Notice that this column now has a sponsor? That’s right! Troy Dog joined the Blu Cru and you should too! Have you seen the new 2024 models with the special livery? Go look right now! It’s amazing.
Is this the year that RJ Hampshire gets his championship? This is one of the biggest talking points heading into the 2024 SuperMotocross Championship. Hampshire is now considered a veteran in the sport and he’s long had the goal of becoming a champion.
These high expectations aren’t crazy thoughts for anybody that pays attention to this sport. We all can see that Hampshire has had the speed to win races and get on the podium. The issue has been with his consistency and crashing. He’s not afraid to send it.
However, during last supercross season we got to see RJ prove that he has what it takes to put an entire season together. He went 2-2-11-2-2-2-13-1-2 on his way to second in the 250SX West Region behind Jett Lawrence, who is already on his way to becoming one of the best riders to ever do it. I know what you’re thinking, “But T-Dog, he had an 11th and a 13th, he’s still inconsistent.”
My answer to this is that 2023 was another stepping stone and he learned a lot from his mistakes. I truly believe that this will be Hamphire’s best chance at a title and I think he knows that too. He believed that he could beat anybody last season and he was clearly the second best guy in the West. Sure, the Pro Motocross Championship didn’t go to plan for him, but there were reasons for that.
Hampshire told me on the Squad Pod that he was fighting through some serious stomach issues during the outdoors and he also had a concussion at Unadilla. He still managed to finish eighth in the 250MX standings and only raced nine of 11 rounds.
With Jett and Hunter moving up to the 450 class full-time in 2024, the 250 class will be looking for some first time champions on both coasts. The field is deep and most riders think they can win these championships. As we’ve seen in years past, most champions in recent years have gone to veteran riders in the class, save for Jett and Chase Sexton. RJ truly built a strong foundation that he can backup in the new season. He’s coming into the new year on the same team and bike that he’s been riding since late 2019.
Neither coast is going to be a cakewalk, especially out in the West. Riders like Jo Shimoda, Levi Kitchen, Nate Thrasher, and Jordon Smith among others will have something to say. It’s fair to say that we’re entering the new season with more questions than usual in regards to who will take control of the class. Will it be one rider, or will it be many riders taking over the 250s?
We’ll have to see come Anaheim 1, but methinks that RJ Hampshire should have a leg up on the competition based on speed and experience alone. If he can sort out the remaining inconsistencies with his crashing, then he’s going to be tough to beat indoors and out.
24 in 24.
Main image: Husqvarna
Hampshire will wad himself a few times and fail to deliver a championship yet again. He’s a top 5 guy, not a champions guy.