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The track conditions in Vegas made a crazy night of racing and RJ Hampshire was in the thick of it with an up and down night at the season finale. The #31 qualified 18th in the combined 250 class while the track was still in good shape. The rain hit the Navada desert and Hampshire used his skills in the mud to finish 3rd in his heat race after his 5th place start. It looked as
the Geico Honda rider favoured the sloppy rough track and that he was going to bounce back
for a top ten finish after a rough race in East Rutherford. Hampshire was on track to finish the year off
with a great finish and was up to 6th by lap 3 of the main event. Issues on lap 6 dropped the young rider back to 14th and the battle for 13th was on with Soubeyras. In the closing stages of the main event Malcolm Stewart was lapping his teammate and Hampshire almost went over the bars trying to jump onto the over and under section. RJ finished 16th of the night and 8th in the championship standings. 2017 will be Hampshires third year as a professional and it will be time for him to put all of the pieces of the puzzle together and become a podium contender.
words/JOSHARMSTRONG
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