Motocross: Zach Bell Out For Season
Cycle News Staff | August 23, 2012
After competing in his first two outdoor National Motocross races, 18-year-old Zach Bell will have to sit out the rest of the 2012 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship after suffering an injury to his back at last weekend’s race at Unadilla.
The Georgian, who just turned pro after winning all three motos in the 250 A class at Loretta Lynn’s a couple of weeks ago, fell in the second 250 moto at Unadilla and retired to the pits complaining of pain in his upper back area. Tests later in the week revealed that Bell had suffered compression fractures to both his T3 and T4 vertabrae.
“I came off the track and I really wasn’t hurting that bad,” Bell said. “I really thought it was just a muscle strain or pull. We went home and got some initial x-rays and they didn’t see anything. We had another doctor look the next day and he saw the fractures.”
The injury will keep Bell off his GEICO Honda for quite a while.
“I’ll use a back brace and they say a couple of months of recovery time,” Bell said. “I really don’t feel that bad at all. I want to ride Steel City, but I have to do the smart thing and listen to the medical professionals.”
Doctors expect a full recovery and no surgery will be required.
