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Pro Motocross

Chatter Box: Eli Tomac

Tomac on his rebound in PA.

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Eli Tomac had a horrid start to 2021 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross and there appeared to be no real explanation for his struggles. The uncharacteristic results prompted discussion across the globe – all eyes were on the Monster Energy Kawasaki rider at the third round of the current campaign on Saturday. The first moto was troubling, as he had quiet ride en route to sixth, but he came alive in the second moto and ripped to an impressive moto win. A 6-1 scorecard put him third on the overall podium.

The fact that he stood on the overall podium meant that he had to appear in front of the media at the end of the day, so answers to some burning questions were received. It’s still not quite clear what was holding him back at the first two rounds – it seems that even he is still confused – but it seems as though he believes that he can continue to trend in a positive question. Tomac is now seventh in the championship standings, 47 points behind the current championship leader.

MX Vice: Eli, you talked a little bit about the frustration with the first two rounds and obviously the first moto today didn’t go as planned either. Was there a little bit of it all boiling over at the beginning of that second moto? You were just kind of riding on that kind of angry aggression level to say, “I am sick of this. I just want to get it done.”

I mean, of course. You know my moto finishes have been very marginal so that was in my mind. I was like, “I have got to do something and get back to normal.” Like I said before, it is frustrating when you have those races like that and dig yourself in that big a hole. It is better to get back to normal sooner than later.

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This could fall flat if you do not get it, but did Kawasaki give you the works parts back or did you just get mad and go out to get a win?

Oh, man. I kind of got mad and just went out and won. I put myself in a lot better track position early on and that really changed it for me. I just felt like I was behind, you know, in those other motos and not riding like myself at all. [I was] struggling with lines and connecting that whole track, so I don’t know. It kind of flipped the switch. It had been a weird Eli Tomac the last five motos, so I am glad to win something.

When you made that pass on Adam, it just looked like you went back to the Eli of old. You attacked that billboard corner and just kept going after that. Did moto two feel different to the first five that we had this season?

Oh, totally. I was like a whole different guy, and I do not even really know why other than putting myself in an early track position up there. I thought the track was good this week. It was one of the best High Point tracks, in my opinion, for like moisture in the track and how it was prepped. I looked at it last night and was like, “Dang this track looks sweet.” It turned out that way. It had some fun stuff on it too, like that dozer turn you were talking about. The whole thing shaped up in the right way, in my opinion. It was rough enough and technical enough but not a total mess in the morning.

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A lot has been said about the track this evening. That downhill where you were hopping over the little hip jump, I did not see too many other people doing that. Was that something that you worked out in practice?

Yeah, that line was after that big quad table. I did it once in the first moto and clipped my rear-end on it – I kind of put it away after that. I just looked at it again in moto two and the breaking bump on it was more built up from the 250MX guys. There was a better lip getting over that, so that was a cool line. That one and the triple step up beforehand – I felt like they were big for moto two there.

You would be the first to admit that the first two rounds have not gone the way that you would have liked them to go. A lot of people talk about there being a panic button for Eli and then we get people that come up with these wild theories of parts going missing off your bike. How do you deal with that and keep showing up with a happy face each weekend, when really it does not sound like you knew what was going wrong at the first two rounds?

Yeah, I could say that at round one I had a different set-up on. I went to round one with something else, suspension-wise and in general with chassis stuff. With that one I was just like, “Well, maybe we missed it?” At the second race, in Colorado, I had what I had today, so I do not know what was going on. I was getting tight in those other motos, so I don’t know if I had something going on with my body that way. I am back to normal feeling now, at least in moto two today. I could do what I wanted to do. The conspiracy stuff… I think we are all bigger and better people than that.

Interview: Press Conference | Lead Image: Align Media

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British MX Nationals

Thank you. It’s been a hell of a ride.

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Since buying back MX Vice in November 2019, it has been challenging. One of those crystal balls would have been handy for navigating some problematic situations. Who would have thought COVID-19 would be a thing?

Those who follow MX Vice know we started from nothing but an idea. A fan who loved the sport created a Facebook page, website, and social media presence that would become disruptive. It has made numerous talented media people who were allowed to run with it for over thirteen years. Being in the UK/Europe has always been difficult; I’ve always believed that if we were a US media company, we would have been embraced and appreciated for our work ethic and the content we produce. We always cast one eye over the US in Europe, and you can’t blame the top European riders for doing the same.

