COOPER WEBB - GRIT 239 450SX

GRIT-239 | 450 SX

Knowing that the deteriorating east-coast terrain was set to be in his favor, Yamaha's Cooper Webb couldn't have been more excited to compete amongst upon the rutted canvas at Ford Field. The opportunity to make a run at a championship could be actualized now, and the number two was flawlessly maneuvering his way through practice before speeding onto the track for heat one of the afternoon. With the race program being altered to allow the premier division to take the course first, Webb excelled aboard the perfectly manicured race course while steadily inching away from the pack behind him. Leading through the completion of the third lap, he had almost arrived at the halfway point before tucking the front end on the inside of the sand section! Though the soil would weight the bike down a bit, he was able remount and return to a standing of eighth before embarking on another journey to the front. He couldn't be counted out at this point though, and as a result, would push his way to fifth as the checkered flag was waved - garnering a decent gate choice for the main event, though understanding that the angle of the first turn was quite difficult. Nevertheless, he proceeded to plunge into corner number of the finalé with determination, scrapping for a hard-fought twelfth position while battling two and three-wide in certain lanes of the racetrack. He had somehow worked his way into seventh by lap four, passing opponents like Justin Barcia, Dean Wilson, and Hunter Lawrence with an unwavering will to move forward. He was spotted as one of the first riders to move to the outside of the sand section...sweeping amongst the bottom of the berm while saving both energy and time. The pattern of efficiency translated into a faster speed for the double thereafter, gaining milliseconds on the top-five as the race progressed. As the clock continued to tick, Webb's pass on Anderson for sixth was presented amongst the longest rhythm lane on the track...solidifying the move in the corner thereafter, while he then went after Dylan Ferrandis amongst the whoops and sand. He wasn't going to relinquish this pace to the demand of anyone, and as he'd moved into fourth on lap fourteen, there appeared to be little that could stop him. Continuously aiming for Ken Roczen who was ahead, Webb did everything possible to try and retract the gap that had been established by the Suzuki athlete. Though conducting a remarkable pace...Webb was forced to remain in fourth as the referee presented the checkered flag; staying well within the hunt, for a series title in 2024.

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