Eyes on 2025 SuperMotocross

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's Ryder DiFrancesco scored a well-earned podium finish in the 250SX West Main Event at Anaheim 2 tonight, marking Round 3 of the 2026 AMA Supercross Championship inside Angel Stadium. DiFrancesco began the day in positive fashion on the technical and rutted track layout in a continuation of his early SMX World Championship form, qualifying fourth on combined times and quickly dialing in his Husqvarna FC 250 Factory Edition ahead of the night program. The 20-year-old remained competitive in his Heat Race, racing to a second-place result in front of his home fans in Southern California to secure a strong gate selection and a direct transfer into the Main Event. Starting just outside the top-five, DiFrancesco delivered an inspired performance throughout the Main Event, unwavering in his pursuit of the 250SX podium. A late-race pass for third place earned him a P3 finish and a valuable points haul toward the championship, in which he now sits fourth overall following a second podium of the year. “I’m really happy with my A2 result and how I charged through the Main Event,” reflected DiFrancesco. “I started around eighth and worked my way up to third place, which is a confidence-booster in being able to climb from the mid-field. I found some good lines tonight while I was coming through the pack and I knew that if I could be there toward the end of the race – and nail the three, three, after the whoops – that I could get close and make a pass for the podium. I'm glad that I proved to myself that I can start mid-pack and still land on the box, and now I'm ready for the Triple Crown next weekend!" Full-time 450SX newcomer RJ Hampshire showed pace from the outset at A2, powering his Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Edition to third position in 450SX qualifying with a 1:00.496 lap-time, before backing it up with a consistent sixth-place result in his Heat Race after charging to the holeshot. The Floridian described Anaheim 2 as a significant step forward from the opening two rounds, battling inside the top-10 throughout the Main Event and ultimately claiming a hard-fought ninth-place finish, along with important experience in his maiden premier class campaign. “A2 was a massive step forward,” commented Hampshire. “I had my best qualifying in P3. The team has been working really hard to get me comfortable, and I think we have found something now, which we just need to keep getting familiar with. My starts were great today – both of them – my Heat Race wasn't an ideal finish after holeshotting, but I wasn't too down about that, because running up front is a big learning curve for me right now. I know I can get there, it's just about stacking these performances up, and a top-10 at Anaheim 2 is a good place to build from." Still recovering from his Anaheim 1 incident, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Stewart continued to push through the pain of a fractured scapula at A2, guiding his Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Edition to a fifth-place finish in his Heat Race. In a gritty Main Event performance, the 33-year-old ran sixth through the opening stages of the race, before eventually crossing the finish-line in 12th position, banking a solid amount of championship points as the season progresses. “I was feeling so-so at A2,” said Stewart. “We finished just outside the top-10, but we were well in the fight during the race – that group I was in was battling hard! It's a lot to ask for in the position that I am in, but all I can do is continue to keep building. I got off to a great start and put myself in the best position to hang in there, but the reality is that we're dealing with an injury, and we hung in there as long as we could. Mentally, I'm walking away with my head high, because it was good to race those guys and we'll continue to build from here." Next Race: January 31 – Houston, Texas Results 450SX Class – Anaheim 2 1. Chase Sexton (Kawasaki) 2. Hunter Lawrence (Honda) 3. Eli Tomac (KTM) 7. Jorge Prado (KTM) 9. RJ Hampshire (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) 12. Malcolm Stewart (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) 15. Justin Hill (KTM) 22. Aaron Plessinger (KTM) Standings 450SX Class 2026 after 3 of 17 rounds 1. Eli Tomac, 70 points 2. Hunter Lawrence, 62 3. Chase Sexton, 57 9. Jorge Prado, 41 11. Aaron Plessinger, 27 12. RJ Hampshire, 27 15. Malcolm Stewart, 22 Results 250SX Class – Anaheim 2 1. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha) 2. Michael Mosiman (Yamaha) 3. Ryder DiFrancesco (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) Standings 250SX Class 2026 after 3 of 10 rounds 1. Haiden Deegan 68 points 2. Michael Mosiman, 59 3. Max Anstie, 58 4. Ryder DiFrancesco, 55

