Image: Octopi Media.

Edging within one second of victory in the final moments of Oakland’s 450SX main event, Cooper Webb has indicated that he was ‘maybe being a bit too conservative’ during the opening stages after delivering another spirited charge in the closing laps.

Overall it was a solid night for the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider at RingCentral Coliseum, finishing third in heat two before crossing the line just eight-tenths from race winner Eli Tomac (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing).

Webb launched to P3 in the main event and drifted from leading duo Chase Sexton (Team Honda HRC) and Tomac until roughly a couple of laps past the halfway point. Sexton fell on lap 13, with Webb passing the number 23 through a rhythm lane later in the race, then setting his sights on Tomac. Moving closer as the bout neared its end, it was a case of needing just one more lap for Webb who charged right up to Tomac as the checkered flag fell.

“I think it is a little bit… maybe being too conservative,” Webb explained. “These guys are going for it and mistakes have happened and can happen, so I think just a little bit like, I was in a good position, I was right where I needed to have a good result, and I feel like they were just riding that limit a little bit harder than I was at the beginning.

“That’s where maybe I have to get out of my comfort zone a little bit and push that comfort zone at the beginning, knowing at the end I can make it happen. I think this track too is a lot more open, the tops of the berms and some of the corners were really nice. It’s just me needing to open my eyes and go that line is better maybe.

“But overall, I feel like I am in a really good spot and, like I said, you are going to have certain nights that you are on. I feel like tonight was a good overall result for those guys kind of pulling away from me at the beginning.”

In terms of lap times over race distance, Webb was the most consistent and his 1m07.577s posted on the final lap on Saturday was just over three-tenths from his fastest set on the third lap – an impressive feat considering the deteriorating track conditions.

Conversely, Tomac dropped in the 1m10s bracket in the closing stages – his worst time of 1m10.550s being his final lap after that near-costly mistake. However, both Tomac and Sexton were able to lap over a second quicker than Webb in the opening laps, underlining the former champion’s point of needing to improve at the start of the race.

Just seven points separate Webb from red plate-holder Tomac at the 2023 Monster Energy Supercross Championship continues this Saturday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington for round seven.