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Edited Date/Time
11/21/2025 8:25am
An expanded five-rider mix of experience and youth set for SMX World Championship
Formally announced in conjunction with the SMX League earlier today, the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team proudly enters the 2026 SMX World Championship series with a stacked five-rider roster led by 450 Class teammates Malcolm Stewart and RJ Hampshire, as well as the young and talented 250 trio of Ryder DiFrancesco, Casey Cochran and Daxton Bennick.
Stewart and Hampshire will both be onboard the new Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Edition, while DiFrancesco, Cochran and Bennick will be equipped with the latest Husqvarna FC 250 Factory Edition machines. All five riders will contest the entire 28 regular season races of the indoor stadium season of AMA Supercross and the outdoor season of Pro Motocross, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, culminating in the post-season SMX Playoffs and World Championship Final.
The experienced 33-year-old Stewart will enter his fifth-consecutive year racing the Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Edition, determined to build upon the form that saw him earn a first-career 450SX victory at his home round in Tampa, Florida. He finished fourth in the final championship standings indoors, with a total of three podiums to his credit.
"It's really, really exciting to be back with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna for 2026," Stewart commented. "I feel like for myself, it's been a career year, these guys are awesome to work with, and I'm just really glad that we came to a mutual agreement to renew the deal into the new year. I can't wait to make more memories with this team down the road, so I'm already getting ready for A1 and hopefully for another strong year together."
After transitioning to the 450MX category outdoors this past year with immediate success – including an overall podium at Ironman MX – and carrying that trend through the SMX post-season, Hampshire is stepping up to the premier class full-time in 2026. Also a Floridian, and at 29 years of age, the 2024 Western Divisional 250SX title winner will add excitement to the 450SX class when the gates drop in January. He also stood on the Motocross of Nations (MXoN) podium with Team USA this year.
"I'm really excited to get this new season kicked off in my first year on the 450 full-time," explained Hampshire. "It will be my first time racing Supercross on the 450, so it's a new chapter in my career, and kind of like another fresh start for me. I can't wait to get into the stadiums and get ready to go racing here at A1!"
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's 250 lineup is also on-track to make an impact, featuring three new incoming prospects for 2026. Cochran makes his return to the Husqvarna team, while DiFrancesco – also already a Rockstar Energy athlete within the group – transfers to the FC 250 Factory Edition, and Bennick is a welcomed addition to the roster.
DiFrancesco enjoyed a promising 2025 campaign that saw him lead his share of laps throughout the SMX season, and now, the 20-year-old Californian is hoping to capitalize on that front-running experience upon entering the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna effort.
"I'm looking forward to the upcoming season with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna," DiFrancesco said. "Especially based on the improvements that we made last year, just to apply what we learned for the season ahead. I'm excited to get back at the races, and even though it's not a super-long off season, I'm always excited to move forward and keep making progress in my career."
For Cochran, he spent much of his decorated amateur career with Team Husqvarna, initially making his professional debut as part of the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna squad with a breakout 250MX podium at Spring Creek in 2024. The 19-year-old Tennessee native missed the majority of last season due to injury but is working hard to rebuild in the new year with the team's full support behind him.
"Super-stoked to be back on Rockstar Energy Husqvarna for 2026," Cochran commented. "It's great to be back with the team and with a lot of familiar faces, so I'm looking forward to the upcoming season. We've got a good amount of time to get ready before Supercross, and I'm excited to get some good laps under my belt. I'm ready to get it all underway.
Another new recruit for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing is Bennick, who himself has immense experience with KTM Group machinery from his highly-successful amateur career. At 19, he has already claimed two podiums in 250SX, and the 2023 Nicky Hayden AMA Motocross Horizon Award recipient from North Carolina arrives with growing experience on his side upon already finding comfort at Husqvarna.
"I really like the bike so far and I'm enjoying the new team – it's all going really well," Bennick explained. "I'm really happy with everything and I'm super-excited to learn as a team, keep improving together. We're pumped up and ready to do this in 2026!"
Once again managed by Nathan Ramsey and with Sean Murphy returning as an integral part of the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna organization for 2026, the team is anticipating a successful season ahead.
"I'm feeling really confident about our lineup of riders for 2026," stated Nathan Ramsey, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team Manager. "With Malc and RJ on the FC 450 Factory Editions leading the group, I have high hopes for what they are capable of in that championship fight. Then you throw in the young 250 riders, who are full of potential for long, successful careers with the team, I couldn’t be more excited for 2026. Ryder, Casey, and Dax are more than capable of being consistent podium guys who can battle for race wins and ultimately end up being championship contenders. With all that being said, it will be a quick off-season and it is crucial that we hit our marks to be mentally, physically, and technically ready to make a big splash in 2026."
Husqvarna has one of the most storied legacies in motorcycle racing—arguably the brand that helped launch modern off-road racing.
