Motocross

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire raced to a solid top-five score at the opening 2025 SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) Playoff event in Concord, North Carolina, on Saturday, with a hard-fought fifth position in the first 450SMX moto yielding P5 overall for the weekend. Equipped with the Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Edition, Hampshire set the seventh-fastest qualifying time on what was a high-speed layout at zMAX Dragway, before a rapid climb through the pack in the first race saw him take a convincing fifth-place result. Major storms then rolled into the Charlotte area directly after the conclusion of the opening premier class moto, which drew an early end to the day’s proceedings due to a lengthy lightning delay. Those Moto 1 results then determined for the overall in the first of three post-season events, with Hampshire elevating himself to P7 in the standings as a result. “Charlotte was pretty good, I just felt as though I kept growing every time I hit the track,” commented Hampshire. “We were just steadily building, and today was even better than yesterday. The moto was solid, too. I didn’t get a great start, but I stuck to my game plan and clicked off consistent laps to earn a top-five – I’m stoked! That was the goal coming in, so I’m happy to be leaving here with a fifth place and looking forward to St Louis next weekend.” Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing teammate Malcolm Stewart withdrew from racing at SMX Playoff 1 due to an incident on Friday that resulted in lower back pain, keeping him out of the remainder of the weekend. With a week in between rounds, the 32-year-old is aiming to lineup for Playoff 2 in St. Louis next weekend. Next Race: September 13 – St. Louis, Missouri Results 450SMX Class – SMX Playoff 1 1. Jett Lawrence (Honda) 2. Chase Sexton (KTM) 3. Eli Tomac (Yamaha) 5. RJ Hampshire (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) 10. Justin Barcia (GASGAS) Standings 450SMX Class 2025 after 1 of 3 rounds 1. Jett Lawrence, 47 points 2. Chase Sexton, 38 3. Justin Cooper, 36 7. RJ Hampshire, 29 9. Justin Barcia, 25 12. Malcolm Stewart, 20 13. Aaron Plessinger, 14

Kay de Wolf tightened the MX2 title race to just 12 points with a composed 2-2 at the MXGP of Turkey, while teammate Liam Everts fought to a pair of fifths for sixth overall at round eighteen.

Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing lit up round seventeen of the 2025 FIM Motocross World Championship at Arnhem, with Kay de Wolf storming to a flawless 1-1 on home sand; to close the MX2 title chase to within 15 points. Liam Everts backed up his teammate with gritty 4-6 finishes, securing fifth overall and strengthening Husqvarna’s manufacturers’ tally. Returning to the Dutch calendar after the likes of Valkenswaard and Assen, Arnhem proved a brutal showcase of classic sand racing. Deep ruts, bottomless braking bumps, and evolving lines kept riders fighting for every metre on the 1680-metre circuit. With fans lining the fences in force, the atmosphere was charged as local favourite de Wolf chased down vital points in his quest for the red plate. Race one saw de Wolf recover quickly from a mid-pack start. Slicing his way from seventh to third by lap five, he then hunted down Andrea Adamo with a decisive inside-line move. By lap twelve he was into second, and within three laps he had reeled in Sacha Coenen to take the lead in front of a roaring Dutch crowd. Once ahead, de Wolf’s composure shone through as he controlled the tempo, stretching clear to take a commanding tenth moto win of the season. Everts also shone in the opening moto. The Belgian launched out of the gate into third and held strong through the opening half before settling into fourth. Though unable to match the late-race pace of the podium trio, his consistency kept rivals at bay, securing a composed fourth at the flag. Race two delivered another masterclass from de Wolf. Patient in the early laps, he shadowed Camden McLellan before striking on lap five to take over at the front. Despite constant pressure, the Dutchman never faltered, expertly managing the gap as the track grew rougher. With his rhythm never broken, he completed a perfect 1-1 sweep by 1.7 seconds, sealing his second consecutive Grand Prix victory and narrowing Simon Längenfelder’s series lead to just 15 points. Everts again started strongly in race two, briefly running second before settling into sixth. A strong mid-race push kept him in touch with the lead group, but a late fade on the physically punishing surface meant he crossed the line sixth, banking another important haul of points. The weekend’s results dramatically reshaped the MX2 title picture. De Wolf now sits on 768 points - just 15 behind leader Längenfelder (783) with four rounds to go - while Everts holds seventh overall on 538 points, only ten behind McLellan in sixth. The Nestaan Husqvarna squad leaves Arnhem with renewed momentum, the roar of home fans behind them, and everything still to play for in the final run-in of the MX2 World Championship. #1 - Kay de Wolf: “It’s unreal to finally get my first GP win here at home. I’ve been working so hard for this over the past few years, and having just missed out before, to finally make it happen in front of the Dutch fans is incredible. The atmosphere was unbelievable - the crowd alongside the track gave me so much energy, and their support really means the world. Winning both races here makes it even more special. The track was tough and you could never switch off, but I felt strong all weekend and managed both motos the way I needed to. In Race 1 it was all about staying patient before making my move, and in Race 2 I just focused on being smooth and riding my own pace even with McLellan pushing hard. Closing the gap in the championship like this is exactly what we were aiming for - now it’s game on for the last four rounds. A huge thank you to the whole team and everyone who’s been behind me - this one means a lot.” #72 - Liam Everts: “I’m happy with the positives I can take from this weekend. In the first moto I felt really good - running third early and then riding a solid race to take fourth. The second moto was tougher - I had a good start but just couldn’t quite maintain the same pace until the end. Still, two consistent results, good points for the championship, and I know there are things to build on. The team did a great job, and I’m looking forward to pushing again next weekend.” Results - 2025 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round Seventeen: MX2 - Overall: 1. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 50pts; 2. Andrea Adamo (KTM) 40pts; 3. Sacha Coenen (KTM) 40pts; 5. Liam Everts (Husqvarna) 30pts; 6. Simon Längenfelder (KTM) 29pts; MX2 - Moto One: 1. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 35:04.095; 2. Sacha Coenen (KTM) 35:05.494; 3. Andrea Adamo (KTM) 35:07.455; 4. Liam Everts (Husqvarna) 35:29.224; 8. Simon Längenfelder (KTM) 36:04.349; MX2 - Moto Two: 1. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 34:54.495; 2. Camden McLellan (Triumph) 34:56.269; 3. Andrea Adamo (KTM) 35:14.940; 4. Sacha Coenen (KTM) 35:24.901; 5. Simon Längenfelder (KTM) 35:40.099; 6. Liam Everts (Husqvarna) 35:58.230; MX2 - Standings: 1. Simon Längenfelder (KTM) 783pts; 2. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 768pts; 3. Andrea Adamo (KTM) 745pts; 4. Sacha Coenen (KTM) 648pts; 7. Liam Everts (Husqvarna) 538pts; 38. Marc-Antoine Rossi (KTM) 6pts;