Justin Cooper | Waiting For The Win

INSTAGRAM | @justincooper_32

2019 THUNDER VALLEY MOTOCROSS | COMPLETE COVERAGE

It’s obvious that Justin Cooper is eager to get the first overall victory of his professional career. In just two years’ time, the Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha rider has been incredibly close to popping the cork on the winner’s champagne, evident in qualifying success and individual moto wins, but a Supercross Main Event or outdoor overall has eluded him. That was likely part of his frustrations at the 2019 Thunder Valley Motocross and he let it be known that he was not pleased with the way the day’s deciding moto unfolded.

Much has been made about Cooper’s unlikely path to pro racing, from his normal upbringing through public school in Long Island, a detour to college, and then a sudden pick-up by the Star Racing squad. All of that as important in its own ways, as it kept him from becoming another young rider that turned countless laps at a training facility and faced burnout on riding just as he faced the next step in his career, but how quickly he has picked up the pace and routine of pro racing is even more impressive. A serious concussion in his second Supercross race sidelined him for a large part of the 2018 season and once he was back on the bike, all efforts went into prep for that summer’s Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship. Talk of his speed at the test track circulated through the industry and at the season opener in Hangtown, the rookie was sixth-fastest in qualifying, led the first four laps in 250 Moto One, and ended the day with 5-9 finishes for fifth overall. Things went even better at Thunder Valley during round three, when he bested the full field of title contenders in 250 Moto One, finished eighth in 250 Moto Two, and claimed third overall.

But, and this is a major point, Cooper’s eagerness to get a win has caused him some issues already. When Austin Forkner missed the Nashville Supercross with a knee injury, Cooper saw it has his chance to nab the night and put a block pass on fellow title contender Chase Sexton that left both on the ground and allowed Martin Davalos to take the win instead. It was a major learning experience and Cooper caught the ire of the keyboard pundits in the days that followed.

Cooper and Adam Cianciarulo have split the six motos run so far in the 2019 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, with Cooper’s wins all in the first motos and Cianciarulo’s in the second motos. Unfortunately for Cooper, it’s the second moto that determines the overall outdoors. His best chance was this past weekend at Thunder Valley, because Cooper had won the first race and was in the lead during the early laps of the second race. It can be argued that Cianciarulo’s mistake, off-track run, and the manner at which he pulled back onto the track led to Cooper’s crash less than a lap later, and annoyance was evident in his television interview and other post-race talks. “I was feeling really good and strong. I did what I had to do at the start and got the holeshot. I came out of the rut and there was a big hook in it. It threw my feet off the side of the bike and I couldn’t get back on, both feet were dragging so I had to lay it over and get back up,” he told NBC Sports’ Will Christien on the podium. “I don’t know what’s going to happen with that, Adam cut that corner up there and came in behind me. If they are going to let that slide, then there really are no rules on the table. I saw it and I believe that I still had the overall, but I wanted to make a statement and go back after him. I know that fourth place in the second moto ain’t going to cut it…I don’t think they are going to let that one slide, but if they do, it’s a shame. I felt like I earned that one, so we’ll see what happens.” Despite the Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha team’s appeal and hours of deliberation after the event was over, the results stood with Cianciarulo being credited with the overall win and Cooper with second overall.

Those comments, plus others like our quick talk in How Was Your Weekend, have spurred “fans” to go against Cooper on his social media pages, but in our opinion, it’s okay to hear a rider openly express their thoughts after a race rather than read a list of sponsors off of a pit board. How the relationship between the two unfolds through the rest of the summer is still uncertain, as they’ve put a good amount of points between themselves and other riders in the standings, and it’s starting to become a two-rider run for the 250 title (Cianciarulo has 139 points, Cooper 133, and Dylan Ferrandis 106).

Whichever way this summer goes, though, it’s all but certain that an overall win will come Justin Cooper’s way. And when it does, be it a crucial second moto win or a clean sweep of the day, it’ll be that much more satisfying for him than it would have been to get Colorado on a technicality.