Eli Tomac, 32, announced earlier this year that he renewed his contract with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing for 2025. That was great news for his fans; the bad news was that he would make this his last fulltime season. While leaving the door open to race sporadically in 2026 and beyond, Tomac has been resolute in his decision.
Given the physical demands, injuries, and the emotional commitment it takes to race at this level, no one can fault him for the desire to enter the next stage of his career. And Tomac has nothing left to prove — almost.
MORE: Daytona is Eli Tomac’s house
Tomac is a six-time 450 champion. He won the Monster Energy Supercross title in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2022. He was the Pro Motocross champ in 2020 and 2022. He came close to padding those numbers in 2016 and 2021 when he finished in the runner-up spot in the outdoor series.
After years of struggling in the Supercross 450 class, Aaron Plessinger brought a ray of sunshine to a cloudy San Diego evening.
Tomac’s 84 combined SuperMotocross wins, 52 of which came in Supercross and 32 in Motocross, places him fourth on the all-time wins list. He is second all-time in Supercross victories. The air doesn’t get much thinner and as a native of Cortez, Colorado, he knows a thing or two about rarified air.
There is only one thing is missing and that is a SuperMotocross World Championship.
Tomac is one of the fittest riders in the field and his ability to avoid injury during his career is a huge, contributory factor in the statistics mentioned above. Ironically, it was a rare injury that kept him from winning the 2023 Supercross title, which he would have practically guaranteed with a victory in the penultimate round at Denver. He was leading comfortably in the Feature that evening when a hard landing snapped his Achilles Tendon and kept him out of the Salty Lake City finale the following week.
That injury also kept him from competing in the inaugural SMX Championship.
Hunter Lawrence swept the top five in both Pro Motocross and the SuperMotocross World Championship after struggling in Supercross.
Along with Jett Lawrence and Cooper Webb, Tomac was one of three top riders to suffer a thumb injury in 2024. It took longer to get back onto the bike than he anticipated and Tomac returned for only the last two Motocross rounds in an effort to get back to full speed. Critics wondered if that would be enough time.
Tomac finished seventh at Budds Creek in Mechanicsville, Maryland, and stood on the podium at Ironman Raceway in Crawfordsville, Indiana. A question remains as to whether Tomac would have entered the playoffs with more momentum if he had been able to come back a little earlier, but he finished fourth or better in the three playoff rounds and the rider who won the championship, Lawrence did not return until the first SMX race. Two of Tomac’s results were podiums with his best finish coming on a brutally hot afternoon in Forth Worth, Texas.
Jason Anderson will turn 32 early in the 2025 Supercross season, which puts some added stress on his performance this year.
Without any reservations, Tomac believes he can leave on his terms and at the pinnacle of the sport.
“I’m excited for 2025,” Tomac said in a news release during the offseason. “For me the most important thing was to do my best to come in healthy, and as of now, I am a lot stronger than I was the year before. In 2024, I felt like I had a rushed preparation time, so I’ve done a lot of racing leading up to this point, and it should keep me sharp.”
Tomac proved his point by winning the World Supercross Championship.
“To be sharp, coming into Anaheim is going to be very important,” Tomac continued. “As usual, it’s going to be a very packed gate with a lot of guys that can win. I believe I am in a better position than the year before. I’ve had good results with the off-season racing and will try and continue that in the New Year.”
Nearly every fans in the stands, as well as many of his competitors, would be thrilled to see Tomac cap off his career with a SuperMotocross World Championship in 2025.
2024 Statistics
Feature starts: 21
Average feature finish: 4.90
Wins: 1
Podiums: 9
Top-fives: 12
Top-10s: 21
Best finish: Won (St. Louis SX)
SMX Standings/payout: Third/$250,000
2024 News
Team USA finishes second in MXoN
Eli Tomac reacts to 2024 Motocross of Nations
Tomac to replace Chase Sexton on 2024 MXoN roster
Tomac renews with Star Racing for one final year in 2025
Tomac returns to training, eyes Budds Creek for return
Thumb surgery sidelines Tomac for SX finale, start of Pro MX
Tomac sweeps St. Louis Triple Crown for first 2024 SX win
At Daytona, winning is the only thing for Tomac
Daytona is Tomac’s house
Jett Lawrence on racing Tomac: “It’s not exactly like the same beast he used to be”
450 Countdown
5. Aaron Plessinger
6. Hunter Lawrence
7. Jason Anderson
8. Ken Roczen
9. Justin Cooper
10. Justin Barcia
11. Malcolm Stewart
12. Dylan Ferrandis
13. Christian Craig
14. Shane McElrath
15. Dean Wilson
250 Countdown
5. Jo Shimoda
6. Jordon Smith
7. Pierce Brown
8. Cameron McAdoo
9. Ty Masterpool
10. Chance Hymas
11. Garrett Marchbanks
12. Max Anstie
13. Julien Beaumer
14. Coty Schock
15. Ryder DiFrancesco
More SuperMotocross News
2025 SX schedule | MX schedule | WMX Schedule
2025 Supercross tickets on sale | Pro Motocross tickets
2025 TV Schedule | Track Maps
Jo Shimoda, Honda have high expectations
Aaron Plessinger brought the sunshine
SMX announces partnership to initiate sports betting
Hunter Lawrence shone brightest on 2024 outdoor tracks
WMX announces six-round schedule for 2025
Jason Anderson and the ticking clock
What might have been for Cameron McAdoo
Yamaha Star Racing announces seven rider team
Reid Taylor replaces injured Devin Simonson
Ken Roczen has the SMX Championship in mind
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