Photo by: Chase Yocom

Every year we get a new crop of hyped Loretta Lynn’s graduates starting their professional careers off at Anaheim 1, but the top prospect this season, Monster Energy / Kawasaki’s Austin Forkner, went with the road less traveled and jumped into the big leagues for the 2016 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship. The teenager immediately showed everyone why Mitch Payton signed him on, and he closed his freshman season out with four straight podiums, two moto wins and an overall win at the Ironman National finale. In the end, Austin finished fourth overall in the 2016 250MX AMA National Championship points.

While nobody knew exactly what to expect from the rookie heading into Hangtown, expectations were high for the now national number 24 heading into the 2017 Anaheim 1 SX. Pressure is something Austin has been acclimated to for quite some time now, but racing in front of 50,000 screaming fans under the lights of Anaheim Stadium for the first time is a whole other animal. You can race for a decade winning every championship amateur motocross has to offer, but I’ve been told nothing will prepare you for riding into a packed stadium for A1 for your first time.

Austin scored a win at the final round of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship. Photo: CJ Zimmerman
Austin scored a win at the final round of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship. Photo: CJ Zimmerman

In qualifying, I watched Austin for the entire first session, and the kid looked polished on the 250f. He’s aggressive like a Ryan Villopoto but, at the same time, methodical in his approach to SX. He looked comfortable and fast everywhere. Austin wasn’t on top of the leaderboard at all during qualifying at A1, but if you were watching, it was apparent that the kid has elite-level raw SX skills. Austin qualified sixth and later told me, “I’ve never really been that guy that throws down one lap.”

When the gate dropped on Austin’s inaugural heat race he rounded the first turn in second and rode a smart heat race to finish right where he started. Austin kept Rockstar / Husqvarna’s Martin Davalos honest and his Monster Energy / Kawasaki teammate Justin Hill behind him while running the second fastest overall lap time with both 250SX heat races combined. Only Hill had a faster lap and by less than a tenth of a second.

Unlike in his heat race, Austin found himself buried in the middle of the pack when the gate dropped for the main event. Austin quickly got into 7th and looked in a hurry to get to the front, but while charging through the whoops, he got a little too close to his teammate Hill’s rear wheel and got bucked over the bars. “I was about to run into his back wheel, had to brake, and whenever I braked, it threw me forward and I got bucked from the whoop,” Austin explained.

Austin moments before heading out for qualifying at A1. Photo by: Chase Yocom
Austin moments before heading out for qualifying at A1. Photo by: Chase Yocom

Austin remounted in 17th, charged for twenty-minute plus one lap and somehow carved his way up to eighth by the time he crossed the line. While it wasn’t where anyone expected him to be or where he wanted to be, after the night was over he talked about his lessons learned. My favorite quote from talking to Austin about his debut was, “I forgot how aggressive those guys can be at times. I’m going to give it right back to them next time. I’m gonna come in hot, and I don’t care if you run me wide. If you’re in my way, I’m going to move you to make it happen.” That’s a quote from a rookie who is not scared and expects the wins to come. I have a feeling he will not be waiting long.

You can listen to my entire chat with Austin by clicking play below.

Author

Dan Lamb is a 12+ year journalist and the owner of MotoXAddicts.