Cooper Webb on: Points, Turning Around | Transcript

Cooper Webb of the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing squad had one of his most notable wins at the 15th round of the 2025 Monster Energy AMA Supercross, Pittsburgh, and solidified his spot at the head of the 450SX championship standings. 12 points is his advantage with two rounds left before a champion is crowned.

In Pittsburgh's post-race press conference, hosted by Feld Motorsports, Webb tackled the poignant triumph and his mindset as the series returns to the United States' west coast. There is chatter about his position as an all-time great as well. Evidently, a lot came of supercross' first trip to Pittsburgh's Acrisure Stadium.

Press Conference: This was exactly what you needed – you executed. How much weight was on your shoulders? Not just today, but all week.

Cooper Webb: Yeah, it was a lot of weight. Especially after last weekend, which was a bit of a defeat. It has been a good week but a long week. Whenever you have bad races like that then it is a long seven days and it was getting to a point where we needed to do something. I was definitely able to execute in that main event. I got the holeshot and was able to sustain the pressure from Chase [Sexton] the whole time, which was not easy. A lot was going on. The track was tricky, and it could catch you off guard if you wanted to catch a flow. The lappers were tricky and trying to change lines as the track broke down was tough. I am very happy with my main. I rode very solid and consistent, and it was a much-needed win for sure.

What do you feel was your 'moment' of the race? Was there a point where you had it or one where you felt you lost it?

Not until the checkered came. I saw his mistake – I tried to capitalize and do a couple of good laps, but that was my one mistake. I missed the one rhythm with the on-on-off around the same time as his mistake. I was trying to get away, but he regrouped quickly. He was a few tenths faster and got right back to me, so it was tough. It is always hard when you are out front because you cannot see where you are losing or gaining, but it was also difficult to pass tonight and I knew that. I was just trying to ride consistent laps. The lappers were a little tough tonight. They were getting out of the way, but we would catch them quickly and there was not much they could do because of the ruts and things like that. Managing them was a bit difficult, especially in the rhythm with the 2-3-3 because it had a bad kicker and you are jumping beside some guys where it is really tight. I did not think it was safe until the checkered flag.

Tonight, you became the eighth different rider in history to win 30 450SX main events. What does it mean to you to go wire-to-wire and have your name up with greats like Jeremy McGrath, Chad Reed and Ricky Carmichael?

I am still a long way from those guys, but it feels awesome. To be a young kid from North Carolina with dreams of being a pro dirt bike racer and to get 30 450SX main event wins is crazy. Sometimes, as racers, we take it for granted, but it really is super special.

How are you feeling about the last two rounds with the series now, moving west?

I feel good. I like the elevation and they are football stadiums, which I enjoy. I have had great success in Salt Lake City. Last year, with my thumb, it was tough in Colorado, but I have always enjoyed racing in Denver. We are going to do the best we can. We will make some changes for the altitude that will help and the bike will be great. I am excited. It is coming down to the wire and executing in the last two will be important. I believe those will be good rounds for me.

This was a brand-new venue for supercross and it has been decades since we have been to Pittsburgh. Do you have any thoughts or comments on the crowd tonight or just racing in Pittsburgh?

I think it is cool to come to a new place. We go to many of the same races year after year, so it is good to come to a new venue. The crowd seemed great and the atmosphere was good. As Chase said, the dirt is unique and – despite all the rain – it was dry. That was a huge positive. I thought it was great.

How important was it to be able to lead the main event and control the race from the front while navigating the traffic? How did you stay so composed? 

It was not easy, but it was much needed. We both knew the start would be the key to the race because passing was hard. So, unless you were being extremely aggressive, I felt it was hard to pass tonight. I kind of stuck to my game plan of jumping the whoops. I saw the 250SX main and it worked for those guys. I stuck to my lines. It is easy to look back at the race and say, "Oh man, it was well executed." There is a lot of pressure though. There are a lot of little mistakes you are making. If you get caught, you are trying to make a change but do not know what to change. It was really a mentally tough main event. We were truly going for it and both badly wanted that win. I think we both showed that.

You have talked about not making bike changes throughout the season, because you have been comfortable. Tonight, on the podium, you mentioned making a bike change. Generally, a bike change during the week is a bigger change than on race day. What did you change?

We made a shock change for the first time in like two years. I gave [Ricki] Gilmour free reign this week, and he did his thing. We made some good progress and I am stoked with that. In my opinion, it is always a bit of a risk when you do a bike change after having great success throughout the year. It was a much-needed change that helped me be a little better and stronger, and it helped me in the whoops. We'll fine-tune it this week and hopefully get it even better.

You have two 450SX championships, and you are going for your third. Does this one feel any different than the previous two? Do you feel less pressure because you have two already, or is it more pressure and you are getting closer to that rarified air?

I honestly think this one has been a lot different. The situation we have been in over the last few weekends, where it has been very heads-up between Chase and I, is a bit unique. We have gone back and forth since the break and raised our level. We see it throughout the day in practice and heats where we are just going back and forth, and I think we are both riding really well. I think it is different in that regard. There is more one-on-one compared to the others. There is always pressure, which makes the sport what it is. Sometimes, it can eat at you and it's tough. It is draining. You have to look at it and take it as an enjoyment. I am 29 years old: I get to have that pressure of being a past champion and maybe doing it again, as well as having the red plate and stuff like that. I do not think anybody in the room wants the stress that comes with it. That is part of it. It means so much to you when you do execute, at least the two times that I have. We will see.

Tonight was a great rebound from last week. The rivalry has been awesome with the back and forth, and hand gestures over the finish line. We saw a little rocking the baby gesture on the broadcast. Is that something new?

I had to switch it up, man. I got finger banged – you have to come up with something new. At the end of the day, there is tension and rivalry. I do have a lot of respect for Chase and I always have. I think we are some of the best to ever do it. I have a lot of respect, but I definitely want to kick his ass.

Winning the race tonight puts Chase in a situation, so where does the championship situation sit now? The math is heavily in your favor. Was this the biggest race of this series?

Everyone keeps saying, "Get one win, and mathematically, it is over." That is not the case. Do you think it is easy to go get second every night? No, it is not. Anything can happen. It's motorsports. Mathematically, it helped, but it is not over until it is over. We have seen the way he is riding. We are giving it our all. Guys like Justin Cooper, Aaron Plessinger, Ken Roczen and Malcolm Stewart also give it their all and can be in the mix on any night. It's a big relief in the sense that if you look at us going 1-2 then mathematically it does help, but that is not guaranteed. For me, it was about stopping the bleeding.