More 2024 news breaking as Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing announced they’ll be keeping Justin Cooper for the 2024 SuperMotocross World Championship season. The new year will mark Cooper’s seventh season with the team and also his first full-time season on the 450. He’ll join Eli Tomac (and likely Cooper Webb) but will replace Dylan Ferrandis in the premier class. Cooper did race the 450 five times during the 2023 Supercross series where he finished as high as sixth at Daytona. The full press release from Yamaha can be seen below.
Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing is pleased to announce that Justin Cooper will return with the team to make his full-time debut in the premier class for the entire 2024 SuperMotocross World Championship season.
Since joining the team in 2018, Cooper has enjoyed a successful tenure aboard the YZ250F as a proven title contender. In addition to his 2021 Monster Energy AMA Supercross 250SX West Championship, he has multiple wins in both the stadium and outdoor series’ 250 class. This year, he got some seat time aboard the YZ450F in 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 made one last title run aboard the YZ250F in Pro Motocross. It was a roller-coaster outdoor season for the New Yorker, who didn’t line up for the motos at High Point after a big crash in practice. Cooper rallied back, ending the year with four moto wins and 12 trips to the podium to secure the runner-up spot in the championship. He now looks to finish his 250 career strong at the upcoming inaugural SuperMotocross World Championship Finals before prepping for next year’s full-time debut in the Monster Energy AMA Supercross 450SX, Pro Motocross 450MX and 450SMX Championships.
Justin Cooper – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing
“I’m super excited to sign the 450 deal with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing. We’ve had an awesome six years together on the 250, and I think that success should transition quite nicely to the 450 class. I’m also super excited to start this next chapter of my career. It’s really nice to know that we have a team behind us that knows me and what I like on the bike to make that transition easier and carry over the success we’ve built on the 250 over to the 450 class. I feel like I’m in a good spot going into this next season. To be able to make my full-time 450 debut with a crew that I’m comfortable with and that I trust — It’s just a welcome feeling. There’s nothing really to worry about, like a big transition stage and having to move or anything like that. I’m really looking forward to it.”
Jeremy Coker – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 450 Team Manager
“We’re pleased to announce Justin’s addition to the 450 team. Having him with us full-time in the premier class is truly exciting. You can feel his real potential when he’s on a 450, and I honestly think we’re about to see some amazing things from him in the near future.”
