Image: Octopi Media.

An injury sustained on Thursday at the test track will put Rockstar Energy GasGas Factory Racing’s Ryder DiFrancesco out of 250SX West contention after opening the 2025 season with a pair of top-five finishes.

The 19-year-old Californian has been in impressive form during the opening two rounds of the season, finishing fourth at Anaheim 1 and then backing that up with a fifth-place result in San Diego last Saturday night.

“I am gutted that we share the news of Ryder D’s practice crash at RD Field yesterday,” team manager Sean Murphy commented. “Ryder was immediately transported to the hospital, where he was evaluated for his injuries. In just his second year of racing Supercross, Ryder had been showing incredible potential and was making significant strides toward the podium.

“This setback early in the season is gut-wrenching, as Ryder was on an upward trajectory, improving with each round. Our rider’s safety and health will always be our top priority, and we will ensure that Ryder takes the necessary time to recover fully and come back stronger.”

Equipped with the GASGAS MC 250F Factory Edition, those results currently have DiFrancesco sitting fifth in the 250SX West point-standings. While the team or DiFrancesco are yet to disclose his injury, it’s expected that an update will be provided once a possible return date is determined.