Husqvarna Factory Racing rider is focused on final hard enduro rounds

It wasn't Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's day at Texas Motor Speedway in Playoff 2 of the SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX), but the countdown is on for the Las Vegas SMX Final next weekend, where the team hopes to finish season 2024 on a strong note. 450SMX saw Malcolm Stewart ride his Husqvarna FC 450 Rockstar Edition to P9 in qualifying and then he was 11th in Moto 1 after recovering from a bad start. Improved track position in the early stages of the second moto was short-lived when he was caught up in an incident, going on to claw his way back to 17th. That placed him 13th overall in Fort Worth and he's now ninth in the standings.
"Fort Worth was definitely a warm one!"   Stewart said.   "We tried everything we could to be up there with the guys this weekend. First one, I had a bad start and that was on me, so by the time you recover it's tough. In the second moto, it was a really good start, but I locked handlebars with another rider – just a racing incident. I need to take what I learned with that start and try to apply it in Vegas. With triple points on the line, there's a lot to be made up yet. We'll dig deep and try to get this bike up there toward the front! We'll have a really great week and end this thing on a good note."
Texas was also up-and-down for teammate Christian Craig, racing forward to 10th in the first race, but he was caught up in early drama at the start of Moto 2, and then went down in the latter stages. That meant he had to settle for 18th at the finish, which resulted in 14th overall. Craig sits 12th in points, well within reach of the top 10 with the SMX Final to pay triple points next Saturday evening.
"Today was challenging, for sure,"   Craig explained.   "The track was super-basic, but the dirt made it tough. Qualifying was decent and then the first moto was alright as well, but in the second moto, I got caught up in the second turn, so had to come from behind. I made some passes, but then went down pretty hard, and my elbow did not feel good after that. I did what I could from there, so it was frustrating – we'll see what we can do next week."
A sixth-place score in 250SMX Moto 1 marked a solid start for RJ Hampshire at Texas Motor Speedway, before he was able to challenge inside the top three during the second outing. Unfortunately, the Husqvarna FC 250 Rockstar Edition rider crashed out soon afterward, ending his weekend prematurely. After being credited 15th overall, Hampshire is now ranked 13th in the championship.
"It was a tough weekend,"   Hampshire commented.   "First moto, I felt pretty good, and it was decent. Second moto, I was running third, but slid off the face of the triple and went too far right into the tuff blocks. It was disappointing to end the weekend like that obviously, but my pace was good again today and that is a positive to take out of Texas." Next Race:  September 21 – Las Vegas, Nevada (SMX Final)

Results 450SMX Class – SMX Playoff 2
1. Hunter Lawrence (AUS), Honda
2. Chase Sexton (USA), KTM
3. Jett Lawrence (AUS), Honda
7. Aaron Plessinger (USA), KTM
12. Justin Barcia (USA), GASGAS
13. Malcolm Stewart (USA), Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
14. Christian Craig (USA), Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing

Standings 450SMX Class 2024 after 2 of 3 rounds
1. Hunter Lawrence, 90 points
2. Chase Sexton, 89
3. Jett Lawrence, 81
5. Aaron Plessinger, 62
9. Malcolm Stewart, 48
12. Christian Craig, 34
14. Justin Barcia, 33

Results 250SMX Class – SMX Playoff 2
1. Haiden Deegan (USA), Yamaha
2. Tom Vialle (FRA), KTM
3. Jo Shimoda (JPN), Honda
5. Julien Beaumer (USA), KTM
7. Pierce Brown (USA), GASGAS
13. Ryder DiFrancesco (USA), GASGAS
15. RJ Hampshire (USA), Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing

Standings 250SMX Class 2024 after 2 of 3 rounds
1. Haiden Deegan, 100 points
2. Tom Vialle, 81
3. Levi Kitchen, 78
5. Julien Beaumer, 69
7. Pierce Brown, 56
12. Ryder DiFrancesco, 39
13. RJ Hampshire, 36
26. Casey Cochran, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 4

