In the Western Regional 250SX class, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Austin Forkner was the first rider to the holeshot line, but Cooper was around him immediately.
GEICO Honda’s Christian Craig sat in third and Cooper’s teammate, Western Regional 250SX class reigning champion, Monster Energy / Star Yamaha Racing’s Dylan Ferrandis was back in seventh. Forkner looked ready to return to racing with a win after 2019 was cut short by an injury while leading the points in the Eastern Regional 250SX class Championship; he grabbed the lead back within the first four laps. Cooper stayed close, but not within striking distance, while teammate Ferrandis sliced his way through the pack. Just before the midpoint Ferrandis made his way into third as, five seconds up the track, Cooper closed in on Forkner’s rear fender.
Forkner held off Cooper’s charge, but then with three and a half minutes plus one lap of racing to go, Forkner got off-line through a rhythm lane and nosed his front wheel into a Tuff Blox. He hopped off the bike as it came to a stop while Cooper jumped past. In remounting, Forkner got turned around on the track and cut through to the next lane to resume racing as Ferrandis raced past into second. The infraction netted Forkner a two-position penalty.
At the line, it was Yamaha’s Cooper taking his first 250SX win. Ferrandis took second, and Forkner crossed the line in third, but after the post-race penalty was awarded fifth position.
“The track was tough, we were all making mistakes, but I was trying to pressure him into that mistake right there,” Cooper said. “I ended up being patient and working out. Man, I’m so proud of myself for riding like that tonight and just… Before the gate dropped, I was like, ‘How cool would it be to come out here and win A1.’ This is my dream to win it here is so much bigger than any other place that I could’ve won it. It’s honestly like, just looking up into the lights right now it’s like I’m dreaming. It’s incredible. The feeling that I felt when I went over the finish line is like nothing other. I could just live on that adrenaline right there.”