Luke Neese: Injury Comeback, Realities of Racing, and Arenacross

We caught up and had a long conversation with North Carolina’s Luke Neese to discuss the gnarly pelvis injury that sidelined him for the entire 2024 SuperMotocross World Championship season.

Despite the tough recovery, Luke is back on track, making a strong return to racing in the Red Line Oil Arenacross series, where he claimed victory in this past weekend’s Saturday round. But it wasn't easy for him to get back to this point.

Neese opens up about the mental side of racing, the financial challenges of competing in an entire 250 Supercross coast, his plans for the upcoming year, and the crucial role of family support as he navigates both physical and mental hurdles in his comeback.

Can you tell us what happened in April and how the injury occurred?

Luke Neese: It all started about two or three weeks before the East Coast series. I broke my ankle, had surgery, and was working to get back quickly. I managed a couple of days on the bike and decided to try racing Indy’s Triple Crown. It was rough—I could barely ride and ended up doing poorly.

Back at ClubMX the next week, we were finishing up a moto when my bike blew up on the face of a huge Supercross triple. I got catapulted, landing hard on my hip. I knew something was wrong, so Phil Nicoletti and Brandon came over to check on me. They called an ambulance, and I was life-flighted to Charlotte, where doctors found I had shattered my pelvis and broke part of my sacrum.

They tried to stabilize it externally but couldn’t align things, so they did surgery, inserting three plates and twelve screws. Recovery has been slow—I couldn’t put any weight on my left leg for three months. The worst pain came from the incision, where they cut near my core, leaving me with no strength in that area.

And you were there for 5 days. Right?

I spent five days in the hospital, doing physical therapy to make sure I could manage basic tasks on my own. Sitting up was painful due to the incision, so I couldn't lie flat without feeling like it was pulling apart.

Adding to the stress, we had just moved into a new house, so my wife and parents had to handle everything. My dad got me a recliner so I could sleep upright and avoid pulling on the incision.

About two and a half months after surgery, I was cleared to start walking, but two days later, I developed shingles. I’d already been dealing with intense nerve pain in my leg that felt like a blowtorch on my toes. Doctors upped my gabapentin dose, but nothing seemed to work. After the shingles outbreak, the nerve pain gradually improved, though it kept me from doing physical therapy for weeks.

Overall, it was a tough recovery, with one setback after another. Finally, as my incision healed, I could start sleeping in bed again, though the process was a long and miserable experience.

Can you walk me through the process of when you were able to start walking again, begin physical therapy, and work on your recovery? What was your mindset during that time, and how did you progress to the point where you could get back on the motorcycle?

After the injury, I went through a rough time. I’d never had anything this severe, and the longest I’d been out before was 8 weeks. It was especially tough since the injury was caused by the bike, which led to trust issues.

I started working at my parents' campground and helping a friend clear land for a training facility. Then, my sponsor Thunderbolt Racing gave me a Yamaha 450 to ride casually. I wasn’t expecting much, but riding it reignited my desire to race.

I also got back on my Yamaha 250, but riding it felt uncomfortable, and I just couldn’t shake the bad memories. After talking to my sponsors, I decided to switch to Honda, and the relief was instant. I fell in love with the bike, and soon after, I was riding Supercross again. That’s when I got serious about returning to racing.

Last year you got a ClubMX ride for the SuperMotocross World Championship rounds, made it through the LCQ’s, and then raced the World Supercross Championship. At that time, did you feel like 2024 was going to be a strong year for you? Also, were you asked to sign with the team for the season leading into Indy?

When Worlds (WSX) and SMX happened, Club helped me a lot, especially with SMX. I got the call for SMX just as World Supercross was put on hold due to canceled rounds. I was riding outdoors to stay in shape, and Club was fully supportive of me doing SMX.

I used my world bike, which was slightly different but still competitive, and was fortunate enough to qualify for all three SMX rounds. In Worlds, I had some decent results like 5th in Abu Dhabi, but ran into issues—like bike problems in Australia and arm pump recovery delays in England.

