Cooper Webb joined the Title 24 podcast with Ricky Carmichael and Ryan Villopoto to talk about his season so far, gaining momentum, battling Jett Lawrence, the incredibly high level this campaign, switching teams and more. Here are some typed up extracts of this quality interview with the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing man.
Question: Obviously we know that Jett had a pretty big points gap and now it’s tied. Now you’re the one that’s gaining the points and not losing. We all know that you’re a dog and you’ve been in this position before. It’s very familiar. It’s got to feel pretty good being in this position?
Webb: It does man. You know, I was 21 back and, in my mind, it was pretty far at that point, especially when you’re racing Jett. I was able to kind of bridge that gap in three races, which is huge. Granted, like I said, I had a few gifts, but I’ve been saying and telling the team and the guys like I’ve been here and I know at some point you’re going to have adversity right. He was able to click off those wins and really get the ball rolling, but as you guys know even if you’re on, you’re always going to have something, whether it’s a bad start or mechanical or a crash anything so I just kind of held on to that knowing l need to take advantage of his bad race and I was able to do that the last few weekends.
So I think that’s huge and, for me, I have always said it’s more pressure being behind because then you have to go and perform. Now, at least we’re back tied, it’s in this position where it’s mano a mano. But there’s still four races and you got to put yourself in good positions.
I love the position. To be in this position is awesome again and especially after how last year kind of ended for me. It wasn’t a great ending so to be there and especially against Jett, as we know he’s a generational talent, and you know he kicked everybody’s butt outdoors so it’s good to just be in the fight. And especially this weekend I thought for me it was a huge momentum thing you know – holeshot, led every lap and I actually had the fastest lap in the main, which I was super stoked on.
Question: Is there anything different in this championship fight so far compared to your first two that you won or is it all hard in its own way?
Webb: It’s all hard in its own way, but to me this championship has been completely different. I truly felt, and even last year, I could have an off night and be third and I could have a really off night and be fourth or fifth. Now, you can’t have that, you know. I mean it’s as simple as if you’re you’re getting a bad start you might not even get back into the top five. I feel like that’s been the the difference this year. I truly feel everyone is on top of their game you know.
I know we always hype it up and we talk about how it’s the most stacked field, but I truly feel that it is. You know, I feel like Kenny’s been on a mission this year. I feel like Eli is back from his injury. I know he hasn’t had the success he wanted, but racing him I feel like he’s the same Eli. I feel like obviously Jett has really stepped it up and made everyone step up, you know. Chase is on it, Jason’s on it. I mean you can go on and on and especially earlier in the season when everyone was kind of healthy and really felt like they were in the fight.
I mean it was no joke and so I think that’s what’s been the hardest thing about it is there’s been nights where I’ve ridden better than I have maybe all of 2021 and I got fourth place, you know. When you look back at it, that’s been the tough thing. I look at stats a lot and just seeing, you know, we’re pretty low scoring points overall this year. If you look at the big picture, I truly think that’s why there’s been a lot of races where our managing nights are fifths and that it can be a big point swing when you have a first to fifth, as you guys know.
Question: Are you surprised at how well you’ve done this year or did you expect it to go as well because you had so much confidence in the program – I know you’re confident in yourself, but the program in general?
Webb: I mean I envisioned it honestly. I did, you know. You have these visions and these goals and you think you can do it, but it might not go that way. I feel like, for me, I was very confident in what I could do, but I was also very confident in this group of people. Last year racing Eli and seeing what I felt the bike could allow him to do, I just felt like if I was able to get an opportunity there that I’m going to make the most of it.
So I think for me that’s been a big thing is just finding that comfort and it was something where I won a lot on the KTM too, but it was no secret when the new bike came out I definitely struggled a little bit more than the older platform.
I think, for me, it was just as a whole, you take a big gamble, you take a risk leaving the established team that I’ve had a lot of success on to come to a team that I was on in the 250 class, so I did know it and I knew all the people so it wasn’t as big of a change as maybe like you did RC, where maybe you didn’t know the guys. But, I mean, to have it pay off and be in this position to have four race wins is awesome. To be the red plate holder is pretty dang awesome and especially, you know, I did race a few outdoors last year and just seeing the speed and how freaking good Jett Lawrence is, it’s definitely a good feeling to be where I’m at for sure.
