RJ Hampshire

RJ Hampshire
RJ Hampshire
	RJ in 2021
Nationality	American
Born	26 January 1996 (age 28); Hudson, Florida
Motocross career
Years active	2014-Present
Teams	•Geico Honda (2013-2019); •Rockstar Energy Factory Husqvarna Racing (2020-Present);
Championships
Wins	•AMA 250cc Motocross: 4; •AMA 250cc Supercross: 5;

RJ Hampshire (born 26 January 1996)^[1] is an American professional Motocross and Supercross racer. Hampshire has ridden professionally in the AMA Supercross Championship and the AMA Motocross Championship since 2014. He has been runner-up twice in the AMA Supercross Championship, once in the 250SX West class & once in the 250cc East class.

He currently rides for the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team and represented his country at the 2023 Motocross des Nations.^[2]

Hampshire has one Grand Prix win in the FIM Motocross World Championship which he achieved at the 2017 MXGP of USA as a wildcard in the MX2 class.

Career[edit]

Amateur career[edit]

Hampshire worked his way up the ranks of the American amateur scene, winning the Amateur All-Stars race at the 2013 Monster Energy Cup supercross. Following this, he was signed by the Amsoil Factory Connection Honda team for 2014, where he won two titles at the AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship.^[3]

Professional career[edit]

Following his amateur successes, Hampshire was given the opportunity to race the final three rounds of the 2014 AMA National Motocross Championship in the 250 class for the factory GEICO Honda team.^[4] At the final round in Utah, Hampshire was able to finish tenth overall, with a best result of ninth in the opening race. Hampshire made his professional Supercross debut in the 2015 AMA Supercross Championship by competing in the 250SX East class. He was an immediate top-ten finisher in the opening round before recording his first podium in Indianapolis, on his way to fifth in the final standings for the class.^[5] Hampshire rode the entire 2015 AMA National Motocross season in the 250 class, finishing tenth in the final standings, with fourth overall at the final round being his best result.

Hampshire finished eighth in the 250SX East class standings in 2016, with a best finish of fourth. This was coupled with finishing eleventh in the 250 class of that season's AMA National Motocross Championship. His 2017 supercross season was curtailed after the third round due to fracturing his tibia and fibula in a crash.^[6] This caused him to also miss the opening three rounds of that season's AMA Motocross Championship but he was ultimately able to pick up his first two top three race finishes across the later season. In addition to this, Hampshire competed in the MX2 class of the MXGP of USA in his native Florida as a wildcard. He was able to pull off a breakout ride, winning both races and ultimately taking the Grand Prix overall.^[7]

Hampshire's supercross season would be cut short after the third round for the second season running in 2018. He recovered sufficiently from a fractured back to line up for the entire AMA Motocross Championship for that season, picking up his first professional motocross race and overall wins at the penultimate round.^[8] 2019 would be the final year in Hampshire's stint as a Honda rider. Competing in the 250SX West class for the first time, he managed to race a full supercross season finishing fourth overall and getting two podiums. He was able to match this final position in the 2019 AMA National Motocross Championship, picking up three top-three race finishes along the way but missing out on a podium finish.

After five and a half years aboard Honda motorcycles, Hampshire signed for the Husqvarna's factory team for the 2020 season.^[9] This switch saw Hampshire pick up two podium finishes across the first four rounds of the 2020 AMA Supercross Championship in the 250SX East class. After missing the remaining supercross rounds due to surgery on his knee, Hampshire began the 2020 AMA National Motocross Championship with second overall in the 250 class at the opening round. After winning a race at the second round, he would go on to take the overall win three rounds later in Red Bud. After breaking his hand at the penultimate round, he eventually finished seventh in the final standings.^[10] Hampshire's 2021 AMA Supercross Championship was cut short after just two rounds due to injury. He was able to return in time for the AMA Motocross Championship, finishing fourth in the final standings with three overall podiums including an overall win again at Red Bud.

Hampshire was one of the main protagonists of the 250SX East class during the 2022 AMA Supercross Championship, finishing runner-up in the final standings and recording his first professional supercross win in St Louis.^[11] Despite missing the third round of the 2022 AMA National Motocross Championship due to injury, Hampshire was able to bounce back by winning the Budds Creek round and finishing fifth in the final standings. For the 2023 AMA Supercross Championship, he opted to race in the 250SX West class for only the second time. This resulted in the second professional supercross win of his career in Denver and seven other podiums as be again finished runner-up in the series to Jett Lawrence. In addition to this, Hampshire made his debut in the 450SX class at Daytona, finishing eighth. At the 2023 AMA National Motocross Championship, Hampshire was able to win the opening race of the season, pick up a second race win at round 4 and take two overall podiums before missing the final two rounds of the championship. Following this, Hampshire made his debut at the Motocross des Nations for the US in the MX2 class, forming part of the team that would go on to finish eighth.

Staying in the 250SX West class, Hampshire was able to win the opening round of the 2024 AMA Supercross Championship.