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing recorded a solid points night at Round 2 of the 2026 AMA Supercross Championship in San Diego, with both Malcolm Stewart and Ryder DiFrancesco achieving top 10 results, and 450SX newcomer RJ Hampshire showing signs of progress, at a sold out Snapdragon Stadium. Western division 250SX contender DiFrancesco began the day well on the fast-paced track layout, qualifying third on combined times and dialing in his Husqvarna FC 250 Factory Edition from the outset in warm conditions. In his Heat Race, the 20-year-old was again competitive throughout the duration, claiming a fifth-place finish that saw him take a direct transfer into the night's 250SX Main Event and looking to continue last weekend's podium form. A tough start to the Main Event saw DiFrancesco classified well outside the top 10 as the gates dropped, leaving the popular Californian with a lot of work to do throughout the race. In impressive style, he would charge forward, climbing to seventh position by the time the checkered flag flew, and limiting the damage toward his title chase. After San Diego, Ryder D is currently ranked fifth in the 250SX West standings, only eight points outside of the lead as the series returns to Anaheim next weekend. “San Diego was good!” reflected DiFrancesco. “I qualified really well, we were all so close on the leaderboard between the top-three, so my speed is really not a problem. I just need to work on putting myself in a better position from the start, but I feel like everything is coming together. My endurance and mental side are solid, so we’ll be aiming for some more podiums and wins as the season continues.” After overcoming his incident at Anaheim 1 just one week ago, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna's Malcolm Stewart made a gritty return to racing at Snapdragon Stadium, battling soreness as he took his Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Edition to the 13th-fastest qualifying time. The 33-year-old was again impressive in his Heat, racing to a sixth-place finish while managing his shoulder injury. Consistent laps saw Stewart complete the race with a well-earned 10th-place result, with continued recovery the priority as he and the team look forward to Anaheim 2 next weekend. “First things first, I’m stoked to be out here racing,” said Stewart. “We had a big one last Saturday night, and then did a bunch of therapy during the week to be able to line up in San Diego. Practice went okay even if I was really sore, and then the Heat Race was decent, but all-in-all, I just geared myself up for the Main Event. I did everything I could and I am really proud to say that P10, honestly, means a lot to me. I rode my own race, which I’m happy with, and these next few weeks are going to be tough, but we’ll do some more therapy and then get ready for A2.” Following a promising week of testing onboard his Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Edition, Hampshire arrived in San Diego with added confidence as the Florida native continued his first full season in the 450SX class by qualifying seventh. The 29-year-old then showed more speed throughout the round, running up front in his Heat Race before a minor fall resulted in a P7 finish. In the Main Event, Hampshire started just outside the top 10 in the opening laps before battling through the race to finish 12th, continuing to build experience in his maiden premier class campaign. “I felt a lot better on the bike this weekend,” commented Hampshire. “We made big improvements as a team during the week, even if tonight’s result doesn’t really reflect that. I had better speed and it’s just about putting it all together now – getting stronger, completing the laps, and I think we’ll continue to grow. We’ll aim for a solid result next weekend. We’re not close to where we can be, so we’ll keep pushing to be better over the next few rounds. Thanks to the team for all the work they've been putting in.” Next Race: January 24 – Anaheim, California Results 450SX Class – San Diego 1. Eli Tomac (KTM) 2. Hunter Lawrence (Honda) 3. Ken Roczen (Suzuki) 7. Aaron Plessinger (KTM) 10. Malcolm Stewart (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) 12. RJ Hampshire (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) 13. Jorge Prado (KTM) Standings 450SX Class 2026 after 2 of 17 rounds 1. Eli Tomac, 50 points 2. Ken Roczen, 42 3. Hunter Lawrence, 40 8. Aaron Plessinger, 27 9. Jorge Prado, 26 15. RJ Hampshire, 14 16. Malcolm Stewart, 12 Results 250SX Class – San Diego 1. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha) 2. Cameron McAdoo (Kawasaki) 3. Michael Mosiman (Yamaha) 7. Ryder DiFrancesco (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) Standings 250SX Class 2026 after 2 of 10 rounds 1. Haiden Deegan 43 points 2. Max Anstie, 42 3. Chance Hymas, 38 5. Ryder DiFrancesco, 35

Championship leader opens 40-point advantage after three rounds