Ryder DiFrancesco secured his first-career 250MX overall podium at the RedBud National, delivering a breakthrough performance for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing at Round 5 of the 2026 AMA Pro Motocross Championship. The result came via a 6-3 scorecard, earned during the traditional Fourth of July weekend at the iconic Michigan facility.
DiFrancesco qualified fourth fastest aboard his Husqvarna FC 250 Factory Edition before battling to sixth in the opening moto following a tip-over. He elevated his performance in Moto 2 with a third-place finish, which proved sufficient for third overall on the day.
“RedBud was awesome!” commented DiFrancesco. “My qualifying was solid, and then Moto 1 was going really well until I tipped it over, and then rebounded to sixth. In the second moto, I put myself in a good position – I just know the class is stacked at the moment, and if you have a good second score, you can still end up on the box. I maximised that one and rode it in for third overall, which I am stoked with.”
The result sees DiFrancesco climb to fifth in the 250MX standings following five rounds, as the series prepares for Southwick on 11 July.
Casey Cochran also enjoyed a strong showing at RedBud, qualifying eighth fastest before posting 5-4 moto finishes for fourth overall. The 19-year-old ran as high as second during the opening 10 minutes of Moto 2, demonstrating front-running pace throughout the day.
“It was a solid weekend, I felt good all day, and definitely making steps to where I want to be!” Cochran said. “RedBud is always a round that we enjoy, and to run up there in the motos and be at the front made it even better for me this weekend. We are building and I’m excited for Southwick next.”
Daxton Bennick returned to competition after two rounds on the sidelines, qualifying ninth and recording 14-11 moto scores for 11th overall. The 20-year-old acknowledged room for improvement in starts and early track position heading into upcoming rounds.
In the 450MX class, RJ Hampshire narrowly missed the podium with consistent 4-4 moto scores aboard his Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Edition. The 30-year-old qualified fifth fastest and maintained his position in fifth in the championship standings.
“We did some testing this week back home and found some more comfort,” recalled Hampshire. “The bike felt much better today – I felt like I could ride and push, and my speed in the second moto was much better than the first. I wanted to put it on the box today – especially on the Fourth of July – but we’re chipping away.”
The AMA Pro Motocross Championship continues at Southwick on 11 July for the series’ traditional sand race.
Photo: Husqvarna Media