MX Vice has always tried to give people a voice, especially the riders who are not in the limelight and the teams that put so much into the sport. We love people’s passion and sacrifice to improve and challenge themselves. That, for me, was the natural pull, not the money but the passion and sacrifice. We all know we would not be in motocross if it were about the money. I always considered MX Vice the media version of Steve Dixon’s team in MXGP (which I have a huge amount of respect for), where we have always tried to challenge without the factory budgets.

We knew it would be tough this year with so many businesses and brands cutting marketing budgets and reducing costs; this was never going to be good for us. We have just had two incredible months of stats, with January and February bringing in over 1 million people to the website, which is quite bittersweet. As much as the funds are low, so is my energy and health. COVID impacted me more than I could ever envisaged. My health has deteriorated ever since I caught COVID; my immune system is not in a great place, and when I try and work to the standard I set myself, my body breaks on me, and it takes me days to recover. Ed Stratmann has been a revelation since he took the editorial reigns and has pushed MX Vice to new heights, which is incredible given the lack of resources he has had to work with and support from myself. I have been missing from the podcast show to reduce my time, as I am now self-employed and working for two companies to pay the bills.

Every journey ends, and that’s not what we want. Over the past 13 years, we have given it everything, leaving no stone unturned. We’re proud of how we have disrupted, challenged decisions, held organisations accountable, and illuminated incredible stories.

We will have an auction for signed shirts donated by riders, podcast equipment, and memorabilia to pay off the invoices of some contributors. If, however, you want to see MX Vice continue, you can donate here: https://ko-fi.com/mxvice or purchase a shirt or memorabilia. If we meet our target of £25,000, which is currently outstanding to run this year, then Ed and I will continue. However, we fully expect this won’t happen due to the large sum required.

It’s hard out there at the moment. Take care of your health and family, and never lose your passion for the most fantastic sport in the world.

Burf.

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Fox Feature

FOX Unveils Exciting New MX24 Mainline Refresh Graphics

Check it out.

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All eyes on you. Keep the conversation going with all-new MX24 graphics that looks to the future of racewear. 360 Volatile, 180 Interfere, this is racewear designed to elevate and amplify the next generation and those changing the sport, forever.

Visit the Fox Europe Website for more information.

MEDIA


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Monster Energy Supercross

Trio of Speedways Set to Host Second Year of SuperMotocross World Championship Playoffs

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During tonight’s television broadcast of the DAYTONA Supercross, Round 8 of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship and SuperMotocross World Championship, lead analysts Ricky Carmichael and James Stewart revealed that zMAX Dragway at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway, and The Strip at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway will host the 2024 SuperMotocross World Championship Playoff Rounds and Final in September.


Words: Press Release | Lead Image: SMX


Last year’s landmark inaugural season saw two of the sport’s youngest and brightest stars cement their place in the history books. At just 17, Haiden Deegan earned Rookie of the Year and captured the 250cc World Championship while Australian sensation Jett Lawrence, at 20, became the first-ever 450cc World Champion in the premier class, also as a rookie.

Showing the world this was no fluke, both Deegan and Lawrence are off to impressive starts in their 2024 campaigns. Deegan just earned his first win of the season (and his career) this past weekend at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas and sits a mere seven points back in the Eastern Regional 250SX Class Championship after two rounds. Lawrence, on the other hand is the current points leader in the very deep 450SX premier class and has two wins already in a year that has witnessed five different race winners in the first seven rounds.

SuperMotocross World Championship Playoff 1 will take place on Saturday, September 7 at zMAX Dragway in Concord, N.C. and Playoff 2 will take place on Saturday, September 14 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. The SMX World Championship Final will take place on Saturday, September 21 at The Strip at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, marking a long-anticipated return to a city that has hosted many memorable final Championship rounds in Supercross’ rich history.

“Last year, we created a completely new off-road motorcycle racing playoff series that combined both disciplines of indoor stadium racing (Supercross) and outdoor motocross racing (Pro Motocross) that was fully embraced by the teams, athletes, industry and fans,” said Dave Prater, Vice President of Supercross, Feld Motor Sports, Inc. “Collectively, more than 110,000 fans from all over the world made their way here to attend the inaugural three round SMX World Championship Playoffs and Final and for the first time in the sport’s history witnessed the crowning of a true World Champion. The SuperMotocross World Championship is where the world comes to race.”

zMAX Dragway is situated adjacent to Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C. and its world famous four-lane dragstrip and dual grandstands provided the perfect backdrop to host last year’s first-ever SMX World Championship Playoff. The Charlotte area is a hotbed for fans of the sport and is an easy city to get to from most points in the Eastern region. Last year’s playoff became the “must see” event of the year and is a primary reason for our return. zMAX Dragway proved to be a world-class facility in every way where the SMX experience was fully brought to life with a full day of fan activities on Friday, an industry packed FanFest on Saturday and a multitude of prime camping options for every budget. The “Bellagio of Dragstrips” also provided the perfect amount of width and depth to create a truly unique, world-class SMX track that surprised the teams and caught many of the sport’s star athletes off guard which led to dramatic racing and unpredictable results.

“Last year, we transformed a four-lane drag strip into the ultimate off-road playground and fans were treated to a full day of action-packed racing at the opening round of the inaugural SMX World Championships,” said Greg Walter, executive vice president and general manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway. “Building on that experience, we’re excited to once again partner with Feld Motor Sports to bring together the top Supercross and Motocross riders from around the world at zMAX Dragway to put on a high-flying, white-knuckled show for the fans.”

Texas Motor Speedway, located in Fort Worth is easily accessible for fans traveling by car or plane with its central location and proximity to multiple international airports. The 1.5-mile quad-oval superspeedway sits on over 1400 acres of land and is one of the largest sports facilities in the country. Being a world-class venue, Texas Motor Speedway is no stranger to marquee events as they are a regular stop on the NASCAR Cup Series and provide all the modern amenities motorsports fans expect when purchasing an event ticket. Last week’s Supercross round (7) in Arlington, Texas broke attendance records and this Playoff round could prove to be an even bigger spectacle with a planned Friday FanFest, and fan camping options being made available.

“All of us at Texas Motor Speedway are thrilled to have been chosen to host Round 2 of the 2024 SuperMotocross World Championship Playoffs and we look forward to welcoming an entirely new and energetic group of race fans, from across the country and around the world, to our world-class facility,” said Texas Motor Speedway Executive Vice President & General Manager Mark Faber. “Supercross and motocross fans in the Fort Worth/Dallas metroplex have proven for years how much they love their sport so we look forward to proving to them how much we appreciate them coming to Texas Motor Speedway.”

Aptly named, The Strip at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway is conveniently located just twenty minutes away from the world-famous Las Vegas strip and was a major deciding factor in bringing the SMX World Championship Final to Las Vegas.

“The Strip” is one of the most iconic dragstrips in the country and joins zMAX Dragway as being one of just two dragstrips in the nation to feature four-wide racing. This expansive footprint will allow our master track builders to get very imaginative in creating the final SMX World Championship track of the season. Situated right across the street from the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the Strip is home to more than 50 events a year and provides an intimate viewing experience from the grandstands and suites while also offering fans the ability to “line the fence”, similar to what is done at a Pro Motocross event.

“The pinnacle of two-wheel racing is making its return to Las Vegas, and we’re thrilled to crown the ultimate champion at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, surrounded by the passionate fans of Supercross and Motocross,” said Chris Powell, Las Vegas Motor Speedway President. “In recent years, Las Vegas has emerged as the ultimate sports hub, making it fitting to include the SuperMotocross World Championship Final on the list of prestigious events hosted here.”

The SuperMotocross World Championship Playoffs and Final will feature the best athletes in the world as the top 20 in combined Supercross and Pro Motocross points are automatically seeded into the playoff rounds. As in other sport playoffs, athletes will be competing for the sport’s ultimate World Championship title, and the prestige that comes from overcoming adversity through a 28-round, dual-discipline (indoor and outdoor) season, plus two SMX Playoffs and a Final.

The SMX World Championship is the premier off-road motorcycle racing series in the world and as such pays out more total prize money than any off-road motorcycle racing series on the planet.

All 17 rounds of the 2024 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship and 11 rounds of the Pro Motocross Championship are on sale. Tickets for the SuperMotocross World Championship Playoff Rounds and Final will go on pre-sale, Tuesday, April 2, followed by public on-sale Tuesday, April 9. Friday FanFest, Saturday FanFest and camping options for each round and venue will be announced later in the season.

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