Cooper Webb Secures Premier Class 450 SX Championship

The model of consistent speed, determination and chart-topping finishes, Monster Energy’s Cooper Webb (Star Racing/Yamaha) secured the premier class 450 championship on Saturday at Salt Lake City’s Rice-Eccles Stadium, capping off the 2025 Monster Energy AMA Supercross season with his third career title. And joining Webb on the overall 450 class season podium, with an impressive 3^rd place run in his rookie year in the class, was Monster Energy’s Justin Cooper (Star Racing/Yamaha).

Said Webb, speaking of the championship: “You don’t know how many night I’ve woken up wanting this again. And I never thought I would get his again. Never give up on yourself. Never cut yourself short. I’m not, maybe, the best. But if you put your mind to something…”

Added Cooper: “It’s cool to battle with these guys. They’re (Webb and KTM’s Chase Sexton) going for a title, obviously. Just to be part of it is special I think. Coming into form at the end of the season was important for me. Ending it this way, with three straight podiums, was pretty cool for me. I had a little bit of a rough start to start the season, so to end it this way was cool.”

And though he had already wrapped up the Monster Energy AMA Supercross series’ 250 WSX title the previous week in Denver, Monster Energy’s Haiden Deegan (Star Racing/Yamaha) booted up and flat out dominated SLC’s Dave Coombs Sr. 250 East/West Showdown, winning the main event by more than nine seconds ahead of KTM’s Julien Beaumer.

“Yeah, I needed this. A statement ride like this, especially in the East/West Showdown, it feels really good,” said Deegan. “Hopefully we can carry it over to the outdoors.”

While story atop the 250 East/West Showdown certainly played out to Monster Energy’s favor, adding the third of three championships (450 and 250 WSX already decided) was a different story for Seth Hammaker (Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki). Hammaker was battling for the 250 ESX title with KTM veteran racer Tom Vialle (180-177 in favor of Vialle heading into SLC), when RJ Hampshire (Husqvarna) cleaned out Hammaker – as well as himself - with one lap to go, costing the Monster Energy racer two positions. Had Hammaker remained in 3^rd place, and Vialle back in 5^th (behind Hampshire), Hammaker would have gained three points on Vialle – tied him in the overall points – and won the championship in the tie breaker based on having more wins on the season than Vialle.

“RJ was coming in hot in that corner before the finish line and just took us both down,” said Hammaker following the race. … “It was a great season. I just came up a little short, which is a bummer when you come that close.”

Rounding out the top ten 450 class scoring for Monster Energy at SLC, with a heck of a season himself, was veteran Justin Hill (KTM) who placed 8^th – and 8^th overall in the championship with 194 points. And in 250 class action Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki teammates Garrett Marchbanks and rookie Drew Adams would both make the East/West Showdown top ten, placing 7^th and 10^th, respectively.

And overall in the WSX division, Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha’s Cole Davies’ rookie year ended on an unfortunate note at SLC when Triumph’s Jordon Smith landed on him in qualifying – and sent him (Davies) to the hospital with reported multiple breaks/injuries. Davies still had enough points (171) to finish on the WSX podium in 3^rdposition. He was joined in the WSX top ten overall season standings by Marchbanks in 5^th and Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha’s Michael Mosiman in 7^th.

In the 250 ESX overall standings Monster Energy had four racers join 2^nd place Hammaker in the top ten overall standings. They were Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha teammates Nate Thrasher in 4^th, Max Anstie in 9^th and Daxton Bennick in 10^th.

Salt Lake City 450 class results                                      250 ESX/WSX Showdown results

3^rd – Cooper (Monster/Star/Yamaha)                                              1^st – Deegan (Monster/Star/Yamaha)

4^th – Webb (Monster/Star/Yamaha)                                                 4^th – Hammaker (Monster/PC/Kawasaki)

8^th – Hill (Monster/KTM)                                                                  7^th – Marchbanks (Monster/PC/Kawasaki)

                                                                                                         10^th – Adams (Monster/PC/Kawasaki)                                                                                        

Overall Standings (17 of 17 rounds)

450 class                                                                        250 WSX class

1^st – Webb, 365 points                                                                   1^st – Deegan, 221 points

3^rd – Cooper, 281 points                                                                3^rd – Davies, 171

8^th – Hill, 194 points                                                                       5^th – Marchbanks, 145 points

                                                                                                        7^th – Mosiman, 131 points

250 ESX Class

2^nd – Hammaker, 177 points

4^th – Thrasher, 137 points

9^th – Anstie, 78 points

10^th – Bennick, 77 points

Notes & Quotes

• In the final 450 race of the season, KTM’s Aaron Plessinger grabbed the holeshot, but was quickly passed by Webb – who led the opening laps. Webb only had to finish 5^th or better had Sexton won, which he did. Webb placed 4^th and won the title by two points, 365-363, over Sexton.
• The 1-2 Webb/Sexton finish was one of the closer Monster Energy AMA Supercross championship chases in recent years. And it should be even more interesting next year as it’s been rumored that Sexton will be back with Monster Energy under the Kawasaki banner.
• Hopped up for the final race, Cooper and Webb were the 2^nd and 3^rd fastest qualifiers behind Sexton – both in the low 47-second range. Hammaker was the top ESX qualifier, while Deegan was 3/10ths back of KTM’s Julien Beaumer in the No. 2 WSX qualifying position. Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha’s Davies was 3^rd fastest, despite getting landed on – and knocked out of the SLC night program.
• Four years since Webb’s last Monster Energy AMA Supercross title, and wrought with emotion on the podium, Webb said: “Means the world. This may never happen again, so I’m going to enjoy the shit out of it. Thanks to all the fans, (my) great team – everyone. It’s just a relief. Never give up on yourself kids!”
• Late in the 450 contest Webb allowed teammate Cooper to get by, having been passed by Malcolm Stewart (Husqvarna) earlier. Webb needed to remain in the top five to win the overall championship, and was in good position as the gap between 4^th and 6^th places was ten seconds. Webb finished 21 seconds back of Sexton, but most importantly, four seconds ahead of 5^th place Joey Savatgy (Honda).
• Webb’s third SX championship makes him the seventh racer in the 50-some year history of the sport to win three or more titles. They include No. 1 and 2 Monster Energy racers Jeremy McGrath (7) and Ricky Carmichael (5), along with Ryan Villopoto (4), then Ryan Dungey (4), Jeff Stanton (3) and Bob Hannah (3).
• “Definitely Hammaker was the fastest guy.” – NBC commentator Ricky Carmichael on Hammaker’s speed vs. Vialle’s.
• “Cooper (Webb) had an awesome season. You can’t take anything away from him.” – Sexton, graciously congratulating Webb in the post-race press conference.

Up next: Following the conclusion of 2025 Monster Energy AMA Supercross, Monster Energy’s dirt bike racers return to action with the opening round of the 2025 Pro Motocross Championship, the Fox Raceway National, in Pala, Calif., May 24.