Strong points night for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing at San Diego Supercross

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

1. Eli Tomac (KTM)

2. Hunter Lawrence (Honda)

3. Ken Roczen (Suzuki)

7. Aaron Plessinger (KTM)

13. Jorge Prado (KTM)

1. Eli Tomac, 50 points

2. Ken Roczen, 42

3. Hunter Lawrence, 40

8. Aaron Plessinger, 27

9. Jorge Prado, 26

1. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha)

2. Cameron McAdoo (Kawasaki)

3. Michael Mosiman (Yamaha)

1. Haiden Deegan 43 points

2. Max Anstie, 42

3. Chance Hymas, 38