Austin Forkner has announced his retirement, effective immediately. In a seventeen-minute clip, available below, he detailed many reasons for his decision; Forkner cited an arm issue that's spanned five years (and explains his crash in Houston this year), the mental impact of his fall in Arlington in 2024 and a chain of events that occurred afterwards.

Forkner finished in the top five for the last time at the first SMX World Championship playoff last year, Charlotte. The final podium and win of his career was in Detroit's Ford Field in 2024. Forkner can look back on 28 250SMX podiums and 14 victories with fondness.

Forkner spent nine years with the Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki team before a year and a half with the Triumph Factory Racing team.