Image: Octopi Media.

450SX title threat Cooper Webb has vowed to ‘regroup’ and looks to regain lost points to championship rival Eli Tomac after missing out on the podium in Glendale’s Triple Crown.

Webb entered round 12 of the Monster Energy Supercross Championship as the joint red plate-holder with Tomac (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing), having won twice and scored nine top-three main event finishes throughout the season.

The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider qualified eighth fastest at State Farm Stadium, but launched to second place in the opening Triple Crown encounter at the venue and finished the race in that position, 1.589s from Tomac out front. Webb was then fifth in race two, notably making contact with Jason Anderson (Monster Energy Kawasaki) as the pair battled in the bout.

A mid-pack start left Webb with work to do in the final race and the two-time 450SX champion was able to recover to P4, landing fourth for the round with 2-5-4 scores, equal on points with Justin Barcia (TLD Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing) who went 3-6-2 for third on the night.

“Not the greatest of days, but not particularly bad either,” Webb recalled. “I was equal third in points on the night, but fourth overall given my last race finishing place, and with 2-5-4 finishes.

“These Triple Crown races can really swing either way when it comes to points – be really good to you or be costly in points if you let them. In the first race, I rode pretty well and was battling up front for second place, but I just didn’t ride that great in the second and third races, made too many little mistakes and passing was really tough, which cost me the overall podium.

“I think things will be a lot better in Atlanta next week – I really like racing in ATL. It will be back to a normal main event format, so we will regroup and look to make back those championship points I lost out on tonight.”

As Monster Energy Supercross moves to Atlanta for round 13, seven points separate Webb from red plate-holder Tomac.