back.....he deserves more than what he has achieved so far.

He has really never been able to even build. If we get to SX 2026 and he isn't hitting the podium, put a fork in him. 

After the injuries he sustained in SX and the brain surgery im happy he is still out there! If the team is supportive then we should be supportive… If he can build on this and continue to improve throughout the year it’s a net positive. 

He’s never been a championship threat outdoors. Has never been this off the pace either. Supercross is a different story. Hell if an injury he has had to still be out there. Hope he can change things around for supey. 

Been a fan forever. I believe he had a mechanical failure in moto one.

His results have been off this year, and I'm beginning to wonder if he'll never win again. Top 5 in SX may be something of a goal in '26. Not sure what the issue is or are. We know the Triumph is a great bike, and capable of winning. Is it the last crash in SX in '24 and then the surgery on the vein or artery on his brain? Or is it that he and Rylee have a baby boy now?  Heck, maybe it's jsut moving to Georgia and moving on from Pro Circuit Kawasaki? I just hope we see better results as fans, but I'm ok that he's healthy and happy as a dad if we don't see the former racer

I saw somewhere else on here is engine let go the first moto.

Has he made any progress this year? Seems to be getting worse.

Seems widely accepted he's getting a pass until next year. Weege wouldn't even discuss him on the Red Bud review pod. I dont know, maybe he's taken so many hits its just not in him to really be out there anymore. Guess we'll see come sx '26

At this point, with his health issues as well, i think he needs to step back, or just give the 450 a try, for his final season.  He isnt young enough to hang it out any more sadly, and with the other 3 guys doing well, its not easy to blame the bike. 

Hopefully he figures it out. It kind of reminds me of Brandon Jesseman from ‘03-05. He won the east coast title and was up front in the couple outdoor races he did before he got hurt again in ‘03 and then 04 and 05 were horrible years. Jesseman did get back up front in sx in 06, 07, and 08, hopefully Austin does too. 

I have to concur with the mental angle. Austin has/had the skills to run at the front end of the pack. Now he seems to just be putting in mediocre ride after mediocre ride. Like PhilG said above, it isn't the bike if all three of your teammates are doing OK on it. It's also not bad luck at this point. 

I hope he can put something together and at least have one good season in his life, even if it isn't a championship. 

Yeah, but we've seen teams and riders back out of multi-year contracts before. I have no idea how the Triumph team feels about Forkner, but they probably wouldn't be public about it if they weren't happy.

It's hard to watch him struggle, especially with how much potential he's had, but crashes and bad luck have really held him back. I think back to that year he was looking to go perfect, and then injured himself because in practice because he wanted an immaculate season. Had he just focused on winning the championship, I think he'd be contending for 450SX race wins by now.

Lol a 450 is def what he needs 😜

Just keep being invisible, get this season done.  Rest, then be the Forkner we know in SX next year. 

I feel like everyone is just saying, finish the season. Time on the bike is all he needs. 

Wish I could finish 14th in an AMA National. Just once!

😊

Everyone forgets he was literally smoking Deegan like nobodies business not long ago. He has the speed. He just needs to finish a healthy season. I can’t remember the last time he finished a season of motocross or Supercross. Rooting for the guy.

I genuinely believe this is strategy and not a train wreck.  I’m sure he’s struggling plenty, but speed doesn’t just go away.  When you’ve had it, you can access it again and anyone who actually rides knows that deep down.

I think that as he’s said, they just want to finish an entire season healthy.  He’s so close to doing so.  Just hover around 10-15 and next year see if he can tap back into that speed and grit.  

Even finishing every round of an entire season would be an accomplishment to look back on after retirement regardless of where he finishes at this point

Austin is doing so well to consolidate and finish a season at this point. From his point of view, a big crash or an injury this year wouldn’t do him or the team any good from a pressure to hang it up point of view. A good healthy off season with a build toward 26 SX is what he needs. If the result isn’t good after that, the pressure is entitled to come 

One sx race 2 years ago? And he couldn't dream of getting in the same zip code as Deegan outdoors

The rest of outdoors and SMX I wouldn’t say he is close to that goal. 

Yaa I remember in a interview with Josh Grant and he was talking about the 2012 season saying how he was trying to get through the season healthy and that’s why you weren’t seeing his flashes of speed. He was talking about how he was talking to JGR for a ride for ‘13 and they told him that they wanted to see if the speed was still there at the next race (Washougal) and Grant was running third for awhile then yard sailed it lol He got the ride for the next year. Let’s hope Forkner hasn’t lost that speed. 

Falcon , having read and followed you on here for God knows how long....  I respect everything you said in this thread, and to think about it a bit, this may very well be a total success season after all......  Getting through the entire season, indoors, and out, with no hospital stays anymore.  No doctors, pain killers, surgery, etc....  Something he has not been able to escape since the big show.....  This may very well be his championship season.  I hope it isn't, but if it were to be, he has damn near pulled off a solid season against the worlds best.  Injury free.  That alone is a championship season in my eyes.....  After all he has been through, and comes out the other side intact, he is a champ.   if anyone disagrees with this, shame on whoever you are.  Falcon, again, your words  beforehand, are well respected by me.  Good on you Sir.  And please forgive my grammar......  I hope, and wish, the best for the Forkner bunch.  Known them all since 83........

He was making progress in Supercross. Motocross is not his forte.

He completed a full Supercross season without injury. Give the guy a break, pun intended.

Given what he’s been through, I commend him for still being out there.

I would’ve hung it up for bong loads and motorboating my girls titties until I became an alcoholic.

It's possible that head injuries have causes brain damage where he cannot process the track or have the some cognitive ability like he used to.

The delusion in these comments... Sure he's trying, but my god give that ride to someone who actually deserves it. There's so many riders in front of him without factory contracts. He's not near 70% of his "normal" speed and he's still crashing every week. Hang it up.

Unfortunately, it would appear that Austin is destined to join the long list of talented racers who had their careers derailed by injuries. 

He’s doing good for someone who had his part of his brain removed then put back in 

You may also remember he was about 50/50 odds to beat Jett for the 250SX championship before getting taken out over the finish line jump when Jett got squirrely. The dude has talent.