For Supercross, Club already had riders lined up, so we worked out a side deal where they helped with engine parts, ECU, and got me on a Yamaha quickly. Brandon Haas and the Club team really stepped up, essentially putting me on a Club bike.

Unfortunately, the season didn’t go as planned after my ankle and pelvis injuries. The ankle took longer to heal than expected, and by the time I raced in Indy, I could barely finish a lap. But I’m grateful for Club’s support throughout.

I know one of your best friends, Kyle Peters, had that gnarly neck injury, and he went through a tough time deciding whether he'd be able to race again. I'm sure he was a big help in guiding you through some of your own challenges during your recovery. How did his experience help you during that time?

For sure. Having the same trainer helped a lot. When he injured his neck, he worked with Corey Wolf, the same trainer I have. Corey really helped me with my pelvis injury—he took extra classes to learn how to address it. While he’d dealt with neck injuries before, he’d never worked with a pelvis injury, so he did a lot of research to get me back as quickly and as strong as possible.

I’m still not 100%, but I’m much better thanks to his help. KP has also been by my side, offering support and guidance throughout the process.

How long was it until you actually got back onto a bike?

About 4 months.

During those months, was your physical therapy routine daily, or did you have rest days in between to recover? Were you focused on making up for lost time quickly, or did you take a more relaxed approach to getting back to riding?

I wasn’t in a rush to come back after the injury. Even when I started walking, I wasn’t itching to ride again—it just wasn’t there. I focused on renovating my house, working, and going to the gym. Racing is my job, but I didn’t race much, just one event that barely covered expenses, especially with the medical bills piling up.

On top of that, I closed on a house and got married in October. With no job during Supercross, things got tight financially.

I worked, did physical therapy, and focused on getting my legs and hips strong again. I was on a cane for a while, and it was tough, especially after breaking both my ankle and pelvis. I had no therapy for the ankle, so when I started riding again, it was a process to work through both injuries.

It was a chaotic time—working in an excavator, going to the gym, and occasionally golfing to get out of the house. It was a long recovery, but I made it through.

The mental side of the sport is so tough and hard to come back from a major injury like this.

It's crazy how little people talk about the mental side of the sport. It often looks like everything’s great, but behind closed doors, there’s a lot going on. Motocross is an independent sport—when the gate drops, you're on your own. You have to deal with confidence, self-doubt, and inner demons both on and off the track. Growing up, we see riders on TV and think it's easy, but the sport is tough—especially when you're hurt. Missing time and watching others race is mentally challenging, and that struggle doesn’t get enough focus.

One thing that nobody talks about is the financial side of racing. It’s crazy how little money there is, even when you’re ranked in the top 100 in the country.

For example, in 2023, we spent nearly $90,000 just to do the East Coast Supercross. That's not including prices of dirt bikes. Most privateers aren’t making much, and what we do make just goes right back into racing. I mean, countless hours of, figuring out budgets and stuff. Like, my top sponsor, Red Research Group. I mean, me, him and my dad, we had meetings all the time talking about funds and everything. Just what needs to be done, needs to be done here, and all of it. And it's crazy that nobody knows anything about it. It’s tough, but I’ve been lucky to have great sponsors and a solid support system to help me keep going. It’s just a harsh reality that a lot of people don’t see.

Can you talk about the Redline Oil Arenacross Series, especially since it's in its first year? This year, the TriStar MX series and the Pitbike Moto Championship teamed up to create an East Coast Arenacross series. You competed in the first two rounds in Mississippi and took home wins in both classes on Saturday this past weekend in Shelbyville, Tennessee. What are your thoughts on the series so far, and how do you feel about your riding?

I'm stoked they're putting on the Redline Oil Arenacross Series, especially for East Coast riders since we haven't had a series like this in a while. KICKR did something similar, but it was too far away. I saw it on Facebook right before I got my Honda, sent it to my dad, and we decided to give it a shot. I got the bike two weeks before the first round, rode it a bit, and then went to Mississippi for the opener.

The series has been great, especially for a first-year event. The promoters are open to feedback, which is awesome, and the venues, with bigger arena floors, make for better racing. The tracks have been solid too—Mississippi’s dirt wasn't perfect, but the layout and whoops were good.

