Webb Wins with Dramatic Finish in Triple Crown Event
Cooper Webb pulls within 2 points of Tomac in 450SX standings while Nate Thrasher, Daxton Bennick win respective classes in Arlington AMA Supercross round
February 27, 2023
By Keaton Maisano
The 2023 AMA Supercross season made its return to Texas for the second Triple Crown event of the season, and the format provided high drama as three riders summited podiums in the Lone Star State.
While Red Bull KTM’s Cooper Webb is from North Carolina, Texas has been a second home for the rider who now has five career victories — the most all time — at the Arlington/Dallas AMA Supercross event following his narrow win Saturday. Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Nate Thrasher found his 2023 breakthrough in Arlington with his first 250SX East win of the year, and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Daxton Bennick successfully defended his AMA Supercross Futures win at Anaheim 2.
After a disappointing 2022 season, Webb continued to show he is back to contending for titles with a strong performance in Round 7. Webb, who finished 5-2-1 in the Triple Crown event, passed Team Honda HRC’s Chase Sexton with 94 seconds on the race clock to take first in Race 3 and the overall event.
“I’m extremely happy to get another win here in the season! Dallas is always a good one for me, so to come here and do well in the Triple Crown is super-cool,” Webb said. “The first race wasn’t my best one, we improved for the second one and then, in the last Race, obviously some mistakes of other riders helped me out, but overall I’m stoked to execute and get another win! I knew I had to get to the front in that final one in the end to get the overall, so that was what I was going for and I felt good, had a great pace going and was comfortable, so it was a good round for us.”
“We’ll see where this carries us for the rest of the season, but I’m feeling confident and know what I can get better at — we’re all riding well and it’s definitely a dogfight at the moment.”
Sexton (3-3-2) settled for second for the third time this season, and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Eli Tomac (1-4-6) used his hot start to take the final podium spot in the 450SX event.
With 160 points, Tomac clings to a 2-point lead over Webb in the 450SX standings. Sexton sits at 155 points, 25 points ahead of fourth.
While Thrasher (2-2-3) never lit the torches Saturday night, his consistency ultimately netted him the top spot on the podium, edging out Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Jordon Smith (4-1-5) and Team Honda HRC’s Hunter Lawrence (1-3-6).
Thrasher’s fourth career AMA Supercross win gave him 57 points on the year, 5 points behind second and 16 points behind Lawrence.
The almost monthlong layoff between the AMA Supercross Futures round did nothing to cool off Bennick, who cruised to his second victory of the year.
Bennick will get his chance to go three-for-three when AMA Supercross Futures returns April 8 for the Glendale round.
The AMA Supercross season rolls on Saturday with the Daytona round.