Cooper Webb Fights to the Finish in Philly
It was a thrilling conclusion to the 450SX mudder in Philadelphia, with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cooper Webb earning his third consecutive runner-up finish / Apr 27, 2026 /
As the 2026 Monster Energy AMA Supercross 450SX Championship nears its conclusion, Webb continues to fight. On Saturday night, inside Lincoln Financial Field for Round 15, the rain arrived, turning the race into a proper mudder. In the punishing conditions, Webb delivered a strong ride and left nothing on the track, coming just shy of the win.
“I was really going for it,” said Webb. “Trying to get that win, especially late – it was full send.”
In the dry and in the wet, it was a solid day for the reigning 450SX Champion. Webb qualified sixth and got a strong start in his heat race. Running third, he made a pass on Hunter Lawrence on that opening lap and went on to finish second.
In the main event, Webb once again got a great start, slotting into second with all three title contenders in the top three. After Lawrence passed him on the second lap, Webb rode his own race and later closed back in as the battle ahead intensified. On Lap 8, Lawrence went down, allowing Webb to move back into the runner-up spot, with Ken Roczen holding a gap up front.
As time wound down, Webb mounted a late-race charge, erasing a nearly six-second gap in the closing laps to set up a dramatic finish. On the final lap, he gave it everything he had but ultimately crossed the line second, with the lead duo well clear of third and lapping all but the top-four finishers.
“I was so-so in practice, but then came around,” said Webb. “It started to rain really hard and became a mudder, and I actually rode really well. I got second in the heat and then made a hard charge in the main. I ended up P2, by just a little bit, so I’m a little bummed. I really wanted to get a win. We’re still not technically out of the championship, but it was definitely a little dagger in the heart. That being said, I can’t be mad. I rode great, and we lapped a lot of riders, so that was pretty cool.”
His teammate Justin Cooper was the fastest 450SX qualifier and showed strength in the changing conditions. The New Yorker had a good start to his heat race and was running third before dropping to fourth at the halfway mark. Undeterred, Cooper regained the position from Jorge Prado and then entered the battle up front, briefly taking the runner-up spot from Justin Barcia before ultimately finishing third.
Cooper got another top-five start to the main event, but found himself off track and stuck in the mud. By the time he had rejoined, he was a lap down. Despite the setback, Cooper continued to push and salvaged valuable points with a 13th-place finish.
“Track conditions were technical, but I felt like it was still in good condition for racing,” said Cooper. “I had a great qualifying on pole, and felt good and consistent in the mud. I got a good start in the main in the top five, but then got taken off track in Turn 2 by another rider and ended up getting stuck in the mud. So that put me a lap down right away and pretty much ended my chances at a good result.”
“It was a good day here in Philly,” said Rich Simmons, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s 450 Team Manager. “Justin qualified P1, and then we had two good heat races. Unfortunately, Justin ended up off the track after the start of the main and then was stuck in the mud, so to come back to 13th was a good ride for him. And Webb, it was typical Webb – to stick in there until the end, and put in a really good effort. So I'm proud of him and proud of the whole team. It was a tough day with all this mud and the weather. We’ll move on to next weekend.”
Two more rounds to go in the race for the crown, and Webb is on the outside looking in, 24 points behind the leader. Cooper remains fifth, with a 13-point gap to fourth in the championship standings. Both Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing riders look to keep fighting as the series heads west, with the penultimate round next weekend at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado, on May 2.