Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/637962
SUPERCROSS MONSTER ENERGY AMA SUPERCROSS SERIES, AN FIM WORLD ROUND 5 / FEBRUARY 6, 2016 UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX STADIUM / GLENDALE, ARIZONA P40 250SX THIS TIME, CRAIG HOLDS ON You could say that Christian Craig's first win was only a matter of time, too, especially when you consider how well he's been riding lately. But when you've got the super-hot Cooper Webb in your class, that time might be much later than sooner, and it looked as though Webb might get his way again with Craig. The two have locked horns a number of times this season, with Webb prevailing every time. The two went at it again for the win in the 250SX West Main in Arizona and it did look like Webb would rebound from his heart-breaking mechanical-induced 21 st place at Oakland the previous week. Like we have seen so many times this year, Craig was leading the main when Webb snuck up on him after getting off to another top-five start. Webb pretty much had the track wired, but Craig seemed to have the difficult whoop section dialed in a little better. Webb would catch Craig, only to have Craig get through the whoops a little cleaner. At one point, the two riders collided while fighting for the same line going into the whoops; Craig wouldn't give an inch. A lap later, Webb went into the turn preceding the whoops a little harder, hoping to win the drag race to the whoops this time, but Webb went into the turn a little too hot and lost the front end, giving Craig a big lead. But that was the real problem for Webb—he also nearly gave up a position to Joey Savatgy, the rider who benefited most from Webb's misfortune in Oakland. Webb surrendered his once huge points lead to Savatgy and came into the Arizona racing chasing him by two points, and he didn't want to give Savatgy another two points. Webb regrouped after his fall and pulled away from Savatgy before it was all over, making it a Craig, Webb, Savatgy 1-2-3 finish. Webb and Savatgy are now tied for the points lead, but Webb has to be kicking himself for giving away a sure five points on Savatgy had he not crashed while dicing with Craig. Craig suffered a 17 th place finish at the A1 opener and is 11 points back in third. Savatgy was disappointed for not pounc- ing when Webb was down but later said that he was dealing with an illness coming into the race and wasn't feeling 100 percent. Troy Lee Designs/Lucas Oil/Red Bull KTM's Mitchell Oldenburg continues to impress as he matched a season-high fourth (for the second week in a row), edging out another rider who has been turning heads lately, Colt Nichols on the CycleTrader.com/ Rock River Yamaha. Nichols is currently fourth in points, just six points behind Craig. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Rac- ing's Zach Osborne had a tough night. He was holding down third in the championship but injured his arm in a first lap, multi-rider crash in the Main and did not finish the race. He slipped back to fifth in the standings. Christian Craig (38) and Cooper Webb (1) went at it again in the 250SX West Main. This time Craig came out on top.