Monster Energy Supercross
Brutally honest Cooper Webb shares his thoughts on A1
KTM hotshot back on the box.
Full of fight, feeling better on the bike and handling the treacherous track masterfully, Cooper Webb shared his thoughts on A1 in a concise, assertive manner. Read Webb’s insights from an action packed race in the post-race press conference.
Words: Press Conference | Lead Image: Align Media
Question: You ended the first lap I believe in 10th, I think you were a little further back than that off the start at that point with all the heavy hitters in the field. Did you believe you would get as far forward as you did and, if not, at what point into the race did you realise you probably made more ground than expected?
Cooper Webb: Yeah, like you said, the start was not good, me and Mal kind of got into it and then it wasn’t too bad. I was right behind Chase and I actually stalled it and then that kind of put me back so I just put my head down. I saw up front it was a freight train and fortunately no one was really getting away too much so we were all pretty fast especially at the beginning. We were all riding well and made a few passes.
It’s tough because at A1 everyone’s feisty and wanting to t-bone and we’re all excited. It was just being about smart getting around guys, but moving forward and not wasting too much time and not being stupid.
Then, like you said, at the end I actually just felt really good. The track was insanely rough and I found some good lines and me and Dylan were kind of coming through. Then I got around him and got around Kenny and just saw Chase and was able to make a pass there late so I was stoked. I was really hoping honestly just to kind of get a top five or a podium at probably about halfway and then like Eli said I just kind of started clicking away and guys made mistakes and it worked out.
Question: Do you feed off the enthusiasm of the crowd or do you isolate it?
CW: I mean it was amazing. It’s been a while since I’ve heard them this crazy and I think there was just so much action you know from first to tenth – you know everyone was going wild? It’s good and it’s bad. If you’re out front you’re not sure what’s happening, but it’s definitely electric.
Question: You seemed to make the least mistakes on the night. Everybody seemed to make pretty big mistakes at times and it seems like you limited those mistakes. At Friday’s press conference you mentioned you’re washed up, are you still washed up or is the champ back?
CW: Ah man, it feels good to be up here again for sure. We had a really, really good off-season and fixed a lot of stuff you know with myself and with the bike.
I was definitely a d**k this off-season, but I got what I needed from the team and I feel like we’re in a really good spot. I know what I’m capable of. We’ll see what happens at the end, but it just really does feel good to be back on the podium. I mean yeah I sucked last year so it feels nice.
Question: I think when Eli got up you were pretty close to him and ahead of Dylan and then suddenly he was away from you and Dylan was ahead so what happened there?
CW: I don’t actually remember. I was trying to pass Eli when he got up, but he was holding strong. I did make a mistake and then he got around Dylan and Dylan actually was riding really well you know, he really was. We kind of got into a battle and a bit of cat and mouse and that allowed Eli to get that little gap. There was a lot of mayhem.
Question: I know you never lost confidence in yourself, but have you regained confidence in the bike and how much of this was you and how much of it was the bike?
CW: I mean we’ve changed pretty much everything on this thing. We’ve done a lot and I mean it’s tough, you definitely get down and you start to doubt yourself, but I never really lost doubt in my ability.
I just knew what I needed. At our level we’re all fit, we’re all fast and you need comfort and without that it’s tough you know. I think I look at F1 and look at Lewis Hamilton this year, but it’s good to be back up here.
Question: The track was rough, but it seems like almost every race is the roughest and toughest race ever so was this really the toughest race ever and gnarliest track? Also how does it feel now the first race is over and you’re at the post-race press conference after last season, give us your thoughts?
CW: I think what made it so tough was we ran out of places to go. I mean everywhere was just a deep rut where you’re dragging peg and with the way that they had the tarp and stuff I mean it’s unbelievable how well they made it, but it was almost like curbs as faces. You know the holes were very inconsistent, you could go the same line and the next lap it would just have a massive curve and you feel like you’re gonna do a front flip.
I think that’s what made it so tough and then to be honest they didn’t do much before our main, which was pretty surprising. I think when we got out there like Eli said the one triple section, there was a kicker the whole way across, and so that’s what made it tough.
The second question, it’s really good to be up here. I mean it’s been a long long year I guess since I was here last, but after that it went pretty downhill so I feel good man like I said. I feel really, really good on the bike. I feel strong and I feel like we’re in a good raceable spot so I’m excited to see where the season takes us.
Question: You talked about and kind of joked that you’ve changed almost everything on the bike last year. You struggled a little bit in the whoops and you struggled to cut down in the corners, which you’re known for. Seemed like you were doing that really well tonight. Can you give us some specifics on some things that have been changed that make you more comfortable?
