2025 SuperMotocross 450 Countdown, No. 5: Cooper Webb

1 week ago 2

Cooper Webb accomplished a feat in 2025 that only six others have achieved by becoming a three-time Monster Energy Supercross champion. If he can capture a fourth championship, that would move him into a three-way tie for third on the all-time list behind Jeremy McGrath with seven and one shy of Ricky Carmichael with five.

The air does not get much more rarified in modern dirt bike racing.

Webb started the season strong with back-to-back top-fives in the 2025 season opener at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California, and down south on the I-5 in San Diego for Round 2. He stumbled in the second Anaheim race (eighth), but his worst finish during the remainder of the season was fourth. He failed to stand on the podium only twice more.

SX 2025 Rd 17 Salt Lake City Cooper Webb trophy 2.JPG

Cooper Webb: “I truly believe that until the checker flag is waving that it’s never over”

Cooper Webb has three Supercross championships, but has not yet successfully defended the title; then again, neither has any active rider.

“Everyone's kind of looking at you to continue the success from last year,” Webb said during pre-season Media Days. “Even for myself, I don't think there's anyone out there who puts more pressure on themselves. I don't take that lightly.

“I'm going to do the best I can and see where it puts me. I've been in this position before, three times now, having the No. 1 plate and a goal of mine is to try to clearly repeat, but also learn from those mistakes that I have made as a past champ.”

There are no official asterisks in the SuperMotocross record book, but one wouldn’t know that from Webb’s statements during Media Days.

MX 2025 Rd 09 Ironman 450 RJ Hampshire.JPG

2025 SuperMotocross 450 Countdown, No. 6: RJ Hampshire

RJ Hampshire was one of the most consistent riders in 2025 with a variance of a quarter of a point between Supercross, Motocross, and the SMX Playoffs.

He is aware that the field was thinned. Supercross lost Jett Lawrence to injury in Glendale, Arizona. Hunter Lawrence was immediately placed on the injured list one week later. Eli Tomac also retired after the Tampa race.

Webb earned one podium in the first three rounds. From the time the Lawrence brothers and Tomac retired, he was on the box nearly every week. Chase Sexton was just as consistent, and the title came down to those two riders.

Webb wants to win the 2026 title against a healthy field, but that won’t happen this year. Jett Lawrence suffered an ankle and foot injury in a training accident during the 2025-2026 off-season and will miss all or most of the Supercross season.

MX 2025 Rd 11 Budds Creek ToJustin Cooper closeup.JPG

2025 SuperMotocross 450 Countdown, No. 7: Justin Cooper

Justin Cooper effectively won the regular season title and was seeded first for the SuperMotocross Playoffs, but he is still looking for his first trophy.

The Supercross season was hands down Webb’s 2025 highlight.

Perhaps suffering from a championship hangover, Webb finished modestly in eighth place in the Pro Motocross opener at Fox Raceway in Pala, California. He told NBC Sports three weeks later in Lakewood, Colorado, that he was experiencing bike problems, but he failed to secure a top-five in overall scoring for the remainder of the outdoor season.

Webb swept the top 10 in his next five Motocross Nationals. A knee injury suffered in the RedBud National ended his regular season. It may have been a relief, but he began to slide down the points and would have to settle for the fourth seed when the SuperMotocross Playoffs began.

Webb may still have been affected by his knee surgery during the playoffs, as he was never a serious factor. He finished seventh in the shortened Round 1 at zMax Dragway, was fifth overall in Round 2 in St. Louis, Missouri, and ended the season with another seventh overall in Las Vegas.

Webb’s current contract is up at the end of 2026, and he is uncertain how he wants to proceed. Winning back-to-back titles would make that decision even more difficult, but there is a chance he will become a Supercross-only rider in 2027.

Cooper Webb 2025 Statistics

SuperMotocross League standings: Sixth
Seeding for SMX Round 1: Fourth
Combined starts: 26
Best finish: First (Detroit, Arlington, Indianapolis, Seattle, Pittsburgh SX)
Wins: 5
Podiums: 13
Top-fives: 18
Top-10s: 26

Supercross average finish: 2.53
Motocross average finish: 8.67
SMX Playoffs average: 6.33
Overall average: 4.38

450 SuperMotocross Countdown

6. RJ Hampshire
7. Justin Cooper
8. Ken Roczen
9. Aaron Plessinger
10. Justin Barcia
11. Malcolm Stewart
12. Dylan Ferrandis
13. Justin Hill
14. Joey Savatgy
15. Jason Anderson