The first race in Mississippi was my first race back in almost a year, so I was nervous, but I didn’t have any expectations. I just wanted to race, have fun, and hopefully earn some money. It’s also a good way to get ready for Supercross. The competition’s been strong with guys like Josh Hill, Kyle Bitterman, Gage Linville, and Lance Kobusch showing up, which is great to see.

I know some pros are hesitant with new series because of past issues, but these guys have been spot on with payments and promotion. The crew have done a great job making this happen.

It seems like there are a lot of strong riders showing up, as you mentioned, which I think will be beneficial for you. It gives you a chance to see where you're at compared to those guys who have been racing for a long time. It’s a great starting point for your return to Supercross in a couple of months.

I was pumped for the Arenacross, even in Mississippi. I felt like I was a decent Supercross rider, but I finished 4th and 6th there, which would’ve frustrated me before. This time, I was just happy to be there. I had no expectations for this weekend—just wanted to improve on last week. My dad came with me and joked he’d only go if I won, but I told him I was just focused on getting better.

Friday night went great—I qualified P1 in both classes, won both heats, but then the main events didn’t go as planned. Bad luck hit me hard. In one main, I got tangled with a lapper and ended up finishing last. In the other, I had a scary endo right onto my tailbone, and I honestly thought I might be done for the night. But I got up, saw the red flag, said 'shit,' and decided to line back up. My bike was a mess, but I made it back to second, which I was happy with. Gage won the night, and it was great to see him take the win.

Saturday night was much better for me. The two-night rounds are great because you get a chance to learn the track and dirt on Friday, then come back Saturday knowing what to expect. It's nice to have that chance for redemption!

Back to being a privateer like you were in 2023 and at the start of this year—can you share who some of your sponsors will be, and you'll be on Honda for all of next year, right? Unless a fill-in ride comes up or something like that.

Yeah, I’m still a privateer this year. Still paying for everything out of pocket. My title sponsor, Red Research Group, is still on board, and they’re stoked to see me back on a Honda, which fits well with their logo. I’ve also got Thunderbolt Racing helping me out; they’ve been supporting me for the past three years. Thunderbolt helped me get a factory edition Honda 250, and I’m really excited to ride it.

I’m currently racing my 2023 bike in Arenacross until my 2025 bike is ready. The engine’s done, and the frames are a lot better, especially on Supercross tracks where the rhythms are bigger and deeper. The new 2025 models are really fast, and I’m especially excited to try the Works Edition with the hydraulic clutch. I’m looking forward to seeing how it performs.

Does your dad (Jim Neese) still help you with your mentality and riding, or does he mostly just sit back and offer his opinion when needed?

He’s definitely still a trainer at heart. At Supercross races, Brandon Haas helped me out with videos, but I mostly rely on my wife and dad to record footage, since watching myself ride is tough for a privateer. When my dad’s at the races, I always ask him for feedback because he knows me best. If I’m struggling, he’s the first one I turn to. Having him there to help with bike setup or riding tips is a huge advantage. He’s always been there, and I’m grateful for that.

Future plans..East Coast Supercross, Yeah?

Yeah. I'll be running the East Coast series.

And, are you gonna try to run as many of these Red Line Oil Arenacross races as you can?

I'm not sure yet since they haven't posted the points breakdown. I know some riders, like Bitterman, won’t be at the North Carolina race, so I’m hoping to do well and take the points lead in both classes, especially in 450. If the end-of-year payout is good, I might skip the first two East Coast rounds to focus on the points. If the payout isn't much, I'll probably skip the last two Arenacross rounds and start the East Coast series instead.

Have we thought about outdoors for next year, or just focused on those two racing series at the moment?

I'm mainly focused on Supercross and Arenacross races right now. I had planned to do some outdoors this year, but things didn't quite work out. I’m thinking about doing a few of the closer rounds, but definitely not Southwick—it would be tough on my pelvis. I might do 4 or 5, but my main focus is Supercross and Arenacross, and we'll see where that takes me.