Image: Supplied.

CDR Yamaha Monster Energy’s Luke Clout suffered a broken thumb in Friday night’s Australian Supercross Championship (AUSX) SX1 main event, spelling an end to his 2022 AUSX title aspirations.

Clout was positioned third in the final when he crashed on lap three, before remounting and later coming together with Kyle Webster (Honda Racing) in what was later deemed a ‘racing incident’. He will require surgery on the injury.

“2022 hasn’t been my year, unfortunately,” Clout shared. “I made a mistake early in the main event and then I come together with another rider causing me to go down and break my thumb. It was just a racing incident and it is what it is, but it just tops off how my year has gone and it requires surgery.

“I can’t wait to get myself completely healed and my body back to 100 percent and come out swinging next year! I want to say a big thank you to my team at CDR Yamaha Monster Energy for having my back through this tough year and all my fans that support me, I appreciate you all!”

Clout was also unable to compete in the final round of the World Supercross Championship (WSX) the following night, with the thumb damage adding to the frustrating list of injuries the New South Wales rider has sustained this year – first breaking his leg in ProMX at Mackay and being ruled out of that series from round two, then again crashing out of Cardiff’s WSX opener.

The number four is set to be sidelined for round two of the AUSX championship this Saturday at Adelaide Showground, with CDR tipped to field American WSX team regular Josh Hill as Clout’s replacement alongside Aaron Tanti in SX1. Hill was also part of the team in 2019.

“Right now we are weighing up what we are going to do for next weekend,” CDR Yamaha Monster Energy owner Craig Dack said when asked by MotoOnline. “We’ve got maybe a few surprises and ideas next weekend for Adelaide, round two.”

Despite his run of misfortune, Clout showed promise throughout the AUSX opener on Friday and won his SX1 heat race in the build-up to the main. It appears unlikely that he will return for the final two rounds of the season following surgery.