Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/361826
INTERVIEW AMA HORIZON AWARD WINNER RJ HAMPSHIRE P104 like Timmy and I think my endurance is good, too, so I think those are my strong points." Chad Reed is an- other one of Hamp- shire's heroes, which explains the number-22 on his bike at Loretta's. "Chad lives right by Timmy and he in- vited me over to ride a few times," says Hampshire. "I hang out with those guys and see how they live and I've seen the good side that both of those guys have." "Seeing the family side of Chad is great," adds Hampshire. "Not many people can put as much into racing as he does and still make time to have the great fam- ily life that he has. It's amazing, but Chad is different, and he's hard to read, but he doesn't let anything get him down. He's al- ways positive and he just lets the negative stuff go, and I think I've learned from that. He's always looking forward and if he has a bad year, then he's coming back stronger for the next year. That's what I like about him, he keeps coming back for more." Hampshire's sister, Marissa, also raced motocross, and won several pro WMX races while rid- ing for Team Green Kawasaki. Racing is definitely in the Hamp- shire genes but motocross al- most didn't happen for RJ. "My dad wanted me to pur- sue a career in baseball," says Hampshire, "but I got burned out on it. When I turned 16 I got seri- ous about racing and I got virtual schooled my senior year and I just dedicated everything to mo- tocross and just left baseball be- hind. This is what I want to do ev- eryday for now on, just having fun on my bike. I still love stick and ball sports. I was one of the best pitchers on the team and made first team all conference in high school and I had a good chance to play baseball in college. If I wasn't racing motorcycles, I'm sure I'd be playing college or pro ball right now. My dad didn't want me to race, he wanted me to play baseball." When asked about Super- cross, Hampshire has raced in the AMA Arenacross series, tak- ing advantage of the Ricky Car- michael Road To Supercross program, and he's been practic- ing on Chad Reed's Supercross track in Florida. "I think I've got potential in Su- percross, and I've got some time on some tracks, but right after the outdoors we're going to hit it hard on practicing Supercross, I think I can be a championship contender right off the bat," says Hampshire. "I'm looking forward to 2015. I'm not sure if I'll ride east or west, but I'll be out there and I'll give it my all." CN Hampshire is the fourth Amsoil/Factory Connection Honda rider in a row to leave Loretta's with the AMA Horizon Award.