Slaw
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s RJ Hampshire will make his long-awaited 450 Class debut this Saturday as the Pro Motocross Championship kicks off at Fox Raceway.
Since turning pro full-time in 2015, the Florida native has competed exclusively in the 250 division, capturing the 250SX West Championship in 2024. Hampshire finished third in the 250SX East Division in 2025 following a hotly contested title fight with eventual champion Tom Vialle and Seth Hammaker.
Following the Monster Energy AMA Supercross season finale in Salt Lake City, Hampshire underwent wrist surgery to remove a previously installed plate. The team described the procedure as “minor,” noting the surgeon was confident it would alleviate the lingering pain Hampshire experienced during the Supercross season.
Hampshire originally sustained a perilunate dislocation and fractured scaphoid just days before the 2024 Pro Motocross opener. He re-aggravated the injury during the off-season, which required surgery.
“My surgery wasn’t a small one—they had to take the screw out, put a plate in, and basically restart the whole process we began back in June,” Hampshire said earlier this year.
Despite the injury, Hampshire will debut in the 450 Class this weekend.
“Moving from a 250 to a 450 is a pivotal moment in any racer’s career, and I’m excited to be making that transition for the outdoors with the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team,” Hampshire stated. “I’ve always enjoyed riding a 450, and now I finally get the opportunity to race one full-time. We’ve been putting in the work to make the transition as smooth as possible, and I’m feeling confident and ready for the season to kick-off. After the way the Supercross championship ended, I’m more motivated than ever and ready to embrace the grind this summer.”
“RJ’s season took a different path due to his injury and off-season surgery, but he showed his resilience by jumping into the East Coast series and giving it everything he had,” said team manager Nathan Ramsey. “Watching him battle through to the very end in Salt Lake was a testament to his determination. Now, as he makes the exciting move to the 450 Class for outdoors, it’s a special moment for all of us at Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing to be a part of his journey from 250s to the 450. Although he recently had a minor procedure to remove the plate from his wrist, we’re confident in the medical team’s assessment and believe he’ll perform at the high level we all expect. We’re fired up to get the Pro Motocross season started and can’t wait to see what these two 450 boys will deliver on the track.”
Main image: Husqvarna
