Factory Husqvarna's shutdown will cascade through SuperMotocross field

Four days before the Monster Energy Supercross series finale at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah, Factory Husqvarna announced they will disband the Factory

"Husqvarna Mobility’s professional motocross and supercross racing program in the United States will enter a new phase at the conclusion of the 2026 SMX World Championship season," the manufacturer announced midweek in a news release. "From 2027 onward, the brand will transition away from operating an in-house factory racing team and instead, support independent teams and riders with factory level materials and technical expertise for the SMX series."

Malcolm Stewart and RJ Hampshire currently ride in the 450 class for the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team.

Daxton Bennick, Ryder DiFrancesco, and Casey Cochran represent the 250s.

"I know everyone’s already seen the news by now," Stewart posted on social media. "Not exactly how I thought things would go after being locked in through ’27, but that’s the business. I’ve been through this before, so you learn to keep it moving."

After getting a slow start to the season because of a massive crash in Angel Stadium in the opening round, Stewart had a slow start to the year, but he has finished in the top five in three of the past six rounds, including a fourth-place result last week in Denver.

"Business is business," Hampshire said. "Doesn’t make it suck any less. Still grateful, more motivated, and ready to give everything I’ve got this summer. Next year is unknown but hopeful to land something soon."

Hampshire has had a much more difficult season. He has not raced since suffering a foot injury in Seattle early in the season.

A Long Time Coming

In 2024, speculation arose about the overall health of the company when Pierer Mobility AG, the parent company of KTM, Husqvarna, and GasGas, announced they would "apply for the initiation of judicial restructuring proceedings with self-administration”.