CW: Engine, chassis, suspension, triple clamps – pretty much everything in the engine, transmission, foot pegs – every piece on that motorcycle I think.
Question: Do you feel that you were able to replicate the feeling you were looking for on the track?
CW: For sure, I mean like you said I think turning is my go-to and tonight I could turn on a dime, which was incredible. You always ride your practice tracks and you hope that it aligns, but you never know. I felt super good in the whoops – jumping or skimming – all day.
It’s going to be different, you’re going to have good tracks and bad tracks, but overall I’m pretty happy. I think I changed one click today, which is unbelievable for me, so I’ll take that and I’m sure we’ll improve little by little once we kind of get in the flow of things. I think we’re in a really good spot.
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Check out the nice video Honda put together to say thank you to the departing Chase Sexton.
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Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing Team’s Justin Barcia has provided an update on his condition following his savage crash in the SMX finale at the LA Coliseum. In a brutal blow, Barcia has revealed he’s suffered a few broken ribs, has a badly broken collarbone and a beat up lung. Here’s his post below.
We wish him all the best for his recovery.
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With the SMX Playoffs coming to a conclusion at the Los Angeles Coliseum last weekend for the finale, statistics maestro Paul Pearcy has provided MX Vice with some brilliant numbers to tuck into from what was a fascinating round of action. Enjoy
450 SMX SEASON END
- Jett Lawrence
- 1st in Qualifying: 1; Z Max
- Moto Wins: 3; 1 at Chicagoland, 2 at LA (50% win rate)
- Moto Podiums: 5; (83% podium rate)
- Overall Wins: 2; Chicagoland, 1-1 at LA (66% win rate)
- Overall Podiums: 2; (66% podium rate)
- Laps Led: 42; 21 at Chicagoland, 21 at LA (44% of total laps)
Averages
- Qualifying: 2.33
- Moto Finishes: 2.35
- Overalls: 2nd (Tied with Roczen for best in class)
- First Lap Position: 4th
Total Points: 163
- Ken Roczen
- 1st in Qualifying: 1; Chicagoland
- Moto Wins: 1; Race 2 at Chicagoland (16% win rate)
- Moto Podiums: 6; (100% podium rate)
- Overall Podiums: 3; (100% podium rate)
- Laps Led: 15; 10 at Z Max, 3 at Chicagoland, 2 at LA (15% of total laps)
Averages
- Qualifying: 3.33
- Moto Finishes: 2.33 (Best in Class)
- Overalls: 2nd (Tied with Lawrence for best in class)
- First Lap Position: 3.67
Total Points: 146
- Chase Sexton
- 1st in Qualifying: 1; LA
- Moto Wins: 2; 1-1 at Z Max (33% win rate)
- Moto Podiums: 5; (83% podium rate)
- Overall Win: 1; Z Max (33% win rate)
- Overall Podiums: 2; (66% podium rate)
- Laps Led: 32; (33% of total laps)
Averages
- Qualifying: 2nd (Best in Class)
- Moto Finishes: 5th
- Overalls: 4.67
- First Lap Position: 2.67
Total Points: 126
- Cooper Webb
- Moto Podiums: 1; Race 2 at LA (16% podium rate)
- Overall Podiums: 1; LA (33% podium rate)
Averages
- Qualifying: 7.33
- Moto Finishes: 6.33
- Overalls: 6th
- First Lap Positiion: 7.5
Total Points: 120
- Aaron Plessinger
Averages
- Qualifying: 8.33
- Moto Finishes: 7.66
- Overalls: 7.33
- First Lap Position: 9.67
Total Points: 104
- Adam Cianciarulo
- Laps Led: 1; Race 1 at LA (1% of total laps)
Averages
- Qualifying: 5.67
- Moto Finishes: 10.83
- Overalls: 11th
- First Lap Position: 9.83
Total Points: 96
- Garrett Marchbanks
Averages
- Qualifying: 8th
- Moto Finishes: 8.83
- Overalls: 8.67
- First Lap Position: 13.33
Total Points: 92
- Jason Anderson
- Laps Led: 4; Race 1 at LA (4% of total laps)
Averages
- Qualifying: 5th
- Moto Finishes: 8.83
- Overalls: 8.33
- First Lap Position: 8.16
Total Points: 91
- Colt Nichols
Averages
- Qualifying: 10.67
- Moto Finishes: 9.17
- Overalls: 8.33
- First Lap Position: 12.67
Total Points: 90
- Ty Masterpool
Averages
- Qualifying: 10th
- Moto Finishes: 10.5
- Overalls: 10th
- First Lap Position: 6.83
Total Points: 84
- Fredrik Noren
Averages
- Qualifying: 20th
- Moto Finishes: 11.83
- Overalls: 11.33
- First Lap Position: 13th
Total Points: 79
- Phillip Nicoletti
Averages
- Qualifying: 19.67
- Moto Finishes: 10.83
- Overalls: 10th
- First Lap Position: 10.67
Total Points: 76
- Dylan Ferrandis
Averages
- Qualifying: 7th
- Moto Finishes: 10.33
- Overalls: 10.67
- First Lap Position: 5.8
Total Points: 71
- Justin Barcia
- Laps Led: 1; Race 1 at LA (1% of total laps)
Averages
- Qualifying: 8.67
- Moto Finishes: 12th
- Overalls: 12th
- First Lap Position: 3.4
Total Points: 59
- Grant Harlan
Averages
- Qualifying: 23rd
- Moto Finishes: 16.16
- Overalls: 16th
- First Lap Position: 14.16
Total Points: 44
- Shane McElrath
Averages
- Qualifying: 16th
- Moto Finishes: 16.33
- Overalls: 16.67
- First Lap Position: 15.5
Total Points: 40
- Kyle Chisholm
Averages
- Qualifying: 25th
- Moto Finishes: 17th
- Overalls: 17th
- First Lap Position: 17th
Total Points: 40
- Justin Hill
Averages
- Qualifying: 18.67
- Moto Finishes: 17.33
- Overalls: 17.67
- First Lap Position: 16.5
Total Points: 31
- Dean Wilson
Averages
- Qualifying: 14.67
- Moto Finishes: 16.67
- Overalls: 17.67
- First Lap Position: 15th
Total Points: 31
- Josh Hill
Averages
- Qualifying: 24th
- Moto Finishes: 18.33
- Overalls: 19th
- First Lap Position: 18.33
Total Points: 25
- Jerry Robin
Averages
- Qualifying: 14.33
- Moto Finishes: 18.16
- Overalls: 19th
- First Lap Position: 18.16
Total Points: 22
- Jermy Hand
Averages
- Qualifying: 18.33
- Moto Finishes: 17.75
- Overalls: 18th
- First Lap Position: 19.25
Total Points: 18
- Eli Tomac
Total Points: 13
- Kevin Moranz
Averages
- Qualifying: 22.67
- Moto Finishes: 20th
- Overalls: 21st
- First Lap Position: 18.67
Total Points: 4
250SMX
1.Haiden Deegan
- Race Wins: 1; Race 1 at Z Max
- Race Podiums: 4; (66% podium rate)
- Overall Wins: 1; LA
- Overall Podiums: 3; (On the podium at all 3 rounds)
- Laps Led: 13; 6 at Z Max, 7 at Chicagoland (13% of total laps)
Averages
- Qualifying: 10th
- Moto Scores: 3.165 (Average of 3rd in moto 1 is best in class)
- Overalls: 2.33
- First Lap Position: 3.67 (Best in Class)
Total Points: 157
- Jo Shimoda
- Race Wins: 1; Race 2 at Z Max
- Race Podiums: 3; (50% podium rate)
- Overall Wins: 1; Z Max
- Overall Podiums: 3; ( On the podium at all 3 rounds)
- Laps Led: 14; 7 at Z MAX, 7 at Chicagoland (14% of total laps)
Averages
- Qualifying: 5.67
- Moto Scores: 2.83 ( Average of 2.33 in moto 2 is best in class)
- Overalls: 1.67 (Best in Class)
- First Lap Position: 5th
Total Points: 152
- RJ Hampshire
- 1st in Qualifying: 1; Chicagoland
- Race Podiums: 1; (16% podium rate)
- Overall Podiums: 1; LA
Averages
- Qualifying: 4.67
- Moto Scores: 7.5
- Overalls: 7th
- First Lap Position: 8.16
Total Points: 122
- Levi Kitchen
- Race Wins: 1; Race 2 at LA
- Race Podiums: 2; (33% podium rate)
- Laps Led: 29; 11 at Z Max, 18 at LA (Most in Class, 30% of total laps)
Averages
- Qualifying: 7.67
- Moto Scores: 7th
- Overalls: 6.67
- First Lap Position: 6.67
Total Points: 114
- Jordon Smith
- Race Wins: 1; Race 1 at LA
- Laps Led: 8; at LA (8% of total Laps)
Averages
- Qualifying: 9.67
- Moto Scores: 6.83
- Overalls: 5.67
- First Lap Position: 10.5
Total Points: 110
- Justin Cooper
- 1st in Qualifying: 1; LA
- Race Podiums: 1; (16% podium rate)
- Laps Led: 1; at Chicagoland (1% of total laps)
Averages
- Qualifying: 4.33
- Moto Scores: 8.5
- Overalls: 8.33
- First Lap Position: 7.83
Total Points: 101
- Maximus Vohland
Averages
- Qualifying: 7.67
- Moto Scores: 8.5
- Overalls: 8.67
- First Lap Position: 11th
Total Points: 98
- Tom Vialle
- Race Podiums: 3; ( 50% podium rate)
- Overall Podiums: 1; (33% podium rate)
- Laps Led: 20; 10 at Z Max, 10 at LA
Averages
- Qualifying: 8th
- Moto Scores: 7.83
- Overalls: 8.67
- First Lap Position: 6.5
Total Points:90
- Hunter Lawrence
- Race Wins: 2; 1-1 in Chicagoland
- Overall Wins: 1; Chicagoland
- Laps Led: 9; all in Chicagoland ( 9% of total laps)
Averages
- Qualifying: 6.67
- Moto Scores: 4.5
- Overalls: 4.5
- First Lap Position: 7.75
Total Points: 89
- Jalek Swoll
Averages
- Qualifying: 8.33
- Moto Scores: 9.33
- Overalls: 9.67
- First Lap Position: 10.5
Total Points: 88
- Pierce Brown
Averages
- Qualifying: 5.33
- Moto Scores: 9.335
- Overalls: 9.33
- First Lap Position: 10.67
Total Points: 86
- Ryder DiFrancesco
- Race Podiums: 1; Race 2 at Z Max (16% of total Races)
Averages
- Qualifying: 13.33
- Moto Finishes: 10.33
- Overalls: 9.67
- First Lap Position: 10.5
Total Points: 72
- Dilan Schwartz:
Averages
- Qualifying: 12.33
- Moto Finishes: 12.33
- Overalls: 13.33
- First Lap Position: 10.83
Total Points: 61
- Talon Hawkins
Averages
- Qualifying: 14.33
- Moto Finishes: 14.5
- Overalls:15
- First Lap Position: 14.16
Total Points: 58
- Seth Hammaker
- 1st in Qualifying: 1; Z Max
Averages
- Qualifying: 1.5
- Moto Finishes: 7.75
- Overalls: 6.5
- First Lap Position:5.25
Total Points: 49
- Cullin Park
Averages
- Qualifying: 19.67
- Moto Finishes: 15.83
- Overalls:16
- First Lap Position: 13.5
Total Points: 41
- Caden Braswell
Averages
- Qualifying: 21.33
- Moto Finishes: 17.5
- Overalls:17.67
- First Lap Position: 17.5
Total Points:29
- Mitchell Oldenburg
Averages
- Qualifying: 17th
- Moto Finishes: 13.5
- Overalls:13th
- First Lap Position: 8th
Total Points:27
- Coty Schock
Averages
- Qualifying: 23.67
- Moto Finishes: 17.25
- Overalls: 17.5
- First Lap Position:12.5
Total Points:25
- Preston Kilroy
Averages
- Qualifying: 18.67
- Moto Finishes:16.5
- Overalls: 17th
- First Lap Position: 16.5
Total Points:25
- Max Anstie
Averages
- Qualifying: 14th
- Moto Finishes: 16.5
- Overalls: 16th
- First Lap Position: 18th
Total Points: 14
- Jett Lawrence
- Austin Forkner
Averages
- Qualifying: 9th
- Moto Finishes: 12.5
- Overalls: 13th
- First Lap Position: 14.5
Total Points: 9
- Derek Kelley
Averages
- Qualifying: 19.67
- Moto Finishes: 18.5
- Overalls: 19th
- First Lap Position: 18th
Total Points: 9
- Carson Mumford
Averages
- Qualifying: 16th
- Moto Finishes: 19.5
- Overalls: 20th
- First Lap Position: 22nd
Total Points: 7
- Hunter Yoder
Averages
- Qualifying: 22nd
- Moto Finishes: 20.16
- Overalls: 21st
- First Lap Position: 19.16
Total Points:6
- Chris Blose
Averages
- Qualifying: 23rd
- Moto Finishes: 20th
- Overalls:20th
- First Lap Position: 19.5
Total Points: 6
- Luke Neese
Averages
- Qualifying: 22.33
- Moto Finishes: 20.65
- Overalls: 21.33
- First Lap Position: 17.83
Total Points: 4
- Chance Hymas
- Joshua Varize
Averages
- Qualifying: 18th
- Moto Finishes: 20th
- Overalls: 21st
- First Lap Position: 21st
Total Points: 2
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