Ford Dale was ruled out of Broadford with a serious knee injury. Image: Simon Makker/Makkreative.com.

Carlton Dry Honda Racing’s Ford Dale could miss the remainder of the Monster Energy MX Nationals, Australian Motocross Championship, after further damaging an existing knee injury at Broadford’s fourth round on Sunday.

Dale was ruled out of the Broadford round when his troublesome left knee was further injured in tricky conditions during the Super Pole session, prompting him to abort the lap early and park his factory CRF450R for the weekend.

Scans this week for the current national MX2 champion confirmed he has ruptured ACL and torn MCL ligaments in his left knee, scheduled to see a surgeon on Thursday, 23 June, to determine the best course of recovery.

Dale has previously undergone three knee surgeries during his career, two in his right leg and one on the left back in 2011. His most recent operation came following Supercross last year.

“I’m going to Brisbane tomorrow to see a surgeon and then I’ll go from there,” Dale told MotoOnline.com.au. “It depends on how tomorrow goes, depending if I get it fixed or if I keep trying to ride on it.

“I’ve had problems all year, the last two weeks it’s been really bad and then it popped out on the weekend in that Super Pole lap. Because I’ve ruptured the ACL and torn the MCL, it’s really unstable and popping out when I stand on the ‘pegs.

“I originally hurt it at the Toowoomba round of Sunny States, but I got physio and it came good again. Every time I aggravated it since then it hurt more and more. Now it’s at a stage where it’s too unstable.”

Dale had been the lone rider to qualify for all four Super Pole sessions contested in 2013 during his return to the MX1 ranks, currently ranked 13th in the standings after sitting out Broadford.

MotoOnline.com.au will have an update on Dale’s future when we get it later this week.