Image: Jeff Crow.

After leaving the same event in 2015 with no feeling from the neck down, Joel Evans will make an incredible return to racing at this weekend’s 2016 Murray Bridge Motul MX Nationals event in South Australia.

Just 12 months after suffering what could have been a career-ending and life-changing injury, Evans has confirmed he will contest the fourth round of the championship as part of the BBR Yamaha Racing Team in the Motul MX2 category.

“When I initially crashed I couldn’t feel anything from my head down,” said Evans. “At that stage, I didn’t even know if I was going to walk again, so I definitely didn’t think that racing this weekend was ever going to be possible at all.

“I had always planned to come back from when I had made the decision to race again after recovering from my crash. But it wasn’t going to be this year, I wasn’t planning to come back to the MX Nationals until maybe 2017.

“I think that I was hoping for the fairy tale of coming back and being really fast and doing really well, but to get to that speed I need to be racing at the Nntionals and build myself up to that. This opportunity is going to give me the chance to come back and see where I fit in to start with.”

On returning to the circuit where he suffered such a severe injury, Evans remains positive and looks forward to facing the challenge head on with the support of his friends and family.

“To go back and have the chance to face things head on at my first comeback MX Nationals race is sort of like the ideal situation,” he explained. “I’m going to have a lot of friends and family coming to support me too which will be nice.

“I have always really enjoyed the track and I have no bad feelings towards it, It’s just how things went there last year and I’m excited about the race more than anything. I’m keen to get back out there and have some fun.”

Results are not at the top of the priority list for Evans as he will take a steady approach to his return in a no pressure situation with the BBR Yamaha crew.

“I’m just going out there to finish both motos,” he added. “I have no idea where I’m at, I could be top 10, or I could be 30th! The guys on the team have been awesome and have made sure that there’s no pressure, so this weekend is about having fun, enjoying the moment, and in a small way proving that I have overcome my injuries to race again at the top level in my country.”

Evans will replace Aaron Tanti on the BBR Yamaha Racing Team after he sustained ligament damage to his knee. Tanti is expected to return following the mid-season break.