Image: Octopi Media.

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire has recalled that last corner moment with 250SX West leader Jett Lawrence at East Rutherford, indicating that he ‘saw an opening’ and ‘went for it’ on the final lap of the Showdown.

Fresh off the back of an announcement confirming he will remain with Husqvarna in the 250 class through the 2025 season, Hampshire qualified second in the western region on the weekend.

He later held off Lawrence to take the 250SX West heat race win, and traded places with the number 18 throughout the main event once the rain came. In a last-turn attempt to snatch second position, Hampshire attempted a move up the inside and tucked the front on entry, bringing himself and the red plate-holder down in the process.

“I started off pretty decent in practice and felt good,” Hampshire commented. “I got the holeshot in the heat race and won that. Then the rain came. It was different. We were waiting down there for an hour and a half… almost two hours. Finally, when the gate dropped, I got a decent start and just rode in third for a while. The track was brutal with the puddles. It was getting worse and worse as it went on.

“I saw an opening there at the end in the last corner and went for it. There was nothing else to it. I thought I would have had a good line. As soon as I cut underneath, I lost the front and I was just along for the ride there. Just hydroplaning across the water and took us both down.

“It’s a bummer to end it like that where I couldn’t even finish the race. I’m bummed about that, but overall, for how the race went and the whole day was, it was pretty solid. I’ll look forward to Denver and hope that I can get a win in these next two rounds.”

Hampshire was able to remount, but lost crucial points in finishing 13th, now 36 in total from the 250SX West red plate with only two races remaining in the region.