450 Supercross championship midseason recap: And then there were two

The 450 Monster Energy Supercross championship battle is the closest in the history of the sport, which is notably evident in the fact that Eli Tomac and Cooper Webb enter Round 12 in Glendale, Arizona tied in standings with a share of the red plate.

Strictly based on wins, it should not be that close. Tomac’s six victories in the first 11 rounds has allowed him to capture one milestone after another. He tied Ricky Carmichael for third on the all-time wins list in Oakland and James Stewart for second the most recent race in Seattle. With six rounds remaining in 2023, it strains the imagination to think he won’t win at least one more race to take over sole possession of that spot in the record books.

And yet, Webb has as many points as Tomac due partly to a couple of bad rounds for the defending 2020 and 2022 450 Supercross championship title holder. Equally impactful, Webb finished second behind Tomac five times, minimizing his points’ differential.

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Race 1 | Anaheim 1The 450 Supercross championship got underway with a thrilling race in Anaheim and Tomac began clicking off milestones. During a storied career that boasted 450 Supercross titles in 2020 and 2022, a 250 championship in 2013 and Lucas Oil Pro Motocross championships in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2022, the one thing he failed to accomplish was to win a season opener. Tomac took care of that after losing and regaining the lead after a mishap on a tunnel jump. Webb finished second in this race to begin a pattern that persists through Round 12 as Chase Sexton stood with them on the podium to start another trend.Results and points after Anaheim 1

Race 2 | San DiegoTomac made it two for two with Webb