Chase Sexton returns next week for Round 9 of the Monster Energy Supercross season at Daytona International Speedway while Adam Cianciarulo is forced to sit out due to an injury sustained at Orlando.
Soon after his accident in the Round 2 of 2021 at Houston, Sexton hoped to return after missing two of the three-races in the Indianapolis residency.
But with hopes of the championship gone, Sexton and his team decided in was more prudent to wait longer and heal completely.
“Very happy to be back on the bike and back to normal,” Sexton said in an Instagram post last week. “I’ve been working my butt off with therapy / strengthening my shoulder the past three weeks. Monday was my first day back and feeling very good on the bike already.
“With that being said just the lack of seat time over the past month my team Honda Racing and I have decided it’s better to come out at 100% for Daytona in a little over two weeks! I can’t wait to be back racing and seeing you all real soon.”
X-rays and MRI scans were negative for fractures or tears in his right shoulder, but Sexton lacked the strength to compete. He was diagnosed with a contusion and strain of the right rotator cuff and scapula.
Sexton was leading at the time of his accident. Eli Tomac went on to win that round while the two riders currently embroiled in a tight points battle for first place in the standings finished off the podium. Sexton’s teammate and current points leader Ken Roczen finished fifth. Cooper Webb, second in the standings by only six points, was fourth.
While Sexton returns to action, the news is not as good for Cianciarulo.
He crashed out of second-place last week at Orlando and broke his collarbone, which will keep him off the bike for some while.
“A lot of time and effort goes into each season and it’s extremely frustrating to have a set back like we did this past weekend,” Cianciarulo wrote on Instagram. “I broke my collarbone and I’m gonna be off the bike for a bit.
“I’m really pissed off at myself for making that mistake. It’s completely unacceptable. I won’t be discouraged, though. I love what I do and I put my heart and soul into it. I’m going to keep working on the things I need to in order to reach my goals. Simple as that. I appreciate my supporters and I’ll keep you guys updated.”
