Ryder DiFrancesco won the Last Chance Qualifier and finished fifth in the 250SX Showdown at the final round of the 2026 AMA Supercross Championship Sunday in Salt Lake City. After qualifying ninth and finishing 11th in his heat, DiFrancesco’s LCQ victory secured his spot in the Main Event, where he advanced from outside the top 10 to a top-five finish, officials said.
DiFrancesco’s path to the Main Event included a ninth-place qualifying time on the combined 250SX timesheets, followed by an 11th-place finish in his heat race, which forced him into the Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ), officials said. He secured his spot in the final 250SX Showdown by winning the LCQ, a critical step confirmed by Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s official event coverage. Starting outside the top 10 in the Main Event, DiFrancesco advanced through the field over the 15-minute plus one-lap race, ultimately finishing fifth, according to race results published by Husqvarna’s motorsports news page.
DiFrancesco’s fifth-place finish in Salt Lake City capped his first season with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing and helped him secure fourth overall in the 250SX West Championship standings.
Malcolm Stewart, also competing for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, qualified seventh on the combined 450SX timesheets with a lap time of 49.511 seconds, sources confirmed. Riding the Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Edition, Stewart finished eighth in the Main Event, officials said. His performance contributed to his seventh-place standing in the final 450SX championship rankings, as reported by the AMA Supercross official results.
Records show he achieved three podium finishes and four additional top-five results during the 2026 season. The Salt Lake City event marked the third 250SX East/West Showdown of the year and served as the season finale for the AMA Supercross Championship, held on a dry, technical track layout in Utah’s capital city on Sunday.
In addition to DiFrancesco and Stewart, the team fielded Daxton Bennick in the 250SX class at the finale, according to official team releases. The event brought together top riders from both the 250SX and 450SX classes, with competition intensifying as the championship concluded. NBC Sports and Yahoo Sports provided video coverage highlighting DiFrancesco’s recent performances, including his podium finish in Denver and his strong showing in Salt Lake City. Motocross.com detailed aspects of the Salt Lake City races, noting DiFrancesco’s LCQ victory and holeshot efforts during the event.
Racer X’s records identify Ryder DiFrancesco as a professional rider born March 28, 2005, in Bakersfield, California. He began his professional career in 2022, making his first start at RedBud on July 2 of that year. His progression through the ranks culminated in the 2026 season’s final round, where his LCQ win and top-five Main Event finish underscored his development.
The Salt Lake City finale concluded the 2026 AMA Supercross Championship season, with both DiFrancesco and Stewart representing Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing on their respective Husqvarna FC 250 and FC 450 Factory Edition motorcycles. Official coverage from the team described the results as a strong finish for the squad, highlighting the riders’ performances on the challenging technical track.
