Image: Foremost Media.

South Australian icon Brett Metcalfe has been ruled out of the 2023 Fox Australian Supercross Championship (AUSX) ahead of Adelaide’s opening round on Saturday night.

Metcalfe, 39, suffered a grade three tear to his MCL a couple of weeks back and, as a result, will not be fit to contest the three rounds of the AUSX series this year.

“I’ve suffered a grade three tear to my MCL a couple of weeks ago and it’s not in any condition to go racing,” explained Metcalfe. “I’ll still be attending each round with the Penrite GO24 team and supporting our riders at the events and meeting all the fans of supercross in Australia. My focus now is to heal up and get my body healthy in preparation for my 24th and final season of professional racing in 2024.”

Metcalfe’s announcement effectively leaves KTM Group without a marquee-level 450 entry in supercross, as the KTM Racing Team opted for a 250-only focus for the upcoming championship, Raceline Husqvarna Berry Sweet Racing will only field Jack Mather (SX3) and GasGas Racing Team’s Regan Duffy is out with a broken wrist.

Additionally, Boom Racing Fox Husqvarna rider Dylan Wills is sidelined from Adelaide with a broken collarbone and KTM-backed Hayden Mellross will miss at least round one as he recovers from extensive injuries sustained at the Glendale round of Monster Energy Supercross earlier this year.