RJ Hampshire Makes Sturdy 450SX Debut at Daytona, to Race Indianapolis

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RJ Hampshire put in a formidable experience in his 450SX debut. At Daytona Worldwide Speedway in his dwelling state of Florida, the #24 made his skilled premier-class debut because the 250SX West Area stays on break till March 25. After an harm on the Anaheim 2 Supercross, Hampshire podiumed the rescheduled Oakland Supercross after which was given the chance to race an FC 450 for the Rockstar Vitality Husqvarna workforce on the Daytona Supercross. Hampshire stated on Friday’s media day he was “about as near 100%” as he will be. He stated if he’s wholesome, he won’t ever shrink back from racing and was grateful to have the chance to compete on a 450cc machine on the prime stage of the game.

“By no means would have thought I’d be racing a manufacturing facility 450 on supercross. …I’m right here to be taught as a lot as I can,” Hampshire stated.

He delivered strong outcomes all through the day, beginning off with a P5 in general qualifying. Then, within the second warmth race, he holeshot and led all six laps, even holding off a late cost from each Cooper Webb and Chase Sexton on the final lap. In the primary occasion, Hampshire rode dwelling a strong eighth place in his maiden 450SX principal occasion. Afterward, Hampshire stated he would most definitely be again on the FC 450 for the Indianapolis Supercross (which he later confirmed on Tuesday night). Try the #24’s ideas on his maiden premier class race. And look ahead to him once more this weekend.

Racer X: RJ, take us by your first evening on a 450.
RJ Hampshire: Only a enjoyable day throughout. Due to the workforce, actually. There’s not many individuals that may speak their workforce into letting them go racing and have the balls to do it, actually. That’s what it comes all the way down to. I put them on the market tonight. However massive shout out to Murph [Sean Murphy]. Murph was the one that actually had plenty of push behind this, after which we acquired Nate [Ramsey] behind it. Identical with Jen from Rockstar. They had been like, ‘Okay, let’s attempt to make a narrative out of this.’ There’s plenty of hype round, like, ‘Hey, we’re going racing!’ I attempted to not hype it up an excessive amount of. Like, look, we’re simply going to go right here and be taught, attempt to do what we will. I knew the bike was actually good out of the begins and I used to be crushing them, so I used to be like, ‘Man, we’re going to holeshot this warmth race. I do not know the place we’re going to go from there. It’s an enormous query mark, however we’re going to get a holeshot.’ Then I did that, led a couple of laps, after which white flag. I’m like, ‘Oh boy. This may occur right here.’ You’ll see on the final lap I sort of blanked out a bit of bit and OJ’d a 3. Like, ‘Shit, let me pull it again collectively!’ However a strong evening. Stoked. Even on the primary occasion. Yeah, I acquired an eighth, however I used to be proper there with that group. I feel it was a pair seconds forward of me, and I used to be very respectful to the blokes which can be within the factors. I used to be sort of giving it to them a bit of bit, after which each time I did that, two guys acquired me and I used to be like, all proper, regroup. Had Ken Roczen on me. I’m like, “All proper, it’s sort of an enormous deal right here.’ [Laughs] He sort of came to visit a bit and I had the within and I used to be like, ‘I’m holding him up. Let him go.’ So, I checked him a bit there. He acquired me. However, simply stoked on the entire day, actually.



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