ELI TOMAC TALKS FIM WORLD SUPERCROSS, TEAM USA, RED BUD NATIONAL & MORE

It would seem that any remnants of a Supercross hangover or lingering knee injury are over for Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha’s Eli Tomac after his recent string of moto wins culminating with a 1-1 domination at the Red Bud National. Now second in 450 standings, 7-points behind leader Chase Sexton, things could get very interesting as the series heads to several of Tomac’s favorite tracks– Southwick and Millville. After the motos ended at Red Bud, we caught up with Eli to ask him about the motocross series, racing the Motocross of Nations, racing the first round of the FIM World Supercross series, and his family life.

BY JIM KIMBALL

2022 REDBUD NATIONAL | FULL COVERAGE

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ELI, GENERALLY YOU HAVE DONE WELL AT RED BUD, AND TODAY WAS NO DIFFERENT. I always loved this place, but I have been a little bit hit and miss here. But today was outstanding. It was basically as good as it could go, all the way from qualifying to both motos. My starts were great today, and it was a day that I needed. I felt like I needed to do this and try to close in some points on this championship.

THIS WAS ONE OF THOSE STATEMENT RIDES. It was. It was important as obviously Chase is still riding well too. It was like I said, putting everything together from the starts and that is what you had to do to do better here. I had some great starts, and in Moto 1, it was all about the start. I was a little bit buried in that second moto and had a battle with Ken (Roczen) at the beginning of that race. I was able to make the move to the front somewhere around the halfway point, and that was it. 

YOU WON BOTH MOTOS, BUT WAS THERE AN OBSTACLE ON THE TRACK THAT GAVE YOU ANY TROUBLE? The sand rollers were really tough. They made them deeper than they had been in the past.  Actually, they may have been the deepest rollers that we have had here. Those were really tough, especially in the second moto.  Most of the time we would go inside but the inside was starting to get a big kicker coming out of the turn, so that was a tough spot. This year, we were finally able to do LaRocco’s Leap consistently. I have not done that consistently in a little while too, so that was nice.

YOU WERE FOCUSED ON WINNING THE SUPERCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP. I AM ASSUMING YOU DIDN’T DO A TON OF OUTDOOR TESTING, BUT NOW DO YOU HAVE YOUR BIKE PRETTY MUCH WHERE YOU WANT IT? Yes, the motorcycle basically stayed the same since around Hangtown (Round 2), somewhere in there. We are in a good spot. It has been working in all conditions and that is important at this stage in the game.

 

WITH THE YEARS YOU HAVE BEEN ON THE CIRCUIT, DO YOU HAVE TRACKS, THAT YOU PARTICULARLY ENJOY? Absolutely Red Bud is a place that I enjoy, and then I love Southwick. Millville is also fun. We are in a good stretch of tracks right now. Like good, just classic tracks that always race well for me. I like the soil of all of them. Even Washougal, I do well there. We are heading for a couple of good tracks that I really like. 

DO YOU SPEND ANY TIME AT THE STAR RACING FACILITY IN FLORIDA, OR ARE YOU TRAINING AT HOME IN COLORADO? Well, I have not been around those guys much, just because I have been home in Colorado. I have not seen most of that group since the beginning of Supercross when I was in Florida. We have been doing our own thing in Colorado for now and that is it. I am not around them very much now.

I KNOW YOUR FATHER IS FROM MICHIGAN. DO YOU HAVE MUCH EXTENDED FAMILY HERE? That’s correct, we have lots of family here from my Dad’s side. It is cool to have them here and it is always a big group here at Redbud.  

IN THE POST RACE PRESS CONFERENCE, YOU MENTIONED THE MOTOCROSS OF NATIONS. OBVIOUSLY, YOU WOULD BE A GREAT PICK; DO YOU WANT TO GO? Oh yes, if I stay healthy, and everything stays the way it is. If I am selected, I will represent this year. 

YOU ARE RACING THE PARIS SUPERCROSS THIS YEAR, AND THEN RACING A WORLD SUPERCROSS ROUND. YOU MUST FIND WORLD SUPERCROSS INTERESTING. I do, and I think it is just going to be a fun time and an adventure for us. I know my time in this sport is not forever, so I am going to take advantage of things this year and go race a couple of those races.  

ONE LAST QUESTION; WITH A COUPLE OF CHILDREN NOW, HAS THAT CHANGED YOU? Well, it just changes your perspective on life and the way you go about things. You learn how selfish you can be. It is great just having a family. I’m sure you know that feeling. There is nothing like it, and I love it.

2022 REDBUD NATIONAL | FULL COVERAGE