Troy Dog
The Vurbmoto World Mini event of the century is coming up on April 4-7 at Mesquite MX! Everyone in the world is invited. Click here to register now!
Back in the day, our crew never missed a World Mini event. It was a staple on the amateur national circuit and all of the top pros in the 450 class today cut their teeth racing at World Mini. Through the years the event changed hands, then last year WE brought it back in the biggest way ever. It’s a prestige event that you’ll need to race to become the next Eli Tomac. The trophies are taller than Benny Bloss and the fun your family will have at the event will be even bigger.
Yesterday I was browsing through our World Mini photo archives and we have so much goodness that it’s insane. Each week leading up to the event, I’ll pull a pic, and we’ll talk about it. Here we go!
If it weren’t for his name on his front number plate, would you have guessed who this future two-time 450SX Champion was? It’s none other than SIX TIME Arlington winner Cooper Webb back in 2007. Here are some other things that stand out about this photo.
- This is at the 2007 World Mini, which may or may not have been Coop’s first event as a Red Bull Jams athlete. Although, I’m assuming that Coop debuted the Red Bull deal at Mini O’s in 2006.
- It’s interesting to note that at Loretta Lynn’s 2007 Webb had made the transition to Honda and the 85 (7-11) Stock/Mod classes, which means this was one of the last events that Webb raced a KTM 65.
- Webb won championships at Ponca City that year on a 65 as well, which was the week before Loretta’s.
- Even at a young age, Coop is displaying his bulldog attack position. Here he is locked in with his elbow down, just dreaming that this is the 2024 Arlington SX.
- I miss the Red Bull JAMS program and they need to bring it back. Red Bull had riders like Phil Nicoletti, Joey Savatgy, Jessy Nelson, Kyle Engle, Matt Bisceglia, Dakota Alix, and more signed to them over the duration of the program.
- It’s cool to think about now, but Webb is a Red Bull sponsored athlete on a KTM and he helped deliver two 450SX Championships to them twelve and fourteen years later.
- Webb is still wearing Thor gear, which he’s worn for his entire career, except for that one time he had to wear MSR and then Answer on a Star team deal.
- That Thor gear is truly a work of art and they must have sold six trillion of those helmets. I had one myself. Not a Red Bull one of course.
- Hey VurbWes, does he have a teddy bear on the back of his chest pro here?
- Webb went on to win three championships that week in the Jr Cycle Stock (9-11), Jr Cycle Open (6-11), and Jr Cycle Mod (9-11) classes.
Here’s a Throwback video from 2008 featuring Tyler Wharton, Austin Politelli, Austin Stroupe, Hunter Hewitt, and the late Erv Braun.
Main Image: Vurbmoto Archives/Andrew Fredrickson
