Shoulder Injury Report
The Supercross race at Reliant Stadium in Houston didn’t go as the Rockstar Makita Suzuki Team had planned. Ryan Dungey stall and finish back in 5th, giving up valuable points to the pursuing Ryan Villopoto.
In the Eastern Regional Supercross Lites class, Austin Stroupe crashed and separated his shoulder in practice before the SX Lites main event.
All season, Austin Stroupe has been consistently smooth and in control of his Suzuki RM-Z250. In Houston the bike was dialed in after the first practice on Saturday and was soaking up on a bumpy and busy track. An unfortunate crash incident in the second practice on Saturday afternoon had Stroupe visiting the Asterisk Mobile Medical unit.
Roger DeCoster says: "Austin is going to go back to North Carolina to get his shoulder looked at by his doctor," Team Manager Roger DeCoster said. "The injury is an AC separation of the second degree. He’ll be out next week, and probably out for the rest of the Supercross season. He has an appointment on Monday, and we’ll find out more then. It was a tough day with Austin getting hurt first and then with Ryan we had an off day."
Separated shoulders are graded according to the severity of the injury and the position of the displaced bones. The degrees are from one to six. Stroupe’s second-degree shoulder separation most likely involves an injury to the AC joint capsule as well as one of the important ligaments that stabilizes the clavicle. The ligament may be partially torn.
Surgery is rarely needed for a second-degree. Icing the injury, resting the AC joint and taking some anti-inflammatory medication maybe in order and hopefully Stroupe will be back riding his bike in near future.
With Stroupe out of the motorcycle race, Christophe Pourcel raced to his fifth SX Lites win of the season. With that win, Pourcel locked up his second straight AMA Supercross Lites Eastern Region Championship.
Eastern Regional AMA Supercross Lites Points Standings
1. Christophe Pourcel, Groveland, Fla., Kawasaki, 159
2. Austin Stroupe, Lincolnton, N.C., Suzuki, 126
3. Justin Barcia, Ochlocknee, Ga., Honda, 122
4. Brett Metcalfe, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Honda, 113
5. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Suzuki, 102
6. Ryan Sipes, Vine Grove, Ky., Yamaha, 91
7. Dean Wilson, San Jacinto, Calif., Kawasaki, 83
8. Kyle Cunningham, Fort Worth, Texas, Honda, 69
9. Martin Davalos, Cairo, Ga., Yamaha, 65
10. Troy Adams, Homosassa, Fla., Suzuki, 58Â
