Sixteen rounds down, one to go.
With only one race remaining in the Monster Energy AMA Supercross season — this weekend’s showdown at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah — it’s time to talk title scenarios.
Over the last four months of competition, a clear frontrunner has emerged.
Jett Lawrence, 20, is on the verge of winning his first 450SX title. The Team Honda HRC rider holds a 20-point lead over Star Racing Yamaha’s Cooper Webb heading into the finale.
The points gap leaves Lawrence in a fairly comfortable situation this weekend. Should Webb win Saturday night’s main event, the No. 18 Honda rider only needs to earn six points to clinch the championship, equaling a finish of 15th or better.
What makes this likely conclusion miraculous is that this year was Lawrence’s rookie season as a premier class Supercross rider. More so, he’s repeatedly found success over a rival (Webb) who has two championships and years of experience under his belt.
On the other hand, what makes the scenario somewhat unsurprising is that the young Australian brought home the 450cc class AMA Pro Motocross title during his rookie run last year — and, unforgettably, he did so by winning 22 consecutive motos.
Though he hasn’t been able to go on the same kind of winning streak in Supercross, Lawrence has still reigned victorious at precisely half of the events on the schedule, amounting to eight wins total.
Remarkably, this leaves Webb — the seasoned, class veteran — at a strong disadvantage in the final stage of the title fight.
Not to mention, the 28-year-old is also dealing with a minor injury. Webb tore his ulnar collateral ligament several weeks ago and has been attempting to heal up ever since, to little avail.
“I’ve obviously struggled these past few rounds, so I’ll be transparent,” Webb wrote via Instagram on Sunday. “I did tear my UCL in my thumb during the heat race crash in Birmingham (Ala.). I had been able to manage it pretty well until I re-aggravated it recently. Sometimes it’s just the way she goes.”
As is typical of the No. 2 Yamaha rider, Webb hasn’t given up yet.
“With that said, it’s never over until it’s over,” Webb said. “I’ll see everyone in SLC.”
A Tight Battle For Third
Though there’s little drama at the top of the 450SX standings due to Lawrence’s substantial lead, the situation becomes a bit more dire farther down in the ranks.
Two-time Supercross champion Eli Tomac and reigning titlist Chase Sexton are tied for third in the standings entering Salt Lake City, owning 282 points apiece.
Both riders have carried a chip on their shoulder this season, with Tomac trying to prove that he still “has it” after his Achilles heel injury last year and Sexton struggling to adapt to his new home at Red Bull KTM.
While they aren’t challenging for a title, the bragging rights and bonuses that come with finishing top three in the standings are no doubt motivation enough for Tomac and Sexton to duke it out.
Who will emerge triumphant?