Slaw Dog
Rumors have floated around the paddock for much of the latter half of the Monster Energy Supercross season that Bobby Hewitt was out at Rockstar Energy Husqvarna. The brand finally made it official today: after more than five years together, Husqvarna and HRH Racing, Inc. (Hewitt’s company) “have mutually agreed to conclude their business relationship for the remainder of the 2020 race season and beyond.”
The press release is rather vague and doesn’t offer much, but Hewitt has long been a fixture in the industry. In 2014, Hewitt was approached by Craig Martin of Kawasaki Team Green with a simple plan: build a program where riders could travel together, share the expenses of racing, and have a place to park in the pits at big amateur races. For four years Hewitt would run the Xtreme Team Green Kawasaki amateur program.
In 2008, he jumped to the pro ranks, purchasing the MotoSport Kawasaki program, with MotoSport staying on as title sponsor. After two years with Kawasaki, Roger DeCoster, then with Suzuki, began courting Hewitt to become the factory Lites team for the manufacturer. It’s where Hewitt formed another long-term relationship—with Rockstar Energy Drink.
Following four years of having, then not having, then being partially factory supported by the struggling Suzuki brand, what was now known as Rockstar Energy Racing entered 2014 with different brand: KTM. After a year with KTM, Hewitt took over operations of the Factory Husqvarna team, which was making a return to AMA Pro Racing.
Now that partnership is over. It will be interesting to see if Hewitt lands elsewhere and where Husqvarna goes from here.
Below is the official announcement:
After more than five years of working together, it was announced today that Husqvarna Motorsports, Inc. and HRH Racing, Inc. have mutually agreed to conclude their business relationship for the remainder of the 2020 race season and beyond.
As a result of this new agreement, HRH Racing, Inc. owner, Bobby Hewitt, will no longer serve as Team Manager of the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team. Husqvarna Motorsports, Inc. would like to thank Bobby Hewitt for his commitment to the race team over the past five years and wish him the best in his future endeavors.
Main image: Husqvarna Images
