Cooper Webb Dominates Branson MX 2010

Cooper Webb Dominates Branson MX 2010

-I didn’t go to the race track today to get a story, but what I saw was so amazing that I had to find out more about this Cooper Webb kid that dominated every class he entered today.

Below are the race results from http://branson10.tracksideresults.com.  Cooper is on fire!

Here’s a video I found about Cooper on YouTube

Although I’m a huge motocross fan, I haven’t followed the amateur scene at all.  I do live close enough to Galena MO, that I try to make it to the nationals race each year and that was the case today.

As I sat watching the races, I started visiting with one of the spectators who filled me in on Cooper, telling me that he’s backed by Honda and Red Bull.  As we talked I watched Cooper decimate the competition with a riding style that looks both comfortable, and aggressive, Cooper is a complete natural when he’s on his bike.

Cooper wasn’t at his tent at the end of the day, but I did get a chance to talk to Bob, his Father.  Bob Webb seemed genuinely interested in taking time out of his day to talk to me and gave me a little background on Cooper’s success.

It turns out that Bob actually owns a surf/skate shop in North Carolina where he makes surf boards and figured that naturally Cooper would grow up to be a skater, or surfer.  Bob also used to do some motocross racing back in the 70’s.

When Cooper was 4 years old Bob decided that he was getting out of shape so he bought himself a dirt bike figuring he would hit the track again and get back in shape.  Cooper absolutely loved riding on the dirt bike with his dad, and instead of Bob getting to practice, he ended up taking Cooper around the track for every lap.  “He wouldn’t let me go around the track without him riding with me” Bob said.  Not only that, but Cooper kept asking “Dad, when are you going to buy me a dirt bike?”

Finally to make him stop asking, Bob told Cooper that he’d buy him a dirt bike as soon as he was able to ride his bicycle with no training wheels.  He figured he had at least 1 ½ – 2 years before that would happen, and he’d deal with the dirt bike issue then.

The same day that the training wheel conversation had taken place, Cooper went home and proceeded to take the training wheels off of his bike and teach himself to ride without them.  By the time Bob got home that evening, Cooper was jumping over his skateboard ramp with his bicycle, just as if he had been doing it for years.  Turns out he was a natural for two wheeled sports, but that wasn’t good news for Bob.  He thought that it was just too dangerous for a kid that young to have a dirt bike so he told Cooper that he wasn’t going to buy him one.

After much persuasion from his wife and Cooper, Bob gave in and bought him a PW-50.  Since that time Cooper hasn’t looked back.  He has gone on to win over 55 national titles including multiple titles at the prestigious Loretta Lynn race that is the granddaddy of amateur motocross.

Not only did I get to watch some great racing, I got a great story to boot!  Keep your eyes out for this kid; he’s making his way through the ranks.  I wouldn’t be surprised to see him in the ranks of the pros in a few years.  For now though it’s day to day training, school and practice.  Not looking too far ahead.  For more information about Cooper check out his website.  It’s a little outdated, but there’s some good information there.  http://cooperwebb.com/