race recap
COOPER WEBB - 224 450MX
June 19, 2023 · Cooper Webb
COOPER WEBB | GRIT-224 | 450MX
Even though he was still attempting to rejuvenate his flow from previous outdoor seasons, the "SX" specialist (i.e. Cooper Webb) would once again prove as to why he's considered one of the best motocross racers on the planet, regardless of genre. Webb was familiar with this terrain, and made sure to showcase his familiarity with the High Point layout as he raced around the track with blistering speed to accrue eighth on the final timing and scoring sheet. In the hours to follow, he would assemble a starting position that was near sixth place, while battling with Aaron Plessinger, Ty Masterpool, and Adam Cianciarulo. The four were pretty similar in speed, with Webb moving into fifth rather quickly after passing Cianciarulo who would fall to sixth. He then stalked the Kawasaki of Ty Masterpool through the seventh circuit...until on the eighth complete lap, it was Webb who made the move forward and passed the Texas resident. With Garrett Marchbanks not too far ahead, the Yamaha rider would act as an opponent to strive for in the final stages of the moto; but Webb would have to be careful, as overriding this rutted course could immediately result in he and his machine crashing to the ground. Webb's maturity and veteran aptitude would flourish though, realizing that in the bigger picture, the goal was to generate a strong finish while advancing to the second round of action. And that's exactly what he did, which allowed him to pass Ken Roczen in the final moments of the moto - when the Roczen's mistake unfortunately sent him crashing to the ground! Now into third, Webb would be finalized on the final spot of the podium prior to heading into the following round of racing. For moto number two, it was Webb who immediately pushed forward from an opening standing of sixth, to fourth while surpassing both Dylan Ferrandis and Aaron Plessinger. He and the Yamaha rider would go "back and forth," however, as they contested one another in hopes of staying with the pack of Adam Cianciarulo, Ken Roczen, and Jett Lawrence. In the laps that followed, Webb adopted a flow that was mistake free and rather calculated amongst this rutted landscape; but Cooper knew that he couldn't let his guard down, with that of Ty Masterpool behind him. With Webb (in the latter moments) being passed by Aaron Plessinger once and for all, it would be the pair of KTM riders who claimed fifth and sixth (respectively) - which helped Webb clench fifth overall in the final standings.