Born from Swedish engineering excellence (est. 1903), Husky gained fame in the 1960s–70s with lightweight 2-strokes that dominated heavy European 4-strokes.
They revolutionized motocross and enduro, winning 14 Motocross World Championships during that golden era.
Legends like Torsten Hallman, Heiklki Mikkola, Kent Howerton, Malcolm Smith, and Steve McQueen helped bring Husky to America—famously featured in On Any Sunday (1971). The movie that alone sparked a boom in dirt biking.
First to prove that agility beats brute power, Husqvarna's were lighter, faster, and easier to ride—setting the standard for modern off-road design.
Husky continued winning in World Enduro, & MX and still today are a factory powerhouse team backed by KTM /Bajaj Group technology.
Husqvarna didn’t just race—they changed racing. From World Championships to Hollywood fame, Husky is the godfather of modern motocross. Rugged. Iconic. Proven for over a century.
Perhaps Eli should have gone to Husqvarna considering KTM's current issues ?
"Perhaps Eli should have gone to Husqvarna considering KTM's current issues ?"
They're under the KTM umbrella.
Really happy that they gave Casey another shot.
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Maybe a weird detail but I liked that they put the age of the riders in that press release. Malcolm at 33...I would have guessed 31-32. It seems like Ryder D has been around forever and would be older but he is only 20.
I'm curious what Bennick can do. He always seemed like he was just Deegans sidekick at Star, not his own rider.
This account just posting ChatGPT slop is so annoying. Dead Internet Theory gets more real every day.
Agree. Hopefully a moderator will remove this nonsense.
Perhaps you should read more and ChatGBT copy and pastes less…
If Bennick can stay healthy I think Star will regret letting him go. Not that they don't have an army of contenders already, though.
Is Dax rocking a hickey on his neck? Atta boy 🤣
Genuine question and not an attack, but how does Ryder D keep getting these rides? I know he was a highly touted amateur but he's now on his third factory team and I don't recall him even landing on the podium. There's been plenty of similar calibre riders that have been cast aside after no results on factory bikes. For his sake I hope he can get up there and turn it around but surely this must be his last chance at a factory ride if he doesn't produce.
Keep getting? pretty sure he had a multi year deal with Gas Gas and they just transferred the remaining time to the Husky team when they decided to cut GasGas
This is the bad side of AI....when people stop thinking critically and rely 100% on AI to produce an opinion, they aren't even smart enough to put together their own thoughts and don't even realize that the info is wrong....in other words if you use AI thinking it's going to make you look smart, the reality is just the opposite....
Plus, he’s good. Why wouldn’t he have a ride?
It's reasonable to expect some results on a factory bike at some point.
"we can work with speed" is the reason. Ryder D absolutely rips & is on the cusp of being a podium guy, potential race winner. I also think he got kind of screwed when he was on kawis for like a decade then had to switch to a steel frame his first year of professional racing, I'm sure that's ridiculously tough. Then he comes in year 2 on steel frame & boom 4th at A1. Not too bad. End of 2023 he went 7-3 at SMX charlotte, 4th overall. Beat a ton of heavy hitters that day too.
Who else are you going to sign that's showing up at A1 with this sort of potential?????
No photos of gear, bikes, riding? Nothing? Pretty underwhelming team announcement. Securing Dax is pretty big for them…
He has said multiple times in various videos that it is a birthmark.
Pit Row
I hope Casey can avoid the injury bug this year. Still young, but he has taken a beating. He’s also shown some serious speed at times. Fingers crossed that he’s going to be both fast and consistent this year.
Geezzzz here’s RyderD for you 🤫
I think they just re-upped RyderD. I thought he had a 2 yr deal with GasGas when he went to TLD which is why he got absorbed to the Rockstar GasGas deal. I see the potential, but it’s taking long. I thought RyderD would’ve been doing what JuJu was doing this year when he went pro, podiums and a win or two.
We got you! All three factory 250 riders and amateur Landon Gibson are in One. Full circle moment for the brand and the team.
Stoked!
And he was fastest qualifier at several nationals this year, which ain't nothing to sneeze at.
Now that's more like it...
Alright alright fair enough 🤣
😂
I'm not saying its a bad signing, but he'll need to produce on this one. To their benefit, guys now get more time to develop.
Think of it like this Ryder was beating most all the 250 riders up to the time he started getting injured. With all the injuries i think he started losing confidence .and everytime he seems to get it back something happens . He rode well at A1 and SanDiego before getting hurt before A2 due to a bike failure .It took him a little while to get going again and to get the bike like he wanted it and started running towards the front again then the Vegas crash happened when he had caught the 2 leaders .He easily has the talent and i believe the confidence again .Just needs to stay healthy
Official team launch will be December 8th or 9th.
Am I the only one surprised that Dax signed with them? That seemed to come out of nowhere.
He showed some great potential I wouldn't be surprised if he thrives out of the daily racing at Star that seems to work for some but not others.
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