Webb Wins First Triple Crown Event of 2024 AMA Supercross Season
Kitchen claims 250SX Class win in Anaheim
The 2024 AMA Supercross season returned to Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Calif., on Saturday, Jan. 27, and for the fourth-consecutive weekend, newcomers stood atop the podium in both classes.
For the first time this season, the racers battled through a Triple Crown format — which takes the combined results from three races to determine a winner — and two-time AMA Supercross 450SX champion and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cooper Webb rode his way to the overall victory in the 450SX class with a 2-2-5 result.
“I had a lot of wiggle room [in Race No. 3] and could just, honestly, have a solo ride in fifth place. But it is a little bit weird, for sure, to not go over the checkered flag first,” Webb said. “But I think that’s kind of the unique thing about the Triple Crown, is we’ve seen a lot of this happen. You can have big point swings, and you can have one bad race and then have two good ones [and] you end up on the podium.”
Webb marked the fourth unique winner in the 450SX class through four rounds of the 2024 AMA Supercross season, as he beat out Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Eli Tomac (5-7-1) and Red Bull KTM’s Aaron Plessinger (6-4-3) to claim 25 points on the weekend. Tomac snuck into the top three after securing a thrilling win in Race 3, securing 22 points, and rising to fifth in the overall standings — the highest of any non-race winner this season.
“I was pretty frustrated after those first two [races],” Tomac said. “I just had to go do something, I had to get off the gate there, so it was good. [I] had a good flow. I was able to get the whoop combo down, and I felt like that was important for me.”
With four separate race winners this season, Plessinger maintained his grasp on the red plate with 80 points heading into Round 5. Red Bull KTM’s Chase Sexton, Webb and Jett Lawrence of Team Honda HRC follow Plessinger with 76, 74 and 72 points, respectively.
The trend of unique winners carried over to the 250SX West class, where Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Levi Kitchen utilized a 1-2-3 finish to earn the win at Anaheim 2 for the second-consecutive year. Kitchen became the fourth separate winner in the 250SX West class this season, while Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s R.J. Hampshire and Team Honda HRC’s Jo Shimoda rounded out the podium.
Kitchen’s victory propelled him into a tie for first place in the overall standings, slotting in alongside Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Jordon Smith, with 84 points on the season. Hampshire sits in third place following Anaheim 2, maintaining 76 points through four rounds.
“We’re all really close right now. You can’t start in like fifth and sixth with these guys and have them up front,” Kitchen said of the overall standings. “I think it’s tighter than in years past. Especially the top five of us, we’re all pretty experienced by now, so it’s definitely tight racing.”
AMA Supercross Futures also took to the track for the first time this season, showcasing the bright future ahead for the sport. In a tight battle, Troy Lee Designs Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Cole Davies held off Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Gavin Towers for the victory.
“It was an awesome battle,” Davies said. “We were just going back and forth. And it was super tiring, I was breathing so hard and, you’re just glad to be on top… I couldn’t even feel myself. I was in a dream, it felt like.”
The AMA Supercross season continues Saturday, Feb. 3, at Ford Field in Detroit, and will serve as the opening race of the nine-round Eastern Regional 250SX Championship. The festivities are set to begin at 3 p.m. Eastern Time and will be streamed live on Peacock.