Couldn't somebody have put, "outside sand," on Chase's pit board?

I was thinking the same thing too. Damn it! I had him for the win. 

He tried that line early in the race and screwed it up just as bad as going inside. Of course he knows what Tomac was doing there, he just couldn't do it

Yeah I agree I don’t think this was a matter of being unaware of it. It’s not as simple as just go there and do it just as fast as tomac. Was interesting that he didn’t really try it again after flubbing it a bit. 

This. Not because Tomac is doing something it means he can do it, he is not at his level.

Or maybe he didn’t like how it set him up for the next section and didn’t want to follow through the sand.

I don’t believe he lost the race because of that single line.

It might not have cost him the race but he was definitely losing time every lap. 

If he didn’t see Tomac visibly gaining time each lap 20 feet in front of him, I doubt he was going to see a message on a pit board, lol

Tomac’s determination cost Sexton the win.

Tomac did a little sandbaggin' in that Heat. He let Sexton think he had Tomac covered. Master class in moto-psychology right there.

Then Sexton made too many mistakes in the Main. Can't beat Tomac if you are making 4-5 mistakes.

Vialle had same problems….whoops and sand.  

Eli is so consistent. Eli didn't make nearly as many small mistakes as Chase did. 

Chase is great but Eli is legend.  Whoops got cupped out and he struggled in them late.  Eli made the sand look easier than it was.  and sand changes nearly every lap, so its not as easy as us armchair racers think.  Just an amazing ride by Eli.  Kicking myself because I had Eli Sexton 1-2, then changed it to Sexton - Eli.  Doh...

Before the restart, it appeared Aaron, Jason, and Chase were reeling Tomac in. After the restart Tomac looked just a little bit better. Wonder if it was a setting change, advice, or just focus?

Is there the time or opportunity to change settings while waiting for a restart? 

It's awesome that the speed through a given section, like the sand, was a product of far more than simply inside or outside "lane".  Tomac worked out some bike-lean flex-tweak thing jumping into the outside of the sand that looked quick enough and maybe less fatiguing.  Dude collects & conserves momentum like a bull whip.

Except when he was gaining time in that section.  

Just because Ricky says it is well does not mean it is good. 

Someone must have signaled Tomac and put "Go faster".

That was an impressive ride from Eli. Chase was catching him quick watching in person. It was one of those when not if deals it felt like. Impressive response. Eli gapped him quite a few laps in the second half of the whoops in towards the end. 

Are people forgetting how good tomac is?

Heat race is 12:00 minutes shorter than a Main. I think Chase uses up way to much energy trying to win every heat race by as large of a margin as possible AND trying to be the fastest qualifier.
 

Eli learns the tracks during qualifying and runs a hot enough lap to get a good gate pic. He conserves energy in the heat races and qualifying and saves it for the most important part of the day. Chase got tired around the 16:00 min mark. Eli just rode consistent laps and stayed out front. 

Pretty interesting point.  Tomac obviously will accept the lead when it presents itself but he doesn’t usually go balls out trying to take the lead ASAP.  He will follow you for 15 minutes then make a run at the end.  He realizes you don’t need to win the heat or be fastest qualifier to win races.

I think he was lulling them into a false sense of security, letting them think he was giving it everything he had. Then when they got close, he just threw the hammer down and killed their morale and confidence. They thought they had him and his pace covered and the next thing you know he's making up 2 seconds on you in the sand section. Now if that sand section wasn't there I'd think he would've got Eli...but I think Eli is now at the Carmichael level, which is you can never count him out or bet against him. They always find a little extra somewhere to win.

Thats what I saw too. 
Chase will learn.

The two guys who literally slugged it out for 30+2 outdoors all summer twice a weekend when it was 90 out are using all their energy in a 12 minute heat? I just am gonna have to say I don’t think so lol. 

Could you imagined if he'd went outsida the track around the sand n got desqwalafied?

Purely c grade goon perspective, but the tighter the track the quicker I wear out. 

I can only imagine how much more demanding sx would be than mx.

Fuck I'm gonna cop some shit for saying that.

I’ve watched in awe the things Tomac has done over the years but all yesterday and last night up until the main I was convinced Eli would just get second because Chase was in another zip code. And after last week a second would be a very smart points night and he’d move on to next week and improve. I was dead wrong. That was just straight resolve to not be beaten last night and I’m sorry , I like Chase but wow was he was mentally crushed on the podium. As a fan it was crazy to watch but as competitors I gotta think these dudes are like “just retire already”

Tomac looked like he was ready to fade back to 5th place at the start of the race. Nice ride considering his nasty crash last week.