SuperMotocross 450 Countdown: No. 3 Cooper Webb Is Determined To Get One More Championship

Few SuperMotocross riders are as tough as Cooper Webb. Still a year shy of 30, his thoughts may turn to retirement, but the face of the sport has changed in recent years. Cyclists are getting better and longer.

However, crashes continue to take their toll, and Webb missed most of the Pro Motocross season with a freak injury. The thumb isn’t the first body part most people think of when they hear about a SuperMotocross injury, but last year Webb, Eli Tomac and Jett Lawrence were all forced to sit out long stretches due to breaks there. Simply put, you can’t grip the knuckle or brake lever without a healthy thumb.

Eli Tomac has won almost everything possible in dirt bike racing. The only thing missing is the SuperMotocross World Championship.

Before suffering that injury, Webb kept Lawrence honest.

Webb tends to dig himself a hole early in Supercross seasons. Last year was no exception, finishing sixth in the first race in Anaheim and 11th in San Francisco, while the two riders who would eventually challenge for the championship traded wins in those races. Lawrence won his Anaheim opener, and Chase Sexton survived Frisco’s muddy conditions.

Entering the 2024 season, pundits wondered if anyone could challenge Lawrence. His perfect record in Pro Motocross as a rookie competitor in the 450 division made a bold statement when racing was rarely challenged. His inaugural SuperMotocross World Championship claim emphasized his ability on tracks with Supercross elements, and when he won his first Supercross race, the competition had plenty of reason to worry.

SX 2024 Rd 03 San Diego Aaron Plessinger congratulates Ken Roczen.JPG

After years of struggling in the Supercross 450 class, Aaron Plessinger brought a ray of sunshine to a cloudy San Diego afternoon.

But in addition to being physically tough, Webb has always shown mental toughness. He’s at his best when he can get into the psyche of his competitors, and when he finished second at Round 3 in San Diego and won the first of four SX races the following week in Glendale, Arizona, the field felt his determination.

Webb missed the top five only once from San Diego until the end of the season. Most of those results included podium finishes, including wins in Arlington, Texas, Seattle, Washington, and Foxborough, Massachusetts. Lawrence managed his points lead for a long time and barely allowed Webb to close the gap. In part, this was because Webb was already feeling the effects of his injury in the last few Supercross races, so it was impressive that he was only 15 points ahead of Lawrence and 29 ahead of Sexton when the correctors rocked the field in Salt Lake City.

SMX 2024 Rd 02 Texas Hunter Lawrence leads Eli Tomac at the turn of the tunnel.JPG

Hunter Lawrence took top five finishes in both the Pro Motocross and SuperMotocross World Championships after struggling in Supercross.

Webb tried to ride late in the Motocross season, but he wasn’t 100 percent when he mounted his Yamaha at Unadilla. He crashed that weekend and finished 15th overall. He also suffered a concussion that kept him off the bike until the MX Playoffs began. Even then, he failed to find his usual form and finished 10th at Concord, North Carolina, and fifth at Texas Motor Speedway.

Webb is pushing for 30 and, like many riders in the field, is listening to the clock. If it was dangerous before, that sense of urgency will make it even more so now.

2024 Statistics
Feature Start: 20
Average feature finish: 4.60
Wins: 4
Podiums: 9
The first five: 15
Top 10: 18
Best Finish: Win (Anaheim 2, Arlington, Seattle, Foxborough SX)
SMX ranking/payout: fifth/$150,000

2024 news
Cooper Webb replaces Chance Hymas on the 250 for Team USA MXoN
Webb shook off the rust at Unadilla but will sit out Budds Creek after re-injuring his thumb
Webb confirms return to Unadilla 2024 Pro Motocross
Webb returns to racing with practice time on an alternating track
Webb undergoes thumb surgery, will miss MX
Will Jett Lawrence or Webb have a solo red plate?
Webb wins Foxborough Supercross; ties Lawrence in tournament points
Webb wins close ones
Webb Wins Tough 450 SX Showdown In Seattle, Levi Kitchen Wins Home State 250
Webb wins Arlington after Lawrence crash
Webb keeps his streak of unbeaten SX wins alive at the Anaheim Triple Crown