INTERVIEW
P86
2016 AMA WEST REGIONAL 250SX/AMA 250MX NATIONAL CHAMPION COOPER WEBB
stuff. It's a big transition, and I
expected that, but the bike is
really good. I was happy with it
the first time I sat on it. Yamaha
has been putting in a lot of work
to make sure it's going to be
an awesome bike, and I think it
feels very similar to my 250, so
that's a good sign, I think. I'm
still learning every day how to be
better on the 450 and all that.
The off-season stuff is going
good. I'm doing a lot of training
right now to get stronger and all
that, so I'm doing my part."
Often when asking a rookie
for a prediction about how they
believe they'll do in the 450cc
class, they try to be humble.
They know it's a big step, but
they try to be careful in what
they say or how they say it.
Sometimes, it comes across
like they're just hoping not to
anger any of the established
racers. Webb was straightfor-
ward, though.
"It's tough to say how well I'll
do," Webb said. "As a racer, I
want to come in and say, 'Hey,
the goal's to win the champion-
ship.' And I think at the end of
the day that is the ultimate goal.
But I think for me at this point in
my career, and being a rookie
and all that, I honestly don't
know at this point. I think I just
need to go to Anaheim and take
it lap by lap, practice by prac-
tice and race by race. I know
what I can do on a dirt bike and
I feel like I have all of the puzzle
pieces to be a champion and
win in the 450cc class, but if
that doesn't happen in my rookie
year, then that's fine. I'll just do
the best I can regardless and try
to learn as quickly as possible. If
it does happen, then that's fan-
tastic. The thing is, I want to win.
I'm going in there to win. That's
still the goal. That's what I train
for. But if I don't, I'll be bummed,
but as long as I can learn from it
and use it as a motivator, that's
acceptable, too.
"It's a little different in the
450cc class because I always
felt like I've been in a situation
where I'm one of the top dogs
in the class, and I personally
think I still am, but now there
are eight or 10 top dogs, not
just two or three. I think that's
the biggest thing. For me, I feel
like I have the speed and I have
everything else, but it's just a
matter of seeing what happens
over the course of 18 races and
all that. I'll just have to be on my
A-game every weekend and see
what I can do!" CN
Webb says that his
riding style probably
suits supercross more
than it does motocross.
