2020 Tampa Supercross | Blake Baggett Update
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2020 TAMPA SUPERCROSS | COMPLETE COVERAGE
Unless you listened to the 6D Helmets Kickstart Podcast from the 2020 Tampa Supercross, you may not know why Blake Baggett was absent from the 450 Main Event. We talked with the Rocky Mountain ATV-MC/WPS/KTM team at the airport on Sunday morning after the race and asked what kept the Baggett from going to the starting line and they explained that his Heat Race crash caused pain that got worse as the night went on.
Baggett collided with Jared Lesher as the two hopped through the endzone rhythm section, ditched his bike, laid out on the top of a jump, and was run into by Josh Cartwright. The crash was quick and caused chaos for all three riders, but Baggett wasted no time getting back to his KTM 450 SX-F and raced to an eighth-place result at the checkered flag, which was enough to advance him directly into the 450 Main Event.
While in the pit area, Baggett told the team that he felt pain in his back and neck, which got worse when it was time to go to the starting line, and decided it was best to skip the race. Baggett’s DNS came one week after his season-first podium finish in San Diego and the single point scored dropped him to 10th place in the championship standings (he entered the Tampa round ranked seventh in the series).
The team told us on Sunday that it didn’t seem like it will be a serious issue and expected Baggett to be fit for the next race weekend, the 2020 Arlington Supercross. A press release on Tuesday morning by the team further explained the issue and is posted in full below…
Upon crashing with another rider on lap 1, Baggett himself was hit hard by the bike of a third rider resulting in a severe case of whiplash. He would remount and put on an absolutely amazing comeback ride, earning a transfer spot and closing within less than 2 seconds from the 6th place of Anderson.
Unfortunately upon returning to the team hauler after the race, Baggett’s neck and upper back muscles began to spasm and lock up from the whiplash. Within a 20 minutes period, and roughly 15 minutes of the 450 main event gate drop – the muscle spasms and pain had rapidly escalated to a point where Blake could not even hold his head up. After trying everything within the team and Blake’s power, the team made a final decision that it would be both impossible for him to complete the race, and not worth the risk of furthering injury. While at the same time not knowing the extent of what could have also been an already potential injury.
Baggett would return home to see his doctor yesterday, and we are relieved to say that there was not any bone, ligament or tendon damage, nor any injury of that matter past a severe case of whiplash and muscle sprains. As of today, the team and Blake plan to take the week very lightly in order to be ready to battle for the podium at this weekend’s Dallas SX, and round two of this season’s Triple Crown series.
In closing, team owner Forrest Butler had this personal note to add; “On behalf of our team, I would like to take this moment to actually thank and recognize our rider Blake Baggett for what has simply been an amazing streak of SX stats. Upon starting with the team in 2017, up until this past weekend’s 2020 Tampa SX – Blake has amassed 57 straight 450 SX main event starts. And though his main event start streak will reset this upcoming weekend in Dallas, Blake still qualified for the Tampa SX main event, making Blake a perfect 58 450 main event starts, in 58 attempts with his Rocky Mountain – KTM – WPS team. Thank you, Blake, and I know the best is still to come! – FB”
Baggett is currently the only rider on the team, as Justin Bogle is still sidelined due to the concussion he sustained in a high-speed crash at the 2020 Glendale Supercross; a timeframe from Bogle’s return is yet to be determined and it’s likely he will miss the race this weekend in Texas.
