Image: Octopi Media.

A surge forward on the final lap in Foxborough could prove pivotal in Cooper Webb’s 450SX title aspirations this season, the former two-time champion’s chances increased by a clutch ride from P6 to third position on the podium in the rain-soaked conditions.

Webb, like many riders throughout the time-shortened main event, experienced his fair share of adversity on Saturday night, with a fall during the early stages putting him in 10th position as title-rival Chase Sexton (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) ran as high as P3.

Steady progress during the remainder of the encounter saw the number two climb to sixth with two laps remaining, before an instrumental last lap – assisted by mistakes from Sexton, Ken Roczen (Progressive Ecstar Suzuki) and Justin Barcia (Rockstar Energy GasGas Factory Racing) – saw him leapfrog the trio into an unlikely third place.

“I don’t know what happened on the last lap… I just jumped all the jumps!” recounted Webb after the race. “I was right there in the beginning with Chase, then I got excited and fell. I remounted from that, then I went into panic mode and fell again, and at that point, it was just about salvaging some championship points.

“With three to go, I could see fourth, and it was a bit like blood in the water, but it’s hard because it’s not a normal race. It’s not fitness or how bad you want it, you’ve got to be smart, fast, and efficient, dodge lappers, and keep the motorcycle alive. In the end, I don’t know what happened to Kenny [Roczen] – I just know that I literally went from seventh to third somehow in two laps.”

The passes in the closing stages proved invaluable for Webb’s championship grasp, gaining four points and stretching his series lead to 15 over Sexton with five rounds remaining in this year’s Monster Energy Supercross season.