Round nine in Indianapolis saw Cooper Webb extend his lead in the 450SX standings with a clutch victory inside Lucas Oil Stadium, overcoming a tough qualifying and heat race to claim his third win of the season. Meanwhile, Seth Hammaker stole the spotlight in the 250SX East/West Showdown, securing his first win of 2025. Both riders spoke to the media following the main events for this Debrief feature.

450SX

Image: Octopi Media.

Cooper, surely a win offsets any adversity or frustration you had earlier in the day. What kind of range of emotions did you experience since this morning?

It was an all-over-the-place kind of day. I had that [qualifying] crash, which wasn’t great, but luckily, I was able to walk away. The bike was pretty mangled, so that put an end to that. Then in the heat race, I made a costly mistake while in a good position – I tucked the front in the sand. I was pretty fired up after that and definitely wanted to go out in the main and get back on point. I was able to do that – I got a great start, made it happen early, and it was a great race for me. I led every lap and was able to ride my own race, so I’m super stoked with how the night finished up.

Tonight, you got the holeshot in the main event and looked really strong at the beginning of the race. As a racer, I know it’s tough having someone like Chase [Sexton] behind you because you don’t know if you have the pace. Take us through your mindset at that point.

Yeah, I think Justin [Barcia] technically got the holeshot, but I was able to get around him super quick and just put down some good laps. It was one of those tracks where you could definitely override and make mistakes, and I hadn’t led Chase from the front yet. But hopefully, now, with the speed, we can put that to bed. We’ll see.

Were there any specific adjustments or choices that made the difference for you tonight?

For me, it was just about hitting my marks and getting a good start. We made a small change to the bike after the heat, and that seemed to be a good direction for me. Other than that, there were no major changes.

When you got out front, you sprinted away a little bit, and then Chase got into second. Did you think at that point it was game on and that he was going to push for the lead? You maintained the gap from there, so did you feel good about that?

I knew when Chase got into second that he was going to be on it, so I just tried to keep hitting my marks. I felt good, I had strong lap times, and my plan was to hold that pace as long as I could. I knew it could turn into a battle once we got into lappers, so I focused on not making mistakes. Like I said, I felt really good, I had the speed and the grit tonight to do what I did. Then, he made the mistake, which definitely opened it up for me, but I was ready to go for it tonight, for sure.

Do you think you’re the strongest rider mentally when you’re sitting on the line for a 450 main event? Because to come back from those two crashes and ride the way you did was really impressive.

I’d like to think so. It’s been a key part of my career to constantly work on my mental game. Some guys let mistakes get to them, but honestly, I think they make me ride better. I wouldn’t recommend crashing to get yourself in a good zone, but sometimes that’s just what happens, and it brings out the best in me. I think that’s been a consistent strength throughout my career, having that mental block and capacity to reset and perform.

250SX

Image: Octopi Media.

Seth, with all the changes you made in the off-season and everything you’ve overcome these past few years, where does this win rank in your career?

It feels unreal to get this win at the showdown. It’s been a while since I’ve even stood on the top step of the podium. I’ve only won once before this, so it feels good to finally do it again. A lot of changes were made this year, and I made a lot of sacrifices, like moving to Florida to train at the Dogg Pound. I’m just really grateful and thankful – this one feels really good.

We spoke to you on press day about your progression and how a win was coming after your podium last weekend. Talk to us about that progress this year.

Yeah, getting third at Daytona last weekend was a good confidence boost and helped build momentum. I felt like the win was coming, but I didn’t know how soon. I just kept putting in the work, and it feels amazing to see it all pay off tonight. It’s been an up-and-down season, Detroit was a bummer, but we stayed focused, and now we’ve put together back-to-back podiums.

It’s been four years since your first win, and that came in just your third supercross start. You’ve had a couple of podiums since then, but also injuries, missed races, and setbacks. I’m sure the champagne tasted extra good tonight. The team has always been behind you, but what’s it been like for you? Have you had any self-doubt about getting back to this position? Take us through these past few years and the changes you made in the off-season.

[Self-doubt] always creeps in, but I’m grateful to have people around me who have stuck with me. My team, Mitch Payton and the whole Kawasaki crew have had my back through it all. It’s been so long since my first win, and that one kind of came as a surprise since it was only my third race ever. But this one feels different, almost like my first real win because of how long it’s been. I made a lot of sacrifices, including moving to Florida, and it just feels good to see all that effort pay off.

You mentioned those off-season sacrifices. Without giving away too much, what’s one thing that’s made the biggest difference for you?

I’d say mindset and technique. I’ve had a lot of injuries in my career, so I need to put together a season where I can build off good rides. I haven’t been able to complete a full season since I turned pro, so it’s about taking what each weekend gives me, being smart, and staying healthy. Working on my technique and mindset has been huge in helping me do that.

Being the only rider left on the East for your team, is there any added pressure from them or yourself?

I try not to let it add any pressure. I have my own job to do, and it’s unfortunate to lose my teammates. But I’m focused on what I need to do and not letting that change my mindset. It sucks though – shoutout to Levi [Kitchen] and Cameron [McAdoo], I hope they’re healing up and getting back soon. I’ll keep my head down and do my thing without letting it affect me.