Image: Octopi Media

Cooper Webb (Red Bull KTM) found the top step of the podium for the first time in the 2021 Monster Energy Supercross season at Houston 3, as he starts to feel more comfortable on Red Bull KTM’s prototype air-shock.

After flying a bit under the radar in the opening two rounds, the 2019 450SX champion is finding his way in terms of set up following an off-season he considered less than ideal.

“We’re getting better obviously. It’s been a little bit of a struggle, you know, it wasn’t the off-season that I was hoping for by any means,” Webb explained. “We have some new stuff on the bike this year and race conditions are really different from the practice track.”

One of those new components on the bike is KTM’s air-shock prototype. While this technology is nothing new to the KTM group, as many will remember Ryan Dungey’s trials and tribulations with it in 2013, the WP component is all-new to Webb. And though it’s completely different from the traditional spring style, Webb’s initial feedback has been positive.

“It’s quite a bit different, that’s for sure. I mean immediately, I liked it a lot. It’s hard to explain without knowing the differences and feeling it, but [it] just seems to be a lot plusher and more progressive, which I really enjoy. So, it’s just fine tuning it though, you know, it’s totally different.”

Sitting just one point out of the points lead, Webb’s happy with the progress made in the opening three rounds and is looking forward to dialing in his set up a bit more before the series heads to Indianapolis.

“We’ve been changing and stuff basically every time we’re on the track and tonight we made the right call,” he explained in the post-race press conference. “So I’m pumped on that. And now, you know, we have some time to ride. So yeah, I’m stoked from the first Saturday to this Saturday is massive gains and looking to keep building with the long series still to come.”