Page 20 - ISSUE51

COOPER WEBB
450 MX / 5TH
IMAGE / KILPATRICK WORDS / HARNISHFEGER DESIGN / MPG
>> Big things were expected of 450 rookie and reigning 250 outdoor champion Coo- per Webb coming into the 2017 season. Many thought his aggression and riding style would transfer seamlessly to the 450 ranks but that has yet to be the case. Webb struggled through Supercross apart from a couple rounds and the same could be said for the first three rounds of the outdoor series. He only has one top ten overall finish coming into Hangtown and has not been near the battles up front. However, he did move in the right direction in our last moto at Thunder Valley where he finished a ca- reer best fourth. He looked to use that little momentum and carry it east to High Point.
The Factory Yamaha rider looked good in practice managing to qualify with the sixth fastest lap time. The deep, rutted course suited his style so many were anticipating a breakthrough day from the rookie.
The gate dropped in moto one and Webb found himself positioned relatively well in eighth place. He passed Noren early for seventh and settled in there for a few laps. Shortly after, he leap frogged up to fifth by passing Craig and a downed Jason Ander- son. He stayed putting in consistent laps deep into the late stages of the moto when he finally passed Justin Bogle to move into fourth. It looked like he might hold it to the end but he would succumb to the hard charging pair of Tickle and Anderson. Those two would get by in the last few laps to push Webb pack to sixth where he would fin- ish. A good, consistent moto from Webb and he would be looking for another one in moto two.
He got out to a slightly better start in that second moto rounding the first lap in fifth position. He would then end up holding down that spot for the entire moto. It may
not have been the flashiest two motos for Webb but quiet and consistent is what he is looking for as he is slowly putting the pieces together on his 450. The 6-5 moto finishes for fifth overall mark a career best as he heads into his home race in Tennes- see next weekend.
20 GRITMOTO • JUNE 18, 2017