WTH Tomac??

davistld01
Posts
9187
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
Springfield, MO US

Eli was so "on it" in the qualifier & won his heat race going away...but WTH happened to him in the main? Dammit! 

12
1
|
Gary Duck
Posts
760
Joined
4/16/2019
Location
CA US
4/11/2026 3:22pm
davistld01 wrote:

Eli was so "on it" in the qualifier & won his heat race going away...but WTH happened to him in the main? Dammit! 

Track dried out, and his supermoto slick didn't grip as he expected. 

37
2
Dave v3.0
Posts
616
Joined
7/15/2022
Location
Ozark, AL US
4/11/2026 3:23pm
davistld01 wrote:

Eli was so "on it" in the qualifier & won his heat race going away...but WTH happened to him in the main? Dammit! 

This is reminiscent of the Eli we saw when he was racing Dungey and we all thought he was a head case.  Today's crash when he washed the front BEFORE the corner was just unexplainable.

All that being said, he may love the MX14 but that track was ill suited for it by the time the main came around.

14
6
cwel11
Posts
2554
Joined
12/4/2019
Location
Orangeville, PA US
4/11/2026 3:25pm

If his fix for the bike was a scoop tire he’s got bigger problems. 

42
1
aees
Posts
2634
Joined
8/20/2015
Location
US
4/11/2026 3:26pm
davistld01 wrote:

Eli was so "on it" in the qualifier & won his heat race going away...but WTH happened to him in the main? Dammit! 

Dave v3.0 wrote:
This is reminiscent of the Eli we saw when he was racing Dungey and we all thought he was a head case.  Today's crash when he...

This is reminiscent of the Eli we saw when he was racing Dungey and we all thought he was a head case.  Today's crash when he washed the front BEFORE the corner was just unexplainable.

All that being said, he may love the MX14 but that track was ill suited for it by the time the main came around.

It's not unexplainable. If you ever ridden a scoop tire on a hard packed track, you know they're is pretty much zero stopping power on that kind of blue grove surface so he has to do all stopping with front brake.

The ride height needs to be solved in other ways than using the scoop tire. Seems he has a hard time turning without it though.

3
5

The Shop

dunce
Posts
3
Joined
2/11/2