Tomac and Webb Score Top-Five Finishes at SMX Playoff 2
/ Sep 15, 2024 /
Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Eli Tomac and Cooper Webb finish fourth and fifth overall, respectively, at the Texas Motor Speedway
Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Eli Tomac notched a 2-5 moto score at the Texas Motor Speedway, finishing fourth overall at Playoff 2 of the SuperMotocross World Championship Finals in Fort Worth, Texas. In his second race back from injury, Cooper Webb earned a 5-4 moto score, securing a top-five overall finish. Unfortunately, Justin Cooper’s day ended early with a crash in Moto 1.
Temperatures were high and the track conditions were tricky for the second round of the postseason. Tomac qualified third and had a good start to the first moto in fifth, then threw down the fastest lap of the moto on Lap 5 and made the pass for fourth. He continued to put in some fast laps, passing his teammate Webb a couple of laps later, and ultimately closed the gap to the leaders. It was a thrilling three-rider fight to the finish, with Tomac advancing to the runner-up spot with five laps remaining. He stayed on the heels of the leader all the way to the checkered flag, crossing the line second. In Moto 2, the Colorado rider did not get off the gate as he had hoped and found himself eighth. He steadily made his way forward to fifth by Lap 11, where he would finish to secure fourth overall. With triple the points on the line at the series finale, Tomac sits fourth in the championship and 21 points from the leader.
After a tough opening round last weekend, Webb bounced back in Texas. The North Carolina rider had a strong qualifying in sixth and got a great start to Moto 1 in third. He maintained the position for the first six laps but ultimately crossed the line fifth. In the second moto, Webb got another great start in fourth and quickly went to work, making his way to second by Lap 3. Although he was shuffled to fourth around the halfway point, he continued to ride a strong pace to finish shy of the podium, ending the day fifth overall and advancing to seventh in the points standings.
Their rookie teammate Cooper had a good start to the day, qualifying fifth. In the first moto, he got a good start in sixth and then was passed on Lap 6. Unfortunately, with seven laps remaining, the New Yorker crashed and withdrew from the race with a collarbone injury. Cooper looks to heal up during the week and aims to line up for the season finale.
The Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing team heads to Las Vegas, Nevada, next weekend for the SuperMotocross World Championship Final at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on September 21.
Jeremy Coker – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 450 Team Manager
“Eli had an amazing first moto and rode well. Cooper had a big improvement in the first moto and made another big improvement in Moto 2, so he’s turning in the right direction. We were a little bit off in the bike setup for Eli in the second moto, but we’ll be better next week and try to have two good motos for him. It was an unfortunate event for Justin Cooper in the first moto. He had a get-off and has a tiny fracture in his collarbone. We’ll get it healed up as good as we can this week and be ready for Vegas.”
Eli Tomac – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #3
“It was a roller coaster weekend. Our first moto was great. I made some great passes and was in the battle for the lead. Moto 2 was a bit of a struggle to move forward, and I didn't have the same pace as the first one. Overall, the SMX racing has been pretty good for us, and I'm looking forward to the finals in Las Vegas.”
Cooper Webb – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #2
“Today was a step in the right direction. We were a lot better. I qualified sixth, which was great. In the first moto, I got an awesome start, ran up front, and ended up fifth. Then in that last moto, I got a great start again and made some early passes to second. I ended up fourth and was solid, right behind Hunter. I felt a lot better today and gained a little bit of confidence. I’m getting healthier each day I ride, so I’m excited for this last round in Vegas.”
Justin Cooper – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #32
“It was not how we wanted to end the weekend. The track was really slick and could definitely catch you out. Unfortunately, it did. We’re down but not out. We’ll see how this week goes, but will do everything we can to line up next weekend.”
2024 SuperMotocross World Championship Playoff 2 450SMX Results
2024 SuperMotocross World Championship Standings
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