On Sunday Carlton Dry Honda Racing’s number one rider Ben Townley announced his sudden retirement from the sport. BT, who was widely tipped to be the title favourite for the 2013 MX Nationals, dropped the bombshell just two weeks out from the series opener, sending shock waves through the industry.

MotoOnline.com.au caught up with Townley as he relaxed with his family to discover the real reasons behind his decision and to find out what’s next.

Ben Townley announced his retirement from professional motocross on Sunday.

So here we are, just two weeks out from the opening round of the MX Nationals and you announced yesterday you’re retiring from professional racing. What has brought about this sudden change of heart?

The injury I picked up testing a few weeks ago broke the camel’s back. Over the past five years, going as far back as the des Nations at Budds Creek when I injured my shoulder, I’ve had such a roller-coaster ride. I’ve only completed one full race season with TLD Honda and I’ve come to the point where it’s broken my spirit.

It’s been a hard five years and I don’t want to continue the way I have been. I’ve tried my absolute hardest to do it right, but hasn’t turned out the way I wanted.

I was close to making this call after both of my two previous major injuries when I broke my jaw and concussed myself, then dislocated my hip last year. I forced myself to get back on the horse and I don’t regret that at all. I got back to some great form, but I haven’t been able to achieve what I wanted.

So what exactly happened in this latest practice crash?

I was testing with the team in Melbourne and washed my front wheel out in a corner. I hit my head and broke my collarbone. Not much has been said about my head-knock, but that was a more serious concern than the collarbone.

I found myself at the point where I’d been so often in the past and I guess that fuelled my decision to retire. We’re talking about a short period of time here – it was only two weeks ago that I started to rethink my direction in life.

I’m still feeling the effects of the head injury and I’m making sure I have a good rest period. Head injuries are a bit overlooked in the sport and if I were to take another knock to the head now, it wouldn’t be good. I want to take enough time to give my brain a rest.

That’s more than understandable. Breaking the news of your decision to the team, particularly to team owner Yarrive Konsky, must’ve been tough. How did he handle to news?

I told him about a week ago, a couple days after I’d made the decision. Yarrive was the hardest person to tell. He’s employed me to win races and it was tough, but he respected me and supported my decision.

Tony Hinton at Honda, everyone involved with the race team, and both the team’s and my personal sponsors, have all been so supportive. I haven’t come across anyone who’s been bitter about it, which has been awesome.

Townley will remain involved with Carlton Dry Honda Racing in 2013.

There are obviously no bad feelings within the team as the press release announced you’re going continue working with them. What exactly will your role be?

No, there’s no bad blood at all. It’s all still really fresh and as Honda and all their supporters have been committed to me, I’m definitely keen to continue being involved with the team. I think I can bring a lot to the table in a mentoring role for both Ford Dale and Josh Cachia, who are two great riders with a lot of potential.

That’s the first thing we’ve discussed and from there we’ll look at more options. It’s so fresh that nothing is set in stone right now, but I am really grateful that the team and my friends and family gave me have the opportunity to announce my retirement first before anyone else broke it.

So many people have asked me what’s next, but I have no idea what the future holds. Like a lot of pros I left school at 16 to take the opportunity to race overseas, and 12 years later I’ve learnt how to be an athlete and, but I’ve done little else. It’s no different from anyone who retires from a profession at a young age, but this is going to be new, uncharted territory for me. It’s scary and exciting at the same time.

So let’s put it out there. You’re only 28 and there’s still plenty of racing left in you. You’re not going to become the John Farnham of motocross and retire multiple times are you?

I have no idea who John Farnham is [laughs]!

Okay, Split Enz then!

[Laughs] okay, I get it now. As of right now I’m closing the door on being a professional racer and competing at an international level. I’m not giving up riding for fun, I want to ride on any given Sunday and be involved in motocross for the rest of my life, just as my family has been.

Nothing will change there and people will probably see me pop up at more races than ever, but not at that level I’ve been racing at. There are some select international events I would love to have a go at in the future that I haven’t been able to do in the past because of contract restrictions.

No doubt you’ve received a heap of messages of support from fans around the world. Has that helped or made the decision harder to deal with?

I’ve been overwhelmed by the messages of support I’ve received from people on social media. They mention certain events and races that stood out to them and it’s been neat reading those. I’ve got a terrible memory, but reading these memories of other people from all over the world sparks something in my memory and it’s been great to reflect on.

BT flying high aboard the Honda CRF450R earlier this year.

You’ve always said you had unfinished business in the USA. How did you make peace with that?

I’ve been honest and vocal that I wanted to use a successful Australian season to launch me back into either in Europe or the USA. I can sit here and honestly say I haven’t made peace with that in the last 10 days. On the other hand I don’t want to be in the position where I have to fight my way back from another injury and that draws the line in the sand for me. All I can do is close the door and get on with the next chapter of my life.

The way you talk about your international career and the championships you won, it’s obvious you reflect fondly on your time racing against the world’s best.

International racing is like a drug. I’m as clean as they come as far as drug use goes, but if winning against the world’s best racers is what drugs feel like, I can see how addictions happen.

Those are the key moments you grab a hold of when you’re getting back on the horse or when you’re in the middle of a hard training session and you want to give up. You think about those great moments and how you want to experience that again. One of the hardest things to accept is that isn’t going to be my drive any more.

Do you have any regrets?

That’s a tough one. Looking back on my life over the past few weeks there are some things that I wish had panned out differently. At the time I believe I made the best decisions and that’s one thing I’m proud to say is that if I’ve gone about something I’ve given it 100 percent effort. It’s hard to say if there are regrets because I don’t want to look back on life in that way.

I said to Lucy [Ben’s wife] yesterday that it’s weird ending like this. I’d have loved to have ridden my bike into the shed and walked inside with a big smile on my face and say ‘I’ve just ridden my last practice’. This isn’t the fairytale ending I was hoping for, but I have two great kids, a beautiful wife and I live in the best country on earth.

I have a lot of great things going on and I’ve enjoyed a great career and some amazing experiences. Taking that opportunity to race in Europe as a 16-year-old gave me a life most people can only dream of and it’s been an awesome ride.

Well, the sport of motocross is going to be poorer for your absence behind the gate, bro. Thanks for everything and we look forward to catching up with you in your new role at Raymond Terrace.

Thanks, mate. See you then.

Townley remains uncertain what the future holds, post-motocross. Image: Simon Makker/Makkreative.