There is an age-old question in Monster Energy AMA Supercross that always seems to arise around the halfway point of the season.
What matters more — stacking up wins or consistently finishing on the podium?
As the series arrives at Daytona Int’l Speedway this weekend for round eight of 17, thoughts of the championship have begun swirling around in the mind of Red Bull KTM’s Cooper Webb.
“It’s tough with all of us being so close,” Webb said, after winning last Saturday’s Triple Crown event in Arlington, Texas. “We’re going fast, so you have that little bit of risk and that thought of, ‘Hey, I don’t want to make a mistake.’”
Webb isn’t too worried about it though — he says it’s still too early in the game to play it safe. However, he has recognized a developing pattern and it’s a trend that hasn’t left much of a margin for error.
For two consecutive weeks, Webb, Star Racing Yamaha’s Eli Tomac and Honda HRC’s Chase Sexton have been the three 450SX class riders on the podium. The trio is within five points of each other in the standings, with Tomac leading, Webb in second and Sexton third.
It is the smallest points gap among three riders after seven rounds in the history of Supercross. Tomac has collected four wins, Webb owns two and Sexton has scored one.
“We’ll just keep fighting and going for race wins,” Webb said, sharing his strategy. “It’s still pretty early to get wrapped up in it.”
On the other hand, Tomac has confessed his championship-mentality often influences his race decisions, even if the season is still in its early stages.
“I obviously know how close it is at this point in time. It was like, whoever wins this race takes the red plate,” Tomac said, after scoring his fourth victory of the season on Feb. 18 in Oakland, Calif. “It’s definitely crunch time.”
For Sexton, who is in his third year in the 450SX class, it’s simply about being on top.
“I just want to win. That’s all I was thinking about,” Sexton said, following his third-place finish in Oakland. “The red plate’s obviously nice, but it’s the guy who wins the last race who has it.”
The reserved, “just finish on the podium” mindset doesn’t seem to be enough to earn a 450SX Supercross championship anymore. It’s become more about pushing the limits and stockpiling wins than ever before, making it a battle of risk versus reward for the top three.
And the risks are evident.
Tomac has made uncharacteristic, but minor, mistakes the past two weekends. Webb has had his fair share of wild moments in the whoops sections of race tracks. Sexton has experienced several late-race stumbles that cost him victories.
And yet, the trio surges forward with each rider chasing the elusive reward, determined to be the last man standing.