After a highly successful stint with Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha which ran from 2023 through 2026, Cooper Webb has now joined forces with the Rocky Mountain ATV/MC – Monster Energy – Team Tedder – Husqvarna organization to race a full-on works Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Editon beginning with the 2027 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship.
Back with Roger DeCoster and upon an Austrian-manufactured motorcycle, Webb won the 2019 and 2021 premier class Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship with Red Bull KTM, it’s a profound change for the 30-year-old and three-time 450cc AMA Supercross Champion.
Already fast at it and home from the 2026 FIM Motocross of Nations in Ernee, France, Webb checked in from his North Carolina home.
“I’m just done riding and training for the day here in North Carolina,” started out Webb. “Just getting back ready for supercross. It’s been great so far. We moved here about three weeks ago now. Last week was our first week back riding and training and stuff, and so far, so good. We’re now in week two and we’re loving it in North Carolina.
“It’s been awesome for me. This is where I’m from. We’ve got a good program going. I have two supercross tracks here. I actually rode at ClubMX today, so that was cool. I’m on the new Rocky Mountain ATV/MC – Monster Energy – Team Tedder – Husqvarna right now. So we’re getting her all dialed-in. Yeah, the whole crew is here. The crew chief lives out here. I’m working with Justin Brayton on training and on the bike stuff. I have my mechanic here. The shop and everything is set up. It’s pretty cool.
“Obviously, with the new team with the Tedders, I now work with them, which has been awesome so far,” Webb continued. “We’re able to have the full KTM Husqvarna Group support. With my engine and chassis, everything is factory. We’re running the Enzo KYB suspension right now. I was able to bring my race mechanic from Star Racing here, Alex Campbell. I was able to steal and grab one of the 250 mechanics off that team. Austin Kent, who is my practice mechanic, is here. The 450 team manager, Rich Simmons, decided to come with me to this team.
“All four of us jumped ship to Tedder and that’s kind of like the crew I’ve got. Like I said, with Justin Brayton I’m working on racing mentality and training one and off the bike. He’s kind of just doing everything for me from top to bottom. We have a great crew right now. I’m super-excited to have the people in my corner that I have.”
A profound move for the veteran racer at this point in his storied and prolific career, Webb laughed when asked if he felt like he now had a blank white canvas before him.
“It is like a blank canvas,” enthused Webb. “It is. It’s really cool. It’s kind of like I can build my own team in a way, right? Almost gives the 22 Chad Reed vibes from back in the day. I was kind of able to hand pick who I wanted. Like you said, the Tedder support has been amazing. The Husqvarna support has been awesome. It’s still early, but being able to kind of assemble the people I wanted from crew chief to team manager to suspension guys and everything has been really cool. I’m excited to see where it all ends up once we go racing. So far we’re a week in and everything has been amazing.”
Although very early on in the research and development process with the Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Editon, Webb is quite enthused with the motorcycle during this early stage of testing.
“Yeah, dude, it’s awesome,” said Webb of the Husqvarna. “I feel really good on it right away. We haven’t made one change, which is rare in the 450 class. I hopped on it first day and we clicked around one or two clickers and then I haven’t touched a single thing, so I’m really impressed with this motorcycle. I feel like I ride it a lot better. I fit it a lot better. The suspension on it is a lot better.
“So we’ll see. You know I think it’s still early. I feel like there is stuff that we’ll learn that maybe we need to adjust, but so far it has been really good. It’s a really light motorcycle. I feel like my old KTM self. I feel like I fit the bike really well. I’m stoked. Like I said, I have a good group of people that are super knowledgeable and I think we’re in a really good spot so far.”
Are there any similarities between the Yamaha and the Husqvarna that leap out at him?
“They’re both quite a bit different, if I’m honest. Both are good in their own ways. No, I’m not going to miss the Yamaha much, if I’m honest,” he said. “I’ve really been enjoying riding this motorcycle. I feel like I can do things that maybe I was being held back on before, so I’m excited. Right this second, no, I’m not missing it at all.”
Webb shook down the Husqvarna at the recent Motocross of Nations in France where he placed fourth overall in the Open classification.
“Yeah, it was incredible, you know?” he smiled. “I had three days on it before the race and was battling World Champions out there, you know? I was in a battle with Lucas Coenen for 30 minutes. It was cool, man. At Southwick he damn near lapped me. It was really cool to just show up and represent for my country but also ride as well as I did. I feel like I rode really, really solid.
“Especially for myself and just a lack of time on the bike and all things considered. I was really happy with my how my personal results went. That event, in my opinion, is still the best event on two wheels. I enjoyed it. I had a blast To represent my country was amazing. The fans were incredible. It’s a once in a lifetime experience. It’s something that I’ll cherish forever.”
