Image: Foremost Media.

Brett Metcalfe has been cleared of major injury after crashing heavily at Melbourne’s AUSX Open on Saturday night, the former international bidding farewell to a 24-year career in less-than-ideal circumstances.

The Penrite GO24 entry registered 8-8 results across the first finals inside Marvel Stadium, although his night came to a premature end at the beginning of race three when he collided mid-air with Empire Kawasaki’s Luke Clout.

Metcalfe was assisted off the circuit by the Racesafe medical crew, the fan-favourite indicating he suffered a concussion along with rib fractures and a bruised lung as a result of the incident. A CT scan cleared the 40-year-old of further injuries.

“It didn’t quite end the way I would’ve liked [in] my final race,” Metcalfe stated. “I felt like my riding was going good, but anyhow, the last main event didn’t pan out so good. I came out of the first corner with an average start, there was a lot of bar-banging going on but I don’t recall everything.

“The nature of the beast with supercross – things happen so quickly and you can’t react fast enough sometimes – things just happen. I collided with somebody – I don’t even know [who] and we collided in mid-air and I went down – Metty’s on the ground and knocked out for a little bit.

“I’m feeling a lot better today – I’m actually quite sore with two buckle fractured ribs, a bruised lung, and everything else the CT scan cleared. It’s been an awesome 24 years, I appreciate everyone for checking in.”

Metcalfe exits his professional career as a legend of Australian motocross and supercross, with an international career that saw him start in the 2002 125cc Motocross World Championship before moving to America in 2003, where he raced for several factory outfits across a decade of competition on US soil, highlighted by runner-up honours in the 2010 Pro Motocross 450MX championship.

Between 2013 and 2016, the South Australian raced across America and Canada before returning to Australia full-time in 2017, where he has been a mainstay across the domestic championships while remarkably racing into his 40s. Metcalfe is adamant about being a familiar face in the industry.