ELI TOMAC

One of the sport’s greats returned to competition on Saturday. Eli Tomac had done it all in this sport, but yearned for more as the green flag waved for practice at Budds Creek. He instantly adapted to the Maryland track and didn’t appear bothered by the previously sustained thumb injury...which led to a respectable gate choice on the first moto grid. As bikes eventually rocketed from the line, it was Tomac who battled within the top-ten to reside eighth, as the five-minute mark neared. Though from that point onward, he immediately began to pick through the top-ten, making his way to fifth, after conducting multiple passes amid an intense battle with Jason Anderson! He would finally overtake the Kawasaki rider around the ten-minute mark, and then immediately surpassed Christian Criag en route to obtaining the fourth-place spot. Once inside of the top-five, Tomac appeared to adjust to the pace that was being presented...constantly trying to chip away at the lead that Aaron Plessinger had made (who occupied third) yet not riding too aggressively, to the point that he would make a mistake. His mechanic would remind him to remain calm and remember the game-plan so to speak...but it was certainly difficult for Tomac to ignore the roar of the crowd, which would only motivate him to soar farther and charge even faster. Through each hillside, the determination of Tomac could be shown with an abundance of revving and rapid feathering of the clutch. And it wasn’t as though those antics were short-lived. He remained aggressive and motivated until the checkered flag was thrown, earning a remarkable fourth place moto score for his return to outdoor competition — for the first time since the 2022 season! In the next moto, his starting position (well outside of the top-ten) wasn’t necessarily what was desired for the veteran, but he knew he could carve through the pack with an ample amount of time in store. What was once a seventeenth-place standing, then shifted to thirteenth, and then twelfth, where he and Phil Nicoletti would duel over the eleventh-place spot. The track was now hard-packed, filled with an array of lines that forced Tomac into a heightened state of awareness. But he remained composed and exceptional with his racing prowess once moving past Nicoletti...obtaining eleventh with the checkered flag nearing. Though not necessarily acquiring as high of a finish as desired, Eli’s effort across both races was enough to earn a final feat of seventh-place overall — which was certainly a solid score to build from for the upcoming SMX championship.