It was a solid day for the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna team at the Budds Creek National. Malcolm Stewart tied a career best, Christian Craig earned a season-best, and RJ Hampshire was sold in his return to racing. Let’s dig into the team’s results from Maryland.
Malcolm Stewart | 6-5 for fourth overall in 450 Class
Malcolm Stewart finished 6-5 for fourth overall on Saturday, which tied his career best 450 Pro Motocross finish ever. Eleven years ago—yes, 11!—Stewart finished 9-3 for fourth overall at Budds Creek Motocross Park on June 22, 2013 for a career best 450 finish outdoors. After tying his career best finish, he joined NBC pit reporter Adam Cianciarulo after the race.
“Man, it was awesome,” Stewart said with his normal, big smile. “The fans are awesome. It was a really, really good race for me. Obviously, the whole Rockstar Energy Husqvarna group, you know, coming back from a knee injury and doing the whole season so far has been awesome. I just want to give a shout-out to my mechanic Tyler [Thomas], Aldon [Baker] for giving me all the training and everybody, and of course, again, Rockstar, Sidi, Seven, the whole group, it’s been a phenomenal job. Scott, I still got some tear-offs left over, so thanks, Knowles! Yeah, it’s been awesome. I know my brother is out here, he’s probably watching right now, so there’s a little bit of love right there for him. Yeah, brother, I’m trying out there for you!”
Stewart said the following in a post-race release from Husqvarna:
"Budds Creek always treats me well! Every year that I've come here in the past, I've always had pretty good results and the track fits me well. The fans were awesome, it was a great day for me, and we needed this. We didn't get a podium, but for everything that we've gone through, fourth place is like a podium. We'll go out for Ironman and see if we can keep the same momentum!"
Stewart has had a solid summer in his first full 450 Pro Motocross season in years. A fan favorite, Stewart has gritted through the ups and downs of the season. Of the 20 motos completed so far, the #27 machine has finished inside of the top ten in all but two motos, with an average finish of 8.4. Through ten rounds he sits seventh in the championship standings.
![Craig and Stewart]()
Craig and Stewart Align Media ![Stewart]()
Stewart Align Media
RJ Hampshire | 9-8 for ninth overall
RJ Hampshire truly had no idea how his first Pro Motocross race of the year would go. He told us on Friday that he had been riding a SuperMotocross hybrid track lately in order to get ready for the upcoming playoffs and really had no idea where he expected to land in the results.
“I honestly have no idea on how Saturday’s gonna go,” Hampshire said. “I could blow up and be back in a hurry. I could battle for a podium, maybe a win. My guess is as good as yours right now. [Laughs] And that is 100 percent honest. I can be confident showing up to races, this weekend, I literally have no idea how it’s going to go. But, hey, I can go racing, so I’m here, excited to do it.”
Well RJ qualified third overall, which was a good start to the day. Then he rode home two solid motos, although a small crash cost him a few positions in the first moto. The Florida native had a big smile on his face all weekend long as he was just happy to be back at the races.
"It was so good to get some gate drops in," Hampshire said in a post-race report from Husqvarna. "I knew I wasn't 100 percent to come out here and battle for the win or a podium, but there's no practice like a race, so that's what we came to do. It wasn't too bad, I don't think we're far off, and I expect to be better in Indiana. The goal is to be the best I can be once we get to Charlotte for SMX, so all in all, I'm happy to be leaving here healthy and look forward to next week."
Without the SMX Playoffs, we would not see Hampshire race either Budds Creek or next weekend’s Ironman National finale. Had this been 2022 before SMX was a thing, we would not have seen Hampshire until the following supercross season. So, thank you, SuperMotocross playoffs!
Hampshire posted the following update on his Instagram Saturday night:
Enjoyed the a$$ kicking today!
I’m not even close to 100% but needed to get some gate drops in. Had some flashes throughout the day and look forward to being a bit better at Ironman next weekend. Nothing like the great outdoors 😁
Thank you team @rockstarenergy @husqvarnamotorcyclesusa @husqvarnafactoryracing
Christian Craig | 7-8 for sixth overall
Christian Craig rode home a sixth overall, his season-best result so far. Craig was inside the top five in the first moto, battling with his teammate before finishing seventh (tying his season-best moto finish). After only one top ten finish in the first ten motos of the season, Craig has finished inside the top ten in all but two of the motos since. In the Fly Racing Racer X Podcast recapping Budds Creek, Steve Matthes reported Craig said he was dealing with pain in the elbow that has been bothering him since his crash in supercross last year. Still, he rode home an eighth place finish in moto two.
"I felt pretty good all day," Craig said in a Husqvarna release. "I qualified in ninth overall and then in the first moto I got a great start, was in the top five for quite a bit before I tightened up and ended up seventh. Second moto, I made some quick passes and got into eighth, just focused on myself, and rode it in for P8. One more round to go outdoors and then into SMX, so we'll keep building from here."
