Cooper Webb Sweeps Texas and Stretches 450SX Class Points Lead

Justin Cooper Back on Top in the 250SX Class Title Chase with a Win

The final Texas race and Round 12 of the 2021 Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship was once again Red Bull KTM’s Cooper Webb’s night. The 450SX Class racer took a well-earned and dramatic win in front of the enthusiastic limited capacity, pod-seated crowd inside AT&T Stadium. Team Honda HRC’s Ken Roczen led most of the event and held on for a close second place finish, and Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Eli Tomac was a threat until the end but finished the night in third. In Round Five of the Western Regional 250SX Class, Round-One winner Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha’s Justin Cooper grabbed his second win of the season and recaptured the championship points lead. 

Cooper Webb pushed his way into the lead

When the riders cleared the first corner Ken Roczen jumped into the lead with Webb on his rear tire, Troy Lee Designs / Red Bull / GASGAS Factory Racing’s Justin Barcia close and Tomac right behind – all four 2021 race winners were up front with only each other and a very technical Texas track to deal with. Roczen looked composed and smooth as he kept a small lead over Webb, who had Barcia close behind for the first three minutes of the 20-minute plus one lap race. Just over three minutes in, Tomac got around Barcia and chased after the front two riders, but Barcia did not let the group break away from him.

The gap between the top four racers grew and shrank but rarely got to more than a second between any of them; on the longest rhythm lane the lead four were on the same straightaway even at the race’s midpoint. Tomac looked bound to pass Webb five minutes in, but the KTM rider hung tough and held off the Kawasaki rider’s charge. With just over five minutes left on the race clock Tomac ran into a Tuff Blox, allowing Barcia to get past. The two traded positioning several times until Tomac finally re-establishing himself in third.

Less than a minute after the scrap behind them for third, Webb made his move for the lead. Roczen fought back, and the riders went side by side through several sections before Webb finally made the pass stick exiting the whoops. Roczen mounted a late charge and closed on Webb, but it was not enough to prevent the red plate holder from sweeping the three Arlington races, giving Webb five wins in the past six races and a 15-point lead in the title chase. 
 

Justin Cooper got the holeshot and was unchallenged

In the Western Regional 250SX Class, Justin Cooper broke his three-race podium-less streak with a confidence-inspiring win from the holeshot stripe to the checkered flag. Second place went to Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Cameron McAdoo who crossed the holeshot stripe in about fifth position but was into second place two corners later. McAdoo remained close for the first ten minutes of the fifteen-minute plus one lap race but slowly lost touch as Cooper pulled a comfortable gap over the final laps.

Previous round winner and holder of the red plate going into the event, Team Honda HRC’s Hunter Lawrence hung strong in third for most of the race, but with just a couple minutes on the race clock overjumped a triple and the mistake sent him off a 180-degree berm. He remounted in fifth and held the position until the finish. Grabbing third place was rookie Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Seth Hammaker who fought up to fourth then benefitted from Lawrence’s late-race mistake. Fourth place on the night went to Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jalek Swoll with a steady ride after earning his first podium at the previous round.

The series now takes a 20-day break in the schedule before resuming with a rapid-fire five-race finish. Tickets are on sale now for the triple-header in Atlanta kicking off on April 10th and the final two rounds in Salt Lake City beginning on April 24th. Seats are available in a limited capacity, pod-seating format. For the full schedule, race and rider updates, and race coverage streaming and airtime information on Peacock, NBC, and NBCSN please go to the Schedule & Tickets page.

450SX Class podium

450SX Class Results

  1. Cooper Webb, Newport N.C., KTM
  2. Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Honda 
  3. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki
  4. Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., GASGAS 
  5. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.Mex., Husqvarna  
  6. Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Yamaha 
  7. Dylan Ferrandis, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Yamaha
  8. Joey Savatgy, Clermont, Fla., KTM
  9. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, Yamaha  
  10. Dean Wilson, Murrieta, Calif., Husqvarna

450SX Class Championship Standings

  1. Cooper Webb, Newport N.C., KTM (275)
  2. Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Honda (260)
  3. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki (234)
  4. Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., GASGAS (214)
  5. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, Yamaha (183)
  6. Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Yamaha (179)
  7. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.Mex., Husqvarna (171)
  8. Dylan Ferrandis, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Yamaha (153)
  9. Joey Savatgy, Clermont, Fla., KTM (138)
  10. Marvin Musquin, Corona, Calif., KTM (136)

250SX Class podium

250SX Class Results (Western Regional)

  1. Justin Cooper, Menifee, Calif., Yamaha
  2. Cameron McAdoo, Sioux City, Iowa, Kawasaki 
  3. Seth Hammaker, Temecula, Calif., Kawasaki 
  4. Jalek Swoll, Belleview, Fla., Husqvarna 
  5. Hunter Lawrence, Wesley Chapel, Fla., Honda 
  6. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Yamaha 
  7. Chris Blose, Phoenix, Ariz., GASGAS 
  8. Kyle Peters, Greensboro, N.C., Honda
  9. Nate Thrasher, Livingston, Tenn., Yamaha
  10. Jarrett Frye, Mechanicsville, Md., Yamaha

250SX Class Championship Standings  (Western Regional)

  1. Justin Cooper, Menifee, Calif., Yamaha (108)
  2. Cameron McAdoo, Sioux City, Iowa, Kawasaki (106)
  3. Hunter Lawrence, Wesley Chapel, Fla., Honda (102)
  4. Jalek Swoll, Belleview, Fla., Husqvarna (93)
  5. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Yamaha (93)
  6. Seth Hammaker, Temecula, Calif., Kawasaki (88)
  7. Chris Blose, Phoenix, Ariz., GASGAS (68)
  8. Kyle Peters, Greensboro, N.C., Honda (63)
  9. Coty Schock, Dover, Del., Honda (57)
  10. Nate Thrasher, Livingston, Tenn., Yamaha (56)