Four different winners in four races.
The Monster Energy AMA Supercross season is shaping up to be one of extreme parity, which continues to heighten the stakes at each round.
On Saturday night, Cooper Webb continued the trend by putting his No. 2 machine on the top step of the podium during the Anaheim Triple Crown event at California’s Angel Stadium.
Not only did the result attest to the level of competition that has flooded the 450cc class ranks, but Webb made it clear that he’s found his groove with Star Racing Yamaha again after switching over from Red Bull KTM late last year.
“It’s crazy to see the turnaround,” Webb admitted. “For me, I always know Supercross is something that comes a little more natural for me and I’m always going to hopefully be in a position to fight for a championship and I never lost sight of that, but it was definitely a little discouraging after SMX.”
He originally debuted with Star Racing Yamaha during the SuperMotocross World Championship playoff rounds last September, but struggled to live up to his own expectations.
Four rounds into the new Supercross season, Webb appears to be back on the attack.
Tomac Rebounds On Dry Land
After enduring a pair of sloshy mud races back-to-back, Supercross finally made its return to dry land on Saturday night with 60-degree, clear conditions in Anaheim.
For Eli Tomac, who finished second overall on the night, facing standard Supercross track conditions provided a few well-needed answers about his race program.
“It was a huge question mark for myself coming into today,” Tomac explained in the post-race press conference. “When you have those two mud races in a row, it’s just a huge unknown. For me personally, this was like round two for me because I failed so terribly at Anaheim 1.”
The No. 3 Star Racing Yamaha rider — who is still bouncing back from an Achilles heel injury he sustained last season — started the year with a ninth-place finish at round one.
From there, he shot up to second at round two and back down to ninth at round three.
A runner-up at Anaheim 2 was a healthy rebound for Tomac, who won the third and final race of the Triple Crown event.
“Glad to know I can still do it,” Tomac noted after collecting the checkered flag.
Anderson Penalized
Jason Anderson looked to be in his old form on Saturday night.
After collecting a hodgepodge of results over the first three rounds of the season, the New Mexico native was in prime position to rattle off his second podium finish of the year.
During the Triple Crown, the No. 21 Monster Energy Kawasaki finished fourth in moto one, won the second stint and salvaged seventh in the final race of the night.
However, following the event, race control docked Anderson for “gaining an advantage while off the track,” which pushed the No. 21 to score fourth overall rather than third.
Prado Fulfills Childhood Dream
The Triple Crown marked reigning MXGP champion Jorge Prado’s final Supercross race of the season aboard the No. 111 Red Bull/GASGAS steed.
The Spaniard competed at the opening four races, earning a best finish of seventh at round two in muddy San Francisco. Prado will now return to Europe to defend his MXGP title, but will leave America pleased with the experience he gained.
“The main goal was just to try Supercross,” Prado explained during the NBC broadcast. “I got the experience I needed if I ever want to come over.”
He also noted that racing Supercross had been a childhood dream.
Points Leader Plessinger
For a second straight week, Red Bull KTM’s Aaron Plessinger will carry the points lead to the next round — set to take place at Ford Field in Detroit, Mich., on Feb. 3.
After adding a third-place score at Anaheim to his résumé, the No. 7 rider now has four straight top-five results to his credit — a career-best streak.