Yamaha provides an update on Eli Tomac after Tampa, with Webb finishing second

Cooper Webb of Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing gains ground in the 450SX Championship by finishing second at Tampa Supercross.

Cooper Webb of Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing finished second on a wild night of racing at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, during Round 5 of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross and SuperMotocross World Championship. The North Carolina rider charged through the field for his second consecutive runner-up finish, putting him second in the hotly contested 450SX title chase and closing the gap to five points. Justin Cooper continued to improve, finishing fourth, his best result of the season. Unfortunately, Eli Tomac injured his leg during the second qualifying session, but he rode with grit and determination to finish 17th and earn valuable championship points.

Following a runner-up finish at Glendale, Webb, who now lives in Florida, was excited to return to his home turf. The day began well, as he qualified second and then took the holeshot and won convincingly in his heat race. Unfortunately, he did not get off the gate as he had hoped in the main event and ended up near the back of the field. Webb immediately went to work, finishing 10th after the first lap and moving up to sixth by the third lap. He climbed to third and finished second in the final laps, earning his third podium of the season and moving up to second place in the championship, five points behind the leader.

Tomac was on track for a great night in Tampa. The Colorado rider demonstrated speed from the start, setting the fastest time in the first qualifying session before injuring his leg in the second. Tomac qualified eighth in the combined times, had a good start in his heat race in fifth, and despite feeling a little off, finished seventh. In the main event, he did not get the start he desired and fell to the back of the pack, but he persevered and finished 17th with five points. Tomac’s determined ride keeps him in the top five in the point standings, just 21 points behind the leader.

Cooper had a strong start to his East Coast swing in Tampa, qualifying fifth. He then built on that with a strong start in the heat race, finishing second and quickly taking the lead. The New Yorker led for most of the race and finished third. Cooper had another strong start in the main event, and despite being shuffled to sixth, he fought for position all the way to the finish, passing for fourth on the final lap. His fourth-place finish is his best so far during his sophomore season in the premier class.

The Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing team will travel to Detroit, Michigan next weekend for Round 6 of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship and SuperMotocross World Championship, as well as Round 2 of the 250SX East Championship, at Ford Field on February 15.

Rich Simmons, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 450 Team Manager

“Let me start with the obvious: Eli had a bad night. It was a freak accident in which he got his foot caught between the foot peg and the ground during qualifying. He was extremely sore and bruised, but he did his best to manage a points night. On the other hand, Webb had a great night. He didn’t get off to a good start in the main event, but he rode exceptionally well to finish second and cut the championship lead in half – he came in 10th and left fifth. Then Justin Cooper experienced a significant boost in confidence. He continued to ride well throughout the day and improved on it. He got a good start in the heat and finished third, then another good start in the main and just sort of stayed in the mix. Riding with those guys helps him gain confidence. So, there are some positives to an up-and-down night, and we’ll move on to Detroit.

Cooper Webb, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #2.

“Overall, today was a good day. I qualified second, won the heat race, and placed second in the main. I simply made a mistake at the start, caused some wheel spin, and was buried. I made a good charge through the pack and began picking off guys. I’m just a little bummed because I thought I was coming through with Malcolm (Stewart), but then I made some mistakes, lost the tow, and the lappers got involved. Overall, it was a good points night, with a solid second-place finish. “We’ll take the points, improve, and move on to Detroit.”

Justin Cooper, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #32

“I had three really bad starts last weekend in Glendale, so having two really good starts is a huge plus for me. I know I’m a good starter, so having that back and doing it twice tonight was important to me. It kept me in a good position all night. I finished fourth in the main after finishing third in the heat race and catching Chase (Sexton) on the final straight away. So it was a successful night for me because I charged until the end and remained strong. “We will continue to work and build for Detroit.”

Eli Tomac, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #3.

“It was a rough day in Tampa. During qualifying, I sprained the top of my ankle and bruised my lower leg after getting my leg caught beneath the foot peg on a jump. I’m going to do everything I can to get back on the queue in Detroit.”