Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing teammates RJ Hampshire and Christian Craig enter the 2023 FIM Motocross of Nations (MXoN) this weekend at Ernee, France, with the honor of representing Team USA on the biggest stage in international motocross.
Both will be debutants in the 76th edition of the prestigious event, in which Team USA managed to earn victory at home last year, with Hampshire onboard his FC 250 in the MX2 division and Craig equipped with the FC 450 Rockstar Edition as the Open class entry.
Recognized as one of the hardest-charging 250 class riders in the sport, Hampshire recently claimed third position in the SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) Finals. The 27-year-old finished eighth in this year’s 250MX point standings in AMA Pro Motocross Championship with multiple moto wins to his credit, despite sitting out the final stages of the series.
“I am really excited to be heading over to France to represent Team USA,” Hampshire explained. “I can’t wait for the experience and am looking forward to meeting fans from all over the world.”
Craig, 32, has had his season largely affected by an injury sustained in the early rounds of the AMA Supercross Championship, however, the opportunity to represent Team USA in the Roger De Coster-managed squad will serve as a special chance to line up once more in 2023. As a result, he’s been preparing with intent behind the scenes since being selected.
“Super-excited to be heading over to France to race for Team USA!” said Craig. “I’ve been doing everything I can these past couple of weeks to be best-prepared for the task and I know my teammates, RJ and AP [Aaron Plessinger] have, too. I’m looking forward to this once-in-a-lifetime experience!”
Set for October 6-8, the 2023 MXoN Opening Press Conference, Ballot, and Teams Presentation will take place on Friday, before bikes are on-track for Practice and the Qualifying Heats on Saturday. A trio of MXoN Races will take center stage on Sunday, where Hampshire and Craig will compete alongside Aaron Plessinger (MXGP) in a bid to lift the coveted Chamberlain Trophy.
Posted on October 6, 2023 by Michael Le Pard
