Image: Rhys van Slooten.

KTM Newcastle’s Brock McLeary has announced his retirement effective immediately in the lead-up to round three of the 2016 Motul MX Nationals at Broadford this weekend.

McLeary, 18, has been on the rise in Australian motocross and supercross, winning the 2013 Australian Junior Lites Supercross Championship, finishing third in SXD during 2014 and runner-up last season.

“I’m writing this status to let everyone know that I’m moving on from professional motocross and supercross racing,” he announced via social media. “For the last 13 years racing has been my whole life, as a kid there was nothing I wanted more than to race dirt bikes for a living.

“But after all the sacrifices, time and money, training, the highs, the lows and the serious injuries… I’ve come to the realisation that I’ll never get what I want out of life racing a dirt bike.

“Theres nothing I love more than riding my bike and lately I haven’t been having any fun with it, so I feel like its time to move on and just ride for fun – the way its supposed to be. I’m so excited to try new things on and off my bike that racing has held me back from doing!

“This is such a strange thing for me to be writing and it’s going to be a massive change in my life, but I am so excited for whatever the next few years has in store for me. I’ll still see you all around, I’m certainly still going to be super excited to throw a leg over my bike every weekend wherever that may be.”

McLeary’s career has been mixed with positive results and painful injuries as he’s progressed through the ranks, most recently suffering a fractured T7 vertebrae in this year’s pre-season. He’s currently 23rd in the MX2 standings two rounds into the 2016 series.