KTM Motocross Racing Team’s Kirk Gibbs will be racing against the clock to be ready for Raymond Terrace’s seventh and eighth stops of the Pirelli MX Nationals in just over a week’s time after a back injury was amplified at the weekend.

Gibbs revealed he was suffering back pain in the lead-up to Conondale on Sunday, which the severity significantly increased as a result of a crash with Jesse Dobson (KSF Ecstar Suzuki) in the opening affair.

Subsequently, the former Australian champion was forced to retire from the weekend and was taken to hospital for further evaluation, where it was only determined yesterday that he has suffered two torn discs in his lower back.

“I had a little bit of back pain last week, so I didn’t really ride too much,” Gibbs explained to MotoOnline.com.au. “In the first race I could feel it getting a bit sore – nothing too crazy – but then Dobson and I came together down the back. I crashed and kind of scorpioned – I tried getting back on the bike, but the pain was getting worse and worse, so I pulled in.

“I went to get checked out, and it wasn’t until yesterday that I found out that I’ve got two torn discs and they’re bulging in my lower back. I’m in a fair bit of pain – I’m working hard and trying to get it better straightaway to be back for Raymond Terrace.

“I’ll just take it day by day, I think it’s something that can be fixed reasonably quick, but I don’t think I’ll get much riding in before the next round.”

Hopeful of a Raymond Terrace return – which will see two rounds hosted over the one weekend – it’s sure be an enduring and challenging effort from Gibbs if he can adequately recover in time.