Webb Secures Podium as Cooper Earns First Triple Crown Race Win
Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cooper Webb finishes third overall, while teammate Justin Cooper earns his first Triple Crown race win at Indianapolis Supercross / Mar 9, 2026 /
The fight for the Monster Energy AMA Supercross premier class crown resumed in Indianapolis last weekend with another hard-fought night of racing. Adding to the challenge was the Triple Crown format on a track well known for developing deep ruts as the races wore on. Despite those conditions, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing riders Cooper Webb and Justin Cooper delivered strong performances to finish third and fourth overall, respectively.
Both riders qualified well, with Webb fifth. He then got a strong start to the evening, quickly moving into the lead on the opening lap of Race 1. The North Carolina rider was passed on Lap 4 but held the runner-up position for most of the race. With Eli Tomac and Hunter Lawrence closing in during the final laps, a small mistake allowed both riders to slip by, leaving Webb fourth at the finish.
In Race 2, Webb didn’t get the start he was hoping for but quickly worked his way into the top five by Lap 2 and then to fourth by Lap 4. Late in the race, Hunter Lawrence tangled with a lapped rider, allowing Webb to move through to third. In the final race, another poor start had Webb back in seventh. He battled with his teammate and made the pass for fifth before the halfway mark, then advanced to fourth on the following lap. Webb attempted to close the gap to the leaders but lost too much time early in the race. In the end, it secured the final podium position, his fifth of the season.
“Indianapolis was a decent day,” said Webb. “Qualifying went well. I ended up fifth, and then was 4-3-4 across the board. So, I was consistent, but just off the top two guys tonight. I also got arm pump pretty bad in the first one, and went backwards. The second two, I actually rode much better; it was just my starts that kind of cost me. So just a little bummed. I felt like today I really needed to turn it around and get a win for the points, but it is what it is. We're not going to give up. We're going to keep fighting.”
Heading into the break, Webb sits third in the standings, trailing the leader by 25 points. Looking to bolster his title defense, the three-time 450SX Champion plans to get back to work and return stronger at the next round.
“This week we're going to work on some whoops stuff, which will hopefully help bridge the gap, and maybe also some speed work that I think we need,” Webb said. “We'll come back swinging in Birmingham.”
His teammate, Cooper, once again showed speed from the start, qualifying just shy of the top spot. He then got a great start to the first race, narrowly missing the holeshot before settling into third as Webb made his way through. The New Yorker continued to push, but ultimately didn’t have the pace to advance further and crossed the line fifth.
In the second race, he got another great start and quickly claimed the lead. Under pressure from Eli Tomac, he was passed on Lap 5, but Cooper stayed on the multi-time 450SX/MX champion. At the halfway mark, he made a decisive move to reclaim the lead and maintained a strong pace up front to secure his first race victory in the premier class.
“It was a really good day here in Indy,” said Cooper. “I felt really good as soon as I hit the track. I was really close to qualifying first, and we had some good races. The first one, I got fifth, and the second one, I got the win. We actually got out front right to begin with. Eli (Tomac) got around me, and I was able to pass him back, so that was a really cool way to win. So yeah, nothing but smiles after that one.”
Cooper entered the overall deciding race just one point off the lead. Unfortunately, he didn’t get the start he needed and was fifth early. After battling with his teammate, he dropped back to sixth on Lap 7 but responded with a pass on Jorge Prado the following lap. Cooper ultimately finished fifth, ending the night tied with Webb for the final podium spot, with the tiebreaker going to the rider with the better individual race result.
“We didn’t finish it off the way we wanted to,” Cooper said. “We were alright after the second one and got the short end of the stick, finishing fourth but tied for third. Overall, it was an awesome day. I got my first win, and nothing but positive vibes from that. It was nice to kind of show what we’ve been working on this off-season. It’s taken a while, but we’re finding our groove, getting out front more, and that’s helping a lot.”
“It was a good qualifying day for both guys,” said Rich Simmons, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s 450 Team Manager. “The first moto looked good off the start, and then both guys just kind of lost the pace early. It wasn’t the result we wanted in that first race, but it was a good rebound by both riders in the second one. Obviously, it was a great ride by Justin to get the win. They both put themselves in good positions for the final moto, but just didn’t get the start. The guys up front had a high pace, and by the time we got into third and fourth, they were too far gone. Overall, it was a good night, but we want to be on that top step.”
The Monster Energy AMA Supercross series takes a break next weekend before returning on March 21 for Round 10 of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship and the Monster Energy SMX World Championship at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Alabama.