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's RJ Hampshire set the pace in 250SMX qualifying at Playoff 1 in the 2024 SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX), on a day where results didn't match the potential of all three active team riders when the final checkered flag flew. Hampshire was exceptional on Saturday morning at Charlotte's zMAX Dragway in qualifying his Husqvarna FC 250 Rockstar Edition fastest on combined times. This year's AMA Supercross 250SX West Champion was then racing toward the front of the pack in Moto 1, until a crash cost him any chance of a podium finish, and he remounted for P10. Moto 2 saw RJ claim eighth, which placed him ninth overall and he now sits P10 in the series.
"Today started off really good, qualifying fastest,"   Hampshire recalled.   "In the first moto I made my way into second, but caught a rut in the rhythm, which shot me left, into the tuff blocks and the barrier. That kind of messed my day up, but we fought through it for 10-8 finishes and ninth overall. We'll keep getting better this week and try to land on the box in Dallas."
Charlotte marked Malcolm Stewart's first-ever SuperMotocross start on the unique hybrid track layouts, going on to earn seventh overall. The Husqvarna FC 450 Rockstar Edition rider qualified in seventh and then registered 8-7 scores for seventh overall, which also positions him P7 in the 450SMX standings to commence the post-season.
"Charlotte was fun and this was my first time racing SuperMotocross,"   Stewart commented .  "First moto we were P8 and then second moto seventh, so that placed us seventh overall and it was a great start for us. I'm learning the bike in this format and we'll take what we learned into Texas and keep building. Huge shoutout to the whole Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing crew – we've been pushing hard all season and I look forward to the next couple of weekends."
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 450SMX teammate Christian Craig also lined up in the SMX playoffs for the first time at the North Carolina venue. A crash and further trouble in the opening encounter meant he finished in 20th, before managing to rebound in Moto 2 with a ninth-place score, and that put him 14th overall.
"The day started off pretty good,"   Craig said.   "Qualifying was decent and I was riding not bad. First moto, quarter of a lap in, I went down and got hit in the back of the head pretty hard, so had to make my way back up, but got a tuff block cover stuff in my back brake pedal and I had to stop to get that out. I regrouped for the second main, got a decent start, and was in the mix for a little bit to end up ninth. It wasn't my best ride, but all in all, we'll regroup and get ready for Texas next week."
On return from injury in Charlotte for the 250SMX post-season, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's Casey Cochran unfortunately crashed in the opening qualifying session this morning and was unable to continue for the remainder of Playoff 1. Next Race:  September 14 – Fort Worth, Texas (SMX Playoff 2)

Results 450SMX Class – SMX Playoff 1
1. Jett Lawrence (AUS), Honda
2. Eli Tomac (USA), Yamaha
3. Chase Sexton (USA), KTM
7. Malcolm Stewart (USA), Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
8. Aaron Plessinger (USA), KTM
14. Christian Craig (USA), Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing

Standings 450SMX Class 2024 after 1 of 3 rounds
1. Chase Sexton, 45 points
2. Jett Lawrence, 41
3. Hunter Lawrence, 40
6. Aaron Plessinger, 32
7. Malcolm Stewart, 30
12. Christian Craig, 18
17. Justin Barcia, 13

Results 250SMX Class – SMX Playoff 1
1. Haiden Deegan (USA), Yamaha
2. Julien Beaumer (USA), KTM
3. Levi Kitchen (USA), Kawasaki
5. Tom Vialle (FRA), KTM
9. RJ Hampshire (USA), Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
12. Pierce Brown (USA), GASGAS
14. Ryder DiFrancesco (USA), GASGAS

Standings 250SMX Class 2024 after 1 of 3 rounds
1. Haiden Deegan, 50 points
2. Levi Kitchen, 42
3. Tom Vialle, 37
5. Julien Beaumer, 35
7. Pierce Brown, 26
10. RJ Hampshire, 22
12. Ryder DiFrancesco, 21
20. Casey Cochran, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 4