R.J. HAMPSHIRE INTERVIEW: LOOKING FOR MORE AT THE 2023 HIGH POINT NATIONAL

I must admit, I’m a fan of Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s R.J. Hampshire. Maybe it’s due to his approachability, humble personality, and impressive grit and determination. Hampshire leaves it all on the track and he’s shown that he can win, whether he starts out front, or comes from back in the pack. If the Floridian could consistently start out front, he could win the 250 AMA motocross championship. But too often he has poor starts and is involved in first-lap crashes, which he struggled with again at Thunder Valley this past weekend, resulting in ninth overall, moving him to fifth in championship points. Although he’s not too far out of third in the championship, R.J. is forty-three points down on leader Hunter Lawrence after just three races. We will see if Hampshire’s grit can carry him to the top. 

By Jim Kimball

2023 HIGH POINT NATIONAL // FULL COVERAGE

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WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING DURING THE WEEK TO CAPTURE SOME WINS? IT SEEMS LIKE YOU HAVE EVERYTHING DOWN, EXCEPT FOR GOOD STARTS. I’m doing the same thing I have done in the years past. Nothing has really changed. But the bike is much better this year. I am confident in it. I know I can go out there and win. It is competitive. I am competitive. I feel good right now. I am healthy, and that is the main thing. I’m coming into the weekends with a little bit more confidence.

YOU COULD LITERALLY COME FROM LAST AND GET ON THE PODIUM. Yes, but I should give myself a chance. I need to battle with those guys. I need to put myself up there from the beginning. If you don’t get that start, it is hard to catch them. I must start up there with them to put myself in a better position. Hopefully, we can get a couple more overalls, I would be stoked to be on the box from here.

So far, in six motos, R.J. has gone 1-11 at Fox Raceway for third overall, 5-5 at Hangtown for fifth overall and 8-7 at Thunder Valley for ninth overall.

DO YOU PREFER THE EAST COAST TRACKS? Yes, but it does not really bother me, whichever track that I am on. I have been riding the hard slick stuff enough in recent years. But I do like the ruts. 

YOU JUST SIGNED A TWO-YEAR EXTENSION TO YOUR CONTRACT. THAT HAS TO BE REALLY COOL. It is awesome, and I am stoked. I believe a lot in this team, and they believe a lot in me. We have made huge steps altogether this year and I don’t see us stopping anytime soon. 

R.J. Hampshire doing a practice start at Thunder Valley. Our photographer Trevor Nelson had fun taking this photo with a low shutter speed.

OBVIOUSLY, HUNTER LAWRENCE AND JUSTIN COOPER ARE THE MAIN COMPETITION FOR THE TITLE; ANYONE ELSE? Yes, but there are a bunch of us going well right now. It is just going to be a grind this summer. As I said, if you don’t get that start, it is going to be a dogfight. Then, even if you do, it is going to be a battle up in the front. There are a few guys that can really hang it out and have the speed. It should be an exciting summer. 

YOU JUST USED THE WORD GRIND, WHICH I ASSOCIATE WITH YOU. THE ROUGHER THE TRACK, THE HOTTER THE CONDITIONS, IF ANYONE CAN DO IT, IT IS YOU. Thank you, but last weekend hurt me badly. I don’t know what it was but outside of last week, I’ve felt great. I don’t know if it is age or what is catching up to me, but we will see when we go back to East, and the humidity goes up.

2023 HIGH POINT NATIONAL // FULL COVERAGE

 

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