Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing's Cooper Webb scored another runner-up finish in challenging conditions at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The red plate holder’s 11th podium finish of the season gives him a nine-point advantage after Round 14 of the 17-round Monster Energy AMA Supercross 450SX Championship. Despite feeling less than 100% with an illness, Justin Cooper finished just shy of the podium, crossing the line fourth at his home race.
The weather was much better for the third round of the East Coast swing, but riders were met with tricky conditions at MetLife Stadium. Webb had a strong start to the day, topping the first session of qualifying and was third in the combined times. He then got a good start to the heat race in fourth and quickly slotted into second behind his teammate. The duo would battle it out, with Webb taking over the lead in the final laps. In the main event, the North Carolina rider got a good start and quickly made his way to second, where he would finish to leave New Jersey with a nine-point lead in the 450SX Championship.
After topping the timesheets in 450 qualifying, Cooper grabbed the holeshot in his heat race and would finish second behind his teammate. In the main event, he didn’t get the start he was hoping for and was sixth after the opening lap. The New Yorker rode strong despite not feeling 100%, and made his way to fifth. With around six laps to go, Cooper advanced to fourth after a rider ahead crashed and kept charging. He tried to make a run for the final podium spot, but ultimately crossed the line fourth. Cooper's efforts moved him up to fourth in the 450SX points standings.
Next weekend, the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing team heads to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for Round 15 of Monster Energy AMA Supercross and the SuperMotocross World Championship at Acrisure Stadium on April 26.
Rich Simmons – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 450 Team Manager
“Both of our guys had a good qualifying and good heat race, and our starts were good all day. We just didn’t have the pace in the whoops tonight, but we’ll regroup and get ready for Pittsburgh. We’ll look at some things that we need to be better at and come back stronger next weekend.”
Cooper Webb – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #2
“East Rutherford was a pretty good day. I was able to qualify first in one session and get a heat race win. In the main event, I just wasn’t gelling with the whoops and got my butt kicked there. I got some arm pump, and that was all she wrote. So yeah, it was a bit of a bummer, but we gave it our best with what we had and ended up with a solid night in second. We’ll work on our weaknesses this week and come back swinging in Pittsburgh.”
Justin Cooper – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #32
“It was a great day. I qualified first, but I had a little sickness this week, the first one of the year, so I didn’t know what to expect and how the racing would go. At the end of the heat race, I was kind of out of breath, and that was way shorter than the main, so I knew I was going to be in for it. I felt strong in the main. I felt like I rode well; it was just nothing flashy. I didn’t have any sprint in the main, and I couldn’t really muster any energy for that last podium spot, which was unfortunate, but we’ll take it and go into the next round and try and be better.”