Cycle News Staff | April 2, 2016
After a 40-plus day “vacation” the 250SX West riders went back to work and Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha’s Cooper Webb picked right up where he left off—winning. He recorded his fifth win of the season just like the other four, by coming from behind. He rounded the first lap just inside the top 10, which for him means he has a great chance of winning. And that’s exactly what he did at Levis Stadium in Santa Clara, California, April 3, round eight of the 250SX West Series.
As usual, the number-one plate holder started picking off riders one by one, and by the 10th lap, he had just one rider ahead of him, and that was the rider who was on point ever since the gate dropped, Zach Osborne. Webb went about his business and, a lap later, picked him off, too, then sprinted away from the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Team rider, who had no answer for the blazing-fast Yamaha rider. Webb backed it off slightly on the last lap and took the checkered flag 1.3 seconds ahead of Osborne, who came within three laps of winning his first 250SX main of his career.
Third went to Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Joey Savatgy who was hoping to gain back some points the he lost to Webb at the previous race in Texas when he finished 10th. Savatgy had his chance in Santa Clara after starting ahead of Cooper but just didn’t have the speed to keep Webb at bay.
Fourth place went to GEICO Honda’s Christian Craig who completed the first lap in 10th.
Sixth place went to Troy Lee Designs/Lucas Oil/Red Bull KTM’s Mitch Oldenberg, followed by CycleTrader.com/Rock River Yamaha’s Colt Nichols, GEICO Honda’s Jordon Smith, FMF/Motion Pro Honda’s Kyle Peters, Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha Alex Martin and Team Blue Buffalo/Slater Skins/Herrera Ranch Yamaha’s Michael Leib, who rounded out the top 10 overall.
With just one round left in the 250SX West Championship, Webb leads Savatgy by 16 points. Craig trails Savatgy by just seven points, and Osborne is 15 points behind Craig in fourth. The West riders have another long break before the Las Vegas round, May 12.