There is no doubt, for the last decade Eli Tomac has been the man to lead America in the sport. With four AMA motocross championships and an AMA supercross title to his name, he is the most decorated rider of this current crop of riders and while his move to Yamaha seemed like it was just the start of the end and his career would slowly tale off, the 30-year-old made the podium last weekend and holds the red plate for the 2022 AMA supercross championship.

While he still isn’t riding like in his prime, there is no reason why a little bit of momentum and confidence couldn’t see him return to the top of an AMA supercross main event and remain the man with the red plate. The World media caught up with the Monster Energy Yamaha rider and this is what he told us.

MXlarge: A much better results, how do you rate the night?

Tomac: I rate the night as improvement. We started pretty slow at Anaheim 1, got a little better at Oakland and then better again here. I wasn’t on top, but it was just better. I have been working crazy on those starts, I really watched that 250 main, how it swept. I thought to myself, I am going to take a little bit of a gamble here and start on the outside and sweep and it worked. Also improved my riding. I wasn’t the fastest guy tonight, but I was solid, so I am happy with where we are going.

MXlarge: For you to be holding the red plate with three rounds in and no win yet. It must be a strange position to be in, but a good position?

Tomac: You just take it for what is it. We were sort of laughing when we saw that on the screen, and we were standing on the podium. That is just how this season is, so much talent in the 450 class and you see different podiums every weekend, just crazy.

MXlarge: It seems like you are happier this year, what makes it so enjoyable for you?

Tomac: It is just the environment and being at the track with a lot of young guys. It is just like seeing new things, new tracks, new guys, just a new environment and it has been fun and working for me. All those things combined makes me a happy guy.

MXlarge: When you were with the Monster Energy Kawasaki team, did you also train with the Pro-Circuit guys, or did you ride alone?

Tomac: I was isolated and hardly rode with PC.

MXlarge: You have been open about your situation with your brother being in the military and you had custom gear made up for the military awareness night at San Diego. Does that have anything to do with how you rode tonight?

Tomac: It is just cool we get to show our respects to the military. He is in the air-force and flies a C17, so it is very cool. To be there, he has all my helmets from this race, and it was cool to get on the podium.

MXlarge: Dylan mentioned how he made changes to the bike in the first two rounds. For you, it is a new bike, what have you had to change in the season, if any?

Tomac: I haven’t done anything major, just little things and mostly for the starts. That is where most of my work has been, but just little things like balance, and nothing out of this World, like changing clamps or linkage or anything.

MXlarge: Were you aware that Anderson was having issues with his bike when you guys were battling?

Tomac: Oh yes, I saw the smoke. I didn’t’ know what was going on, whatever it was. I thought it was a radiator or something and he would keep going, but then he started slowing. I didn’t know what was happening.