Colorado’s Eli Tomac earned his second Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship in front of a home-state crowd inside Empower Field at Mile High Stadium in Denver, Colorado, at the weekend.
Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson won the battle in Denver, but Yamaha’s Tomac won the war this season.
Tomac’s fifth place finish at this 16th round of 17 in the series gave the 29-year old racer the distinction of becoming the oldest rider to capture the Supercross Championship in the sport’s 49-year history.
Tomac grabbed second place at the start of the main event.
The crowd went wild when a mistake from race leader Chase Sexton (HRC Honda) put Tomac into the lead and in position to take the title with a victory.
The hard-pack track was dry and slick and Tomac played it smart with a protection pace to stay upright.
Tomac eventually dropped back to fifth place, but that was all he needed to take the championship title.
On the podium, with the #1 plate in his hands, he revealed that he’d suffered a minor knee injury two rounds prior that had been a component to his protection mode approach.
Tomac moved from the factory Kawasaki team to join the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing team just prior to the 2022 season in a move that proved successful for both rider and brand.
Tomac’s seven race wins thus far in the 2022 series that spans 13 states elevated him to a tie for fourth place on the all-time wins list. Prior to this season, Yamaha had only amassed two wins between the years 2013 through 2021.
Tomac’s #1 plate marks the first premier class championship for Yamaha since 2009.
One round remains in the 2022 season, set for next Saturday at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City.
The season finale marks the 15th different city to host a Monster Energy AMA Supercross in 2022.
Tomac could tally one more win, moving him closer to the third place spot on the all-time wins list, currently held by 5-time Supercross Champion Ricky Carmichael at 48.
Carmichael retired in 2007 and now calls the races from the broadcast booth during the live airings on Peacock, NBC, CNBC and USA Network.
In Utah the season’s second Dave Coombs Sr. East/West Showdown, a unique race that faces off 250SX class racers from both the Eastern and Western regions, will determine the final championship of 2022.
Photo courtesy Yamaha
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RESULTS & STANDINGS:
450SX class results:
- Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.Mex., Kawasaki
- Malcolm Stewart, Murrieta, Calif., Husqvarna
- Marvin Musquin, Corona, Calif., KTM
- Chase Sexton, Clermont, Fla., Honda
- Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Yamaha
- Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM
- Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., GASGAS
- Justin Brayton, Charlotte, N.C., Honda
- Mitchell Oldenburg, Aledo, Tex., Honda
- Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Yamaha
450SX Class Championship standings after 16 of 17 rounds:
- Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Yamaha (359)
- Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.Mex., Kawasaki (324)
- Malcolm Stewart, Murrieta, Calif., Husqvarna (295)
- Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., GASGAS (291)
- Marvin Musquin, Corona, Calif., KTM (287)
- Chase Sexton, Clermont, Fla., Honda (269)
- Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM (261)
- Brandon Hartranft, Brick, N.J., Suzuki (163)
- Justin Brayton, Charlotte, N.C., Honda (160)
- Dean Wilson, Murrieta, Calif., Husqvarna (152)
