Eli Tomac and Shane McElrath extend FIM World Supercross Championship leads with WSX and SX2 clean sweep at WSX Australian GP at HBF Park in Perth. Eli Tomac and Shane McElrath staged a dominant performance at the double-header 2024 WSX Australian GP by completing a victory clean sweep in the FIM World Supercross Championship’s WSX 450cc and SX2 250cc classes.
In their respective categories, Tomac and McElrath were the class of the field on Saturday and Sunday at HBF Park, with both riders staging near-perfect weekends by coming out on top in almost every single session in Perth. For Tomac, his weekend started off on the wrong foot when two-time WSX vice champion, Joey Savatgy, won SuperPole on Saturday, and after a slow start to the first moto of the weekend, it appeared that the eight-time AMA Motocross and Supercross title winner was struggling for pace.
But by staging a resurgent comeback, Tomac was able to silence his early critics, winning GP Race 1 on Saturday before dominating the rest of the round by leading every lap and taking victory in each remaining moto, from GP Race 2, all the way to the SuperFinal. On Sunday, this domination only continued although Tomac finally met his match in the form of Savatgy, who came out on top in a scintillating GP Race 2 in the third round of the season.
With three wins, however, Tomac’s advantage was ultimately unbeatable, with a 1-3-1-1 record on Sunday handing the CDR Yamaha Supported by Star Racing rider a third overall WSX victory of the 2024 season.
Eli Tomac, Rider, CDR Yamaha Supported by Star Racing, said: “It’s been a very memorable weekend – 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.”
Over both rounds in Australia, Savatgy and Ken Roczen were Tomac’s closest challengers, with Roczen finishing as the runner-up on Saturday and placing third on Sunday, while Savatgy outperformed the German on Sunday to secure second overall after finishing third on Saturday. For WSX’s defending two-time World Champion, Roczen, the weekend overall was difficult, with the Pipes Motorsports Group rider consistently playing catch up after losing ground with slow starts and making several small but costly mistakes.
His 2-3-2-2 record from Saturday and 3-2-3-2 run on Sunday place him second in the WSX Riders’ Standings with 257 points – 46 points adrift of Tomac who leads with 303 points after taking 10 individual race wins this season.
Ken Roczen, Rider, Pipes Motorsports Group, said: “I have mixed feelings. My starts are still not great, and I have to say, and this is not an excuse by any means, but I struggled with this dirt big time – it’s just not my favourite at all. I’m also on new suspension so I just felt a little bit unfamiliar, but I tried as hard as I could. The most important thing is that we’re healthy and we tried everything we can to do the best, and now we have 10 days now to reset, come back in Abu Dhabi and try to win there. I’m excited for the next race – it’s unique there and very hot.”
Savatgy, who was the only rider other than Tomac to win a WSX session in Perth, holds third in the WSX Riders’ Championship and trails Roczen by just six points heading into the 2024 season finale – the WSX Abu Dhabi GP, taking place on 4 December at Etihad Arena.
Joey Savatgy, Rider, Fire Power Honda, said: “I’m happy. My starts were better on Sunday and to be honest, it’s just been an intense weekend with a lot of racing. It was very hot on Sunday as well. In the final moto I knew I could finish behind Ken and still get second overall, and the track was gnarly so I just mailed it in. I’m ready for a day off to rest and recover for Abu Dhabi.”
In SX2, Shane McElrath was as equally dominant as Tomac, taking the overall victory on both Saturday and Sunday while coming agonisingly close to an elusive clean sweep in both rounds, taking three wins out of four in each. On Saturday, the Fire Power Honda rider’s night started out with a thrilling battle against Coty Schock in the first moto, and although McElrath was pipped to the top spot, he was able to outrace the Rick Ware Racing rider as the night progressed.
While Schock was a close match throughout, his mistakes proved to be costly, with a spectacular accident in GP Race 2 denting his overall and handing the advantage to McElrath and crucially, his team-mate, Enzo Lopes, who ended Saturday second overall, going 3-2-3-2. Schock’s record, 1-5-2-3, was good enough for third in round two, with the native of Dover, Delaware, claiming his first GP Race victory in the FIM World Supercross Championship.
On Sunday for the third round of the 2024 season, McElrath continued where he left off although both Schock and Lopes remained a consistent threat. After topping SuperPole, and GP Races 1 and 2, the North Carolinian was dethroned in GP Race 3 when Schock cruised to a controlled win, but by winning the SuperFinal, McElrath again took the overall victory.
Shane McElrath, Rider, Fire Power Honda, said: “I’m really happy with my weekend. It’s been a heavy weekend of riding, the track was very technical, it was changing throughout the races, it was really hot, and it was tough having the back-to-back races. The temperatures went down on Sunday afternoon and in the evening which helped the track and helped my body out, but praise the Lord, this has been a good weekend. It’s been hard, but we always keep fighting. I stayed present, continued executing, and I’m happy with how I did that. It gave me strength. I’m really excited for Abu Dhabi, we’re looking good on points and I want to keep winning and doing my job.”
Thanks to his win in GP Race 3, Schock finished as the runner-up on Sunday but faces a significant 57-point disadvantage in the SX2 Riders’ Standings, with McElrath leading with 293 points compared to Schock’s 236.
Coty Schock, Rider, Rick Ware Racing, said: “I wouldn’t say Sunday was any better than Saturday, but in terms of the result, it was better. I’m really happy with my riding, and just trying to minimise those little mistakes is part of racing. Shane has done his time, and it’s really showing now, and I know that one day, I’ll get there. Right now, I’m just paying my dues. The fans this weekend have been awesome. I didn’t even know that I had fans in Australia, and Perth is a really cool city. I’m going to explore a bit more of Australia, but I’m pumped for Abu Dhabi. I’ve never been there and it’s the opportunity of a lifetime.”
Lopes, who was Schock’s primary threat for the runner-up spot in round three, finished third overall after being dealt a cruel blow in GP Race 3 when a box cover got caught in his rear wheel and forced him to retire. Despite this, the Brazilian superstar is just two points adrift of Schock in the SX2 Riders’ Championship.
Enzo Lopes, Rider, Rick Ware Racing, said: “I’m a bit disappointed about Sunday because I’m on the podium, but I missed the third moto. I think I could have had the win in GP Race 3, because it was the only good start I had over the weekend. I’m disappointed, but I’m happy – I’m healthy, got two overall podiums, and I’m third in points so there’s a lot to be proud of. I’m really excited for the next race in Abu Dhabi. I’m flying out early so I can enjoy a bit of time there. For the finale I want to get my starts down, and I want to focus on my technique, but I felt like this weekend was good. I felt like I was the fastest rider in SX2, but I just couldn’t get my starts right – Shane was better.”
The 2024 FIM World Supercross Championship season will conclude on 4 December with the WSX Abu Dhabi GP where the series will crown four World Champions at Etihad Arena.
For more information, please visit www.wsxchampionship.com.
Photography credit: FIM World Supercross Championship
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