(Webb, Tomac and Cooper – Photo: Monster Energy Yamaha)
By Supercross Live – December 15th, 2023
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Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing heads into the highly anticipated 2024 Monster Energy AMA Supercross season ready for battle with three returning champions and the potent YZ450F. Two-time 450SX Champion and four-time Pro Motocross 450MX Champion Eli Tomac is joined by two-time 450SX Champion Cooper Webb and 2021 250SX West Champion Justin Cooper. The team is also excited to welcome Progressive Insurance to its industry-leading partners that support the team’s championship-winning pursuits in the SuperMotocross League.
A reinvigorated Tomac returns to action in 2024 for his third year with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing. Year one with the team was a dream season with premier class titles in both Monster Energy AMA Supercross and Pro Motocross, and also as the team captain of the victorious Team USA at Motocross of Nations. Last season, he surpassed his own win record at Daytona Supercross and advanced to the runner-up spot on the all-time premier-class win record with 51 450SX victories. He was poised to defend his 450SX title before unfortunately, incurring a season-ending injury while leading the main event at the penultimate round. Back healthy, Tomac is eager to line up behind the gate at Anaheim 1 and is looking to reclaim the crown and add more wins to his already impressive tally aboard the YZ450F -14 in Supercross and 14 in Pro Motocross.
As for Webb, 2024 is a sort of homecoming as the North Carolina rider begins his first full year in the SMX League with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing and the YZ450F. It was a welcome return to the team where he enjoyed a lot of success in the 250 class – back-to-back 250SX West Championships in 2015 and 2016, and the 2016 250MX Championship. He was able to kick off that reunion at the SMX World Championship Playoff 1 in front of the home crowd and returned to the podium with third overall at the SMX Finals. Webb looks to build on that momentum in 2024 and add more wins and titles to his resume in this new chapter with the team.
Cooper returns for his seventh season with the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing squad and is excited to make his full-time 450 debut in all three series of the SMX League. The New Yorker got some seat time last year aboard the YZ450F in Monster Energy AMA Supercross, racing five rounds and finishing inside the top 10 with a best result of sixth on a very physically demanding Daytona Supercross track. He then switched gears back to the 250 team and rallied back from adversity to secure the runner-up spot in the championship. Cooper looks to come out swinging for his rookie season and battle up front.
“We’re really excited about the upcoming season and are looking to win races and bring the number-one plate back,” said Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 450 Team Manager Jeremy Coker. “For what we were able to do last year with Eli and very little time on the new YZ450F, we feel we are in an even better position this year. It’s great to have Eli back healthy, and he’s looking great on the motorcycle. We’re also happy to have Coop (Cooper Webb) back with the team. We’ve had a productive off-season and can’t wait to get going and see the legacy he can build in this new chapter with the team. With Justin, we’re looking forward to having him on the 450 full time. He’s also been working hard this off-season, and we feel that we’re going to see some great things from him. We can’t wait to go racing at A1.”
“I’m feeling ready to go for the new season,” said Tomac. “My recovery has been really good, and I’ve been on track. I haven’t had any hiccups with it, and I feel like I’m in a good position to be competitive from Round 1 at Anaheim. We’re on the same motorcycle this year, and we feel really good about the package that we have. I’m just excited to get out there and go racing again, and hopefully be in that position to compete for the championship.”
“I’m super excited to line up again in 2024 with the new team,” said Webb. “Getting back on the Yamaha has been great so far, and we’ve had a great off-season. We’ve just been putting in the work here in Tallahassee and at the Farm. I had a good test last week with our suspension guy, so we made some progress there. I think we’re right on track with where we need to be. Obviously, it’s crunch time right now with the off-season boot camp and we’re putting in some work, that’s for sure, but I like where we are at. I’m feeling healthy, feeling strong, and feeling confident. So I can’t wait to line up for A1.”
“It’s the first 450 season for me, or at least the first full one,” said Cooper. “The main goal is to have a long, healthy season, but we also have to put in results. So for my rookie year, I’m going to come out swinging. I want to hit the podium multiple times in both series. I think that will be a good year for me, and yeah, just keep learning.”
Supercross Media | Photo: Monster Energy Yamaha
