Image: Octopi Media.

Red Bull KTM’s current Monster Energy Supercross champion Cooper Webb left Anaheim 2 with increased confidence following his second podium finish of 2020.

Webb has recovered from the flu that struck him prior to Anaheim 1 and also indicated he had strep throat that affected him in St. Louis’ second round.

After taking his best qualifying position of the year in sixth, Webb rode to second in his heat and then carried that momentum into the 450SX main event.

He grabbed a top-five start and worked his way into second early on, dicing back and forth for position through the first half of the race. By the halfway point he was in third and from there he made a big charge to bring himself to within three seconds of winner Eli Tomac (Monster Energy Kawasaki) as they finished.

“It was a much better night than last week, it was good,” Webb commented after scoring third in the main event. “I knew it was going to be a tough main event and I was able to put myself in a pretty good situation around third the whole time.

“Me and Jason [Anderson] kind of played cat and mouse a little bit, loss track of that lead group, but put our head down, charged and made some time up in the end and was close there. It was cool to be up there.

“I got third at the first one, but we were still pretty far back, so I feel like we’re a lot closer now. I’m looking forward to the Triple Crown, I enjoy those and it’s nice to be back at it – just going to keep plugging away.”

Webb’s result – matching his podium finish from Anaheim 1 earlier this month – now sees him placed sixth in the standings, within 13 points of new red plate-holder Ken Roczen (Team Honda HRC) entering Glendale’s first Triple Crown this weekend.