A chance to better his position leading into the SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) playoffs later this year played a part in Cooper Webb’s decision to return for Pro Motocross 2023.

Webb wasn’t expected to line up outdoors until at least the second half of the season, however, a late medical clearance following his concussion sees him at Fox Raceway for round one.

Having Webb return for all 11 rounds is a major boost for the series considering two-time 450SX had been linked to a lucrative transfer to the World Supercross Championship (WSX) in recent months. Instead, he’s staying put for the nationals and is excited at the prospect.

“The goal has been mainly just about getting back healthy,” Webb explained. “I got to a point where I was feeling good, then went and saw some neurologists and did some testing to make sure everything was good and I got cleared. So, it was all definitely last minute, I think it came around in the 24th hour, for sure.

“I just wanted to be out here, with the line-up right now, and with the SMX coming up, I wanted to better my chances any way possible. The first few rounds, I’m not sure how they’re going to go, I definitely haven’t had much time on the bike, but it’s good to be back racing and I’m feeling healthy again.

“It was definitely a bummer the way Supercross ended. I want to be on the gate, and it was something I didn’t do last year, so I just wanted to get back into it.”

Webb wound up third in the final Monster Energy Supercross Championship standings this year with two wins to his credit, challenging for the title until he crashed out of round 15 of the season in Nashville. A strong performance in Pro Motocross will lift his hopes for the SMX post-season, where $1-million will be awarded to the 450 class champion.