Image: Octopi Media.

TLD Red Bull GasGas rider Pierce Brown is planning his return to Monster Energy Supercross after being sidelined with a minor thumb surgery following a crash at Arlington 1.

It’s been an injury-filled 12 months for Brown, who was forced to sit out the 2020 Pro Motocross season, as well as the opening round of the 2021 250SX West series while recovering from a knee injury.

Upon return, Brown impressed with a career-first podium in Daytona and headed to Arlington with momentum. Unfortunately, a crash in the opening practice session would result in injury and subsequently a small operation to repair his thumb.

After sitting out all three races at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, a three-week break in the series has Brown eyeing a return to action as the series takes to Atlanta Motor Speedway in a few weeks time.

“Surgery went really well,” Brown explained, “I had surgery in Houston on Monday. It went good, just on the mend and recovering now. So far it’s been really good I can move my thumb and everything, so it feels good as new already and hopefully I’ll be back for Atlanta.”

Initially, Brown was concerned he had done severe damage in the incident, but upon further evaluation was relieved to hear there was no major complications with the injury.

“It was actually one of the best-case scenarios for a break that we could have had,” he continued. “I was super stressed out that there would be ligament damage and if that was the case then the timeline for recovery would be through the roof.

“So luckily when the surgeon went in, he checked it out, found out it was a minor fix, got it fixed up, and now we’re almost good to go.”