Jake Moss Injured

SuperX star Jake Moss out for the season with spinal injuries

Australian Supercross star, Jake Moss has been dealt a huge blow with the talented Serco Yamaha rider sustaining serious spinal injuries in a practice crash on the weekend.

Moss fractured his L5 vertebrae in a practice crash at Nowra Moto X Complex on Saturday and after originally being taken to Nowra Hospital was airlifted to the Royal North Shore Hospital Spinal Unit to undergo further treatment. The 2007 Australian Motocross Pro Lites Champion now faces eight weeks in traction in hospital with doctors predicting the YZ250F rider will make a full recovery in the New Year.

Serco Yamaha Team Principal, Gavin Eales said while it is bitterly disappointing Moss, who was leading the 2008 Super X Lites Championship, will miss the remainder of the season the team is more concerned with the 20-year-old recovering from the serious injury. "While Jake’s [Moss] injuries are serious you have to take time to think about the positives and that is that he is going to walk again. According to the experts he was within a millimetre of damaging his spinal cord and while his recovery will take some time he will be back on the bike again," Eales said.

"When Jake joined Serco Yamaha he was a young rider with a lot of talent. Over the last three years he has grown to not only be an Australian Champion but also a vital part of the Serco Yamaha family and as a result he will always have a place here with us."

With Moss out, Eales has brought forward the induction of Kirk Gibbs into the team with the young South Australia set to pull on the Serco Yamaha jersey at this weekend’s fourth round of Super X at Parramatta Stadium. "Kirk [Gibbs] was set to join the team in 2009 and with Jake [Moss] and Robbie [Marshall] both out with injury Team Seven Fly Yamaha team boss, Mark Haughton released Kirk early to allow him to compete with us for the remainder of this season," Eales said.

"Kirk [Gibbs] is very similar to Jake [Moss] – he is a great young kid with a lot of potential and we believe that we can help him win his first Australian title as a senior."

For Gibbs it is a dream come true with the 19 year old first bursting onto the racing scene as a junior where he won numerous state and national titles, including a top three finish in the 2007 Australian Under 19s Championship. "It is going to be a real eye opener to be part of the Serco Yamaha team and at the end of the day I know working with the team is going to make me a better rider," Gibbs said. "I’ve spent a bit of time getting to know the guys over the last few weeks and they are simply a great team who would do anything for each other. I also can’t wait to make the move to Brisbane where there are more tracks and also the opportunity to ride with the boys on the East Coast which is only going to help me improve further."

Yamaha Motor Australia Motor Racing Manager, Ray Howard said the situation was bitter sweet for the manufacturer. "Nobody within in the industry ever wants to hear about a rider sustaining a serious injury and our thoughts go out to Jake and the Moss family as he embarks on what is going to be a lengthy and challenging recovery," Howard said. "While it is under unfortunate circumstances it is great to welcome Kirk [Gibbs] to the Serco Yamaha fold. The young South Australian has shown great speed and talent throughout the year and it will be great see this potential harnessed further throughout the 2009 Motocross and Supercross seasons."