BY RYAN NITZEN
PHOTOGRAPHY BROWN DOG WILSON
T
he Monster Energy AMA
Supercross series re-
turned to Raymond James
Stadium for
the first time since
2020 for round five of the 2023
season. With Florida being a
hotbed for motocross, this race
was considered the "hometown
round" for many racers on the
gate. Both Cooper Webb and
Hunter Lawrence, who now calls
Florida home, managed the
pressure and claimed momen
-
tous wins on what was Military
Appreciation Night in their
respective main events.
The last time Webb won a
450SX main event was Salt Lake
City 2021. That's 21 gate drops,
over a full season, of winless
racing. Despite his impressive
credentials, Webb was practi
-
cally written off during the entire
'22
season. But the two-time
champ came to play on Satur-
day night and ultimately ended
his
winless streak. The Red Bull
KTM team rider stalked Honda
HRC's Chase Sexton for most
of the main event, just hoping
and waiting for a mistake from
the 23-machine which finally
came four laps from the end.
That's when Sexton lost control
in the whoops, went down, and
handed the lead to Webb.
ROUND 5 / FEBRUARY 11, 2023
RAYMOND JAMES STADIUM / TAMPA, FLORIDA
P50
SUPERCROSS I MONSTER ENERGY AMA SUPERCROSS / SUPERMOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Cooper Webb
claimed his first
win since Salt Lake
City of 2021.
