Former World MX2 Champion Ben Townley won’t be racing at the opening round of the 2011 FIM World Motocross Championships. Townley has been fighting off a string of injuries, and although he’s working hard to get back into shape, he will not be ready for the first race this weekend in Bulgaria.
Townley’s injury trouble started back in November when he dislocated his hip during the New Zealand round of the Australian SuperX series. Townley has returned to the track since then, but broke his jaw during a pre-season practice session. It was the first time in his 20+ year career that he’s had a head injury.
“I never stopped improving my shape since my injury, but it was long; it’s the first time in my career, which started twenty years ago, that I had a head injury,” Townley said. “I visited two specialists in New Zealand and another in Marseille ten days ago, who are all some of the best in the world; it was important for me to talk with them. Before that I was confused with the situation, as I visited several doctors and they all had a different opinion! Now that I’ve learnt so much about head injuries I think that riders are crazy to go back so fast on a bike after head injuries.”
Townley says that he’s ready to get back on a bike again, but not quite ready to race.
“When you break a bone you know that it will take you six or eight weeks, but head is much more complicated,” Townley said. “It’s difficult to say when I will be back racing; it can be in two weeks, four weeks or more.”
Townley, who will be riding with the CLS/Pro Circuit Kawasaki team, which is not a factory racing team. But Townley says that he’s not worried about that, and is very confident in Mitch Payton, Harry Nolte, and the rest of his team.
“A big part of the decision I made to come back in Europe is to be on a Kawasaki,” Townley said. “The stock bike is so good that you’ve a very good foundation, and the Kawasaki suits me very well.”
