Image: Octopi Media.

Quad Lock Honda’s Joey Savatgy has indicated that he was ‘not anywhere near ready’ to compete at SMX Playoff 2 in Carson on the weekend, withdrawing during 450SMX moto one and not returning for the final race in Los Angeles.

The 32-year-old defied the odds to claim fifth overall at the post-season opener in Columbus, but later suggested that the muddy conditions had bailed him out, with a dry track proving too difficult to overcome.

“Welp, I knew I wasn’t ready to go racing on a real track,” Savatgy said. “[The] mud bailed me out last week. I tried, but I’m just not anywhere near ready – sorry team.”

Savatgy qualified 18th on the 450 timesheets at Dignity Health Sports Park, before circulating at the rear of the field in moto one and ultimately withdrawing after 10 laps. He would not line up for moto two.

While the pain all but rules him out of this weekend’s SMX finale in Missouri, it also casts doubt over his participation in both the World Supercross Championship (WSX) and Boost Mobile AUSX Supercross season.

Savatgy was initially due to contest WSX for Quad Lock Honda, but was replaced in the line-up by Dean Wilson at Calgary, who is now also under an injury cloud after sustaining a broken shoulder in a practice incident.