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Eli Tomac - Champion In Waiting

Eli Tomac - Champion In Waiting

Nov 28

  • Interview

Star Racing Yamaha rider Eli Tomac will go into next weeks final round of the World supercross championship, in Abu Dhabi with a good shot at being crowned World supercross champion and add that title to his long list of AMA championships.

Already a four-time AMA 450 motocross champion, two-time AMA supercross champion and also his victory in the AMA 250 motocross championship, not to mention Captain America for Team USA at the MXoN, Tomac has nothing to prove, but his love of racing keeps him involved and waiting for another victory in Abu Dhabi, is just what he aims to do.

One of the greatest Supercross riders of all time, Tomac has etched himself into the history books by being at the top of the sport for the last decade. With championships and wins aplenty, the Colorado native, together with the support of his father and legendary mountain bike racer John Tomac, have made one of the most successful runs in the sport, and will leave behind a legacy rivaled by very few.

It isn't difficult to see the drive and determination is still there in his comments below. Once a champion, always a champion and Eli Tomac isn't done just yet.

On Racing WSX

Eli Tomac: I have won the AMA supercross championship, the AMA motocross championship, but I just love winning races. What is great about World supercross, we are going fully international. I am very interested to see other parts of the World. I have race all over America and I looked forward to seeing different cultures and also adding a World supercross championship, to race in these different countries, it would be a wonderful achievement.

On Retirement

Eli Tomac: When I think back with my thumb injury, I didn’t consider stopping, but with my Achillies injury, it was a long recovery and it was a horrible ending to the supercross series in 2023 and a lot of people think that 30 year old brain thinks differently, but I am trying to prove that wrong. I want to stay battling for championships and I think being off the bike for six months extended my career. I have three kids at home, but I have found a good balance of both.

Injuries

Eli Tomac: I mean, my expectations when I go racing, is to win and I had a great race in Cardiff in 2022 and I had the same objective in the opening round at Canada. I had to get surgery at the base of my thumb, and it was a tough recovery, and it was also torn ligaments, and I missed the summer, but I am now back in good form and I am feeling strong. With a hand injury, it has to be strong before you get back on the bike and it wasn’t 100% when I came back, but it was safe to ride. I tried to get as healthy as I could.

How Tough Is WSX

Eli Tomac: The double header makes the weekend pretty tough; I will tell you. Especially the way the track was, the sand, there are a lot of bumps on the track, a lot of things you have to pay attention to and the track sort of beats you up. That was a tough two evenings of racing. I have to be at my best in Abu Dhabi, but also be on the defensive at the same time. It will be a tight environment, so we have to be ready, to get right up in the mix with everyone.

Winning In Canada

Eli Tomac: I would say the start made the biggest difference in the second moto, and not getting caught up in the race. That first moto was wild, especially the first two laps when I was dicing with Ken and Vince [Friese], but my target was just to get a clean start, hit my lines, and stay alive. The track is very tough. Right now, the whoops are just a tough rut to enter. The ground is getting a little bit slicker so it’s hard under brakes there and in the rut, it just gets more difficult. I actually felt like that was one of my strong points – making up time by accelerating through the whoops. I was feeling really good that time.

Winning In Australia

Eli Tomac: It was a very memorable weekend (in Australia) I only missed out on the win in one moto. It was awesome for us to win seven out of eight races and then win SuperPole on Sunday. Perth was a very interesting track, with soil we don’t race on normally so that was challenging all weekend, and then just another great weekend on points. I’ve built up a solid lead, I was happy with the motorcycle all weekend, and then my starts were awesome in all of the races. I’ve had a great stay here in Perth, and I’m excited to go to Abu Dhabi which is a new place for me, another new culture, and I’m excited to see it and showcase some supercross.

Eli Tomac - His Stats

  • 1st 2024 FIM World Supercross Australian GP Round 2 and 3
  • 1st 2024 FIM World Supercross Canadian GP WSX Class
  • 2x AMA Supercross Championship 450SX champion
  • 4x AMA Pro Motocross Championship 450 champion
  • 1st AMA 250 Motocross Championship
  • 4x AMA Supercross Championship 450SX vice champion
  • 1st 2022 FIM World Supercross British GP WSX Class
  • 2x AMA Pro Motocross Championship 450 vice champion
  • 52 x AMA Supercross Championship 450SX race wins
  • 32 x AMA Pro Motocross Championship 450cc race wins
  • Monster Energy MXoN Winner

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