Dale Sidelined From Supercross With Torn ACL

MX Nationals MX2 Champion Ford Dale has been ruled out of the remainder of the Terex Australian Supercross Championships to undergo a knee reconstruction on a torn ACL.

The injury was sustained in the second corner of the Main Event in Dubbo a fortnight ago, though it didn’t present as a debilitating problem until after the Queenslander’s gutsy ride to win the final round of the MFJ Japanese Motocross Championship in Sugo last weekend.

Dale had the resulting swelling checked by a specialist who confirmed the injury, and he made the decision with Carlton Dry Honda Thor Racing team owner Yarrive Konsky to have the reconstruction as early as possible to focus on the 2013 season.

"I originally hurt myself in the Dubbo Round on the second corner crash which ended up making me DNF for that race,” said Dale.

“I felt alright so I went to Japan and in the last moto there, I got caught in a rut on the ground in the first ten minutes, I ended the race but it swelled up after I got home.

“I got it checked from my surgeon and had another MRI on it and found that I had torn my ACL ligament and also tore the medial and lateral meniscus which has ended my Supercross season.

“I'm pretty gutted, I was looking forward to the rest of the Supercross season but if I tried to race on it and kept hurting it, I risk missing more races next year so Yarrive and myself decided to get it fixed now.”

Ben Townley will campaign the team’s sole Pro Open entry at Phillip Island this weekend, with Gavin Faith looking to extend his Pro Lites lead and Honda Thor Racing rider Hayden Mellross also eyeing back-to-back round wins.