Daytona Beach, Fla., – Eli Tomac cemented his name in motorsports history on Saturday night by winning the 2022 DAYTONA Supercross to become the winningest rider in DAYTONA Supercross history. Tomac earned his sixth win at the iconic venue, separating him from a record-book tie with the man who designed the track and called the race from the booth – Ricky Carmichael.
Tomac has been one of the most exciting racers in the sport, amassing 41 career wins to date and now tying Ryan Villopoto for fifth all-time. When he’s on, he’s untouchable. But his career also has a slew of subpar performances that denied him a championship for seven years of his premier class career. Then in 2020, Tomac earned the Monster Energy AMA Supercross title, but wasn’t able to successfully defend it in 2021.
In the eight rounds leading up to the 2022 DAYTONA Supercross, Tomac had earned three wins and led the points by six in the 17-round series. All eyes were on him as the favorite to win DAYTONA, but the Florida track has stood alone as dangerous and unique since it unofficially kicked off the sport in 1971. The track stretches out across the Daytona International Speedway Trioval and challenges the racers with high speeds, deep ruts, steep jump faces, and three unique types of dirt.
Tomac was focused on the win, as always. The son of mountain bike legend John Tomac, Eli’s young amateur career was intentionally paced to develop into a long professional career. At 29, Tomac is at the upper edge of title contenders’ age, and he switched teams before the season to Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha, a group that has yet to capture a premier class title.
When the gate dropped on Saturday night, Tomac got a good start. He was up at the front of the 22-rider pack. Then, in just the second corner, he was slammed between two other riders. Tomac kept his No. 3 Yamaha upright and survived the ensuing chaotic early laps of the race.
Once things settled, the Colorado native sat in third place behind Red Bull KTM’s Cooper Webb and Team Honda HRC’s Chase Sexton – one the two-time and defending Supercross champion, the other an up-and-coming young racer with one victory earlier in the season. Tomac hunted from third place without urgency. He knew there was a chance the track itself would take out his competitors and gift him the spot in the record book and a wider point spread in the 2022 season.
But when it appeared Tomac would have to win through grit and speed, the racer put his head down and got to work. He passed Sexton before the race’s midpoint and got onto Webb’s rear fender in the closing laps of the race just as smoke began to blow from his bike, indicating an overheating clutch and the potential for a DNF.
Calling the race live from the broadcast booth was Ricky Carmichael, who had won the event five times himself and sat tied in the record books with Tomac. A Florida native, Carmichael is considered the G.O.A.T. of dirt bike racing and has successfully moved on to race NASCAR and ARCA before becoming the color commentator of Monster Energy AMA Supercross. Carmichael has also moonlighted as the designer of the unique DAYTONA Supercross track for the past 15 years.
With 45 seconds on the clock, the record-book gods smiled. A lapped rider slowed Webb and Tomac capitalized. Tomac used the remaining laps to build a small but comfortable gap on Webb, grabbed the victory, and rode up the grandstand embankment to light up the rear wheel for the fans. A bold and familiar No. 3 on his bike and jersey looked perfectly appropriate on the storied NASCAR tarmac of the Daytona International Speedway.
450SX Class Results
1. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Yamaha
2. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM
3. Chase Sexton, Clermont, Fla., Honda
4. Dylan Ferrandis, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha
5. Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., GASGAS
6. Marvin Musquin, Corona, Calif., KTM
7. Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Honda
8. Malcolm Stewart, Murrieta, Calif., Husqvarna
9. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.Mex., Kawasaki
10. Dean Wilson, Murrieta, Calif., Husqvarna
450SX Class Championship Standings
1. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Yamaha (203)
2. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.Mex., Kawasaki (185)
3. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM (170)
4. Malcolm Stewart, Murrieta, Calif., Husqvarna (164)
5. Chase Sexton, Clermont, Fla., Honda (163)
6. Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., GASGAS (163)
7. Marvin Musquin, Corona, Calif., KTM (145)
8. Dylan Ferrandis, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha (137)
9. Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Honda (133)
10. Dean Wilson, Murrieta, Calif., Husqvarna (110)