An expanded five-rider Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team will take centerstage when the 2024 TremendousMotocross World Championship (SMX) season commences with the AMA Supercross Championship season-opener at Anaheim on Saturday, January 6, led by 450SX duo Malcolm Stewart and Christian Craig, alongside 250SX contenders RJ Hampshire, Guillem Farres and Casey Cochran.
The Nathan Ramsey-managed official Husqvarna Motorcycles U.S. staff can be outfitted with the Husqvarna FC 450 Rockstar Edition and the Husqvarna FC 250 Rockstar Edition, forming a robust basis for all 5 riders to construct upon because the gates drop on what’s a extremely anticipated new season.
In addition to the on-track motion, Rockstar Energy Drink has renewed its dedication as title sponsor of the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team in a multi-year dedication, which can span your entire 31-race SMX sequence. The staff will contest 17 rounds of AMA Supercross, 11 rounds within the AMA Pro Motocross Championship, and a three-round, post-season SMX Finals sequence.
“We’re incredibly excited to extend our partnership with Husqvarna Motorcycles. Over the past 10 years, the relationship with the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team has been more than just a sponsorship and we’re looking forward to continuing to grow together, said Jennifer Kalban, Senior Motorsports Marketing Manager, PepsiCo North America. “The team is as strong as it’s ever been and the 2024 season should be an exciting one.”
Each step of that journey can be documented in Season 3 of the Grit and Grind docuseries, which can proceed to be broadcast on the Husqvarna Motorcycles YouTube channel in 2024. A collaboration between Rockstar Energy and Husqvarna Motorcycles, it’ll as soon as once more present an all-access perception into the season of Stewart, Craig, Hampshire, Farres, and Cochran.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team Manager, Nathan Ramsey, is assured that every one 5 riders can be aggressive throughout subsequent yr’s SMX sequence, decided to iron out any kinks which have confirmed pricey up to now and to make sure that all riders can persistently ship robust ends in 2024.
“2024 is looking good for us, the guys are having a really good off-season, and we are working hard to be ready for the season,” defined Ramsey. “I think that ultimately, we’re going to come out swinging and avoid the major ups and downs and ride it out as steady as possible and put our Rockstar Energy Husqvarna team riders up front. We have looked a lot at things that have cost us or possibly pushed us out of championship hopes in the past, and I think we have highlighted a few of those areas and we are all – the team, the crew, the riders, everyone – committed to correcting those areas and hopefully it works and pays off, because if they are corrected, I think we’re in the hunt, for sure.”
Making a welcome return to Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing can be Stewart, the 31-year-old who was sadly sidelined within the early phases of final season and is in line to choose up the place he left off virtually 12 months in the past. The fan favourite completed a career-high third within the 450SX standings in 2022, now excited to get again behind the gates in a bid to rebuild his kind in a aggressive setting.
“The focus for 2024 is honestly just to get back out there and get my feet wet again,” mentioned Stewart. “2023 was a pretty short-lived year for me, it was kind of more for me to get back going and to finish what I started last year. I was looking really good, A1 was going very well, we had one little incident and we won a heat race, so we had some big flashes, but it just ended too quickly. This is part of racing and things happen, but I have had a really good recovery so far, and training has been going well this off-season with a good group of guys that I’m surrounded with. Everyone has been positive through the whole recovery and I’m glad I locked myself in for another two more years! I really want to win next year and I’m looking forward to getting back into the bunch with the team for the upcoming season.”
Entering his second yr with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, Craig was additionally affected by harm in 2023 however was in a position to return and signify Team USA on the FIM Motocross of Nations (MXoN) in September. At 32, Craig has the will to ascertain himself towards the entrance of the premier class and has been having fun with the pre-season so far.
“I’m feeling pretty good entering another year with the team, so I’m more comfortable, learning everyone around me, and obviously learning the bike more with more seat time,” commented Craig.“I’m coming off a pretty serious injury, so just trying to build back up from that and we’re kind of in the middle of boot camp right now. I am excited for the new year, I need to put in some results, so am very focused and driven for this one. This past season was a big learning year for me, so this time I know what to expect with the training program, riding program, and what the team brings – I need to step up and try to be upfront as much as possible.”
As some of the skilled riders within the 250 Class, RJ Hampshire has his sights firmly set on attaining title success within the new yr. He was runner-up in 250SX West final yr and raced to 3rd place within the inaugural 250SMX standings, now motivated to seize a first-career championship with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing.
“My goal is to definitely try and get a championship,” Hampshire acknowledged. “We’ve been close the last two years in a row, so I’ll just come into the season, take it race-by-race, and build from where were last year. The team has worked really hard to make the bike as good as possible, and there are a lot of improvements already. We were in a good spot last season, so if we can be a bit better this year, I definitely think we can get it done. Supercross was massive for me because I had seven podiums in seven years and then last year I had eight in total, so that was a really big step in my career. The next step is to get the red plate, so that is the goal going into the season. The team has been awesome, there is nowhere else I would rather be, and I just renewed my deal for two more years – it just goes to show how much I believe in this team and how much I believe in myself, because we’ve grown a lot together. They believe in me a lot to go out there and perform also, and I definitely think that this year will be another big step in our relationship.”
For Farres, the prospect to affix Rockstar Energy Husqvarna sees him making ready for his maiden 250SX marketing campaign, wherein the 20-year-old Spanish revelation is trying to develop necessary Supercross expertise in the course of the upcoming season, earlier than turning his consideration outdoor.
“The transition to the Husqvarna FC 250 and the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna team has been really good,” Farres mentioned. “This is my first time ever here in Clermont, Florida, training and first time in California. So far, so good. Everyone has been really welcoming on the team, I’ve been having a good time, and I’m excited for the 2024 season. It’s going to be my rookie season in Supercross, so I am going to focus on staying healthy, being at every round, and improving every day with every lap. I’ve never raced in a stadium before, so I’m sure it’s going to be something new and I’m going to be a little nervous, but hopefully it gets better after the first round.”
Exciting teenage prospect Cochran has graduated to the skilled ranks with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna full-time for 2024, the 17-year-old trying to construct upon the Supercross Futures AMA National Championship that he received in 2023, whereas studying his craft as an expert within the sport.
“It’s my first official pro season, so I’m looking forward to getting out there with the big guys and mixing it up, getting good results,” Cochran commented. “Nothing too extravagant so far, but my goal is to get used to the whole program. It’s a super-cool opportunity because we have worked our whole lives for this deal, this contract, to be on a factory team, so I am super-excited to be here and have a great team around me and ready to get to work. I have always personally liked Supercross better than outdoors, so I am excited to race indoors. I raced Futures last year and that was a good experience, so the more indoors, the better!”