Image: Jeff Crow.

Husqvarna Motocross Racing Team manager Craig Anderson has confirmed Queenslander Brock Winston quit the factory-supported effort midway through the Raymond Terrace MX Nationals round, amidst allegations that Anderson had offered to pay a rival rider to take Winston out.

It’s understood that relations between last year’s MX2 number three Winston and 12-time national champion Anderson had broken down in the weeks leading up to round eight, with Winston officially exiting the team prior to moto three on Sunday.

“Brock has quit the team and it has ended pretty bitterly,” Anderson confirmed to MotoOnline.com.au late on Tuesday afternoon. “I don’t wish bad for him, I wish him all the best and I hope that he achieves what he is looking to in his career.”

Controversy broke out at Raymond Terrace when former Craig Anderson Racing rider Kade Mosig (DPH Motorsport Yamaha) clashed with Winston during moto one, with Anderson later making a light-hearted statement regarding the incident to Mosig while discussing the contact made.

That comment – along the lines of paying $100 for such an incident – quickly spread and was later taken out of context via social media channels according to Anderson, who apologised for his actions, but maintains no malice was intended in the conversation with Mosig.

“It wasn’t like I was ever going to go and pay someone money to go and take him out,” Anderson explained. “It was a tongue-in-cheek comment, a joke between Kade and I, as I’ve known him since he was 15 years old. I should have watched what I said and that was my mistake, but there was never intent of making it happen. It got blown out [of proportion] big time.”

Since the incident an investigation has been actively taking place by MX Nationals promoter Williams Event Management (WEM) and a statement is expected to follow. Neither Winston or Mosig have been contactable for comment on the saga this week.

Winston’s departure from the Husqvarna team leaves Anderson on the search for a replacement MX1 rider at the final two rounds of 2014, and it’s also been confirmed that Daniel McCoy won’t finish up the season as the team’s MX2 entry after just two appearances while recovering from a fractured back.

“I should know more regarding the MX1 rider this week,” Anderson added. “Nick Sutherland is still on the team with us as the MX2 rider and recovering from that knee injury, and so is Egan [Mastin] in MXD obviously.

“McCoy was straight up front with me, his back isn’t 100 percent and he said ‘look, it’s costing me a lot of money to actually go racing’. He is going back to work doing his coaching, getting his back stronger and maybe he will be back for supercross. There was no argument or infighting.”

It’s anticipated that Anderson’s Berry Sweet-backed operation will retain the factory Husqvarna program for a second-consecutive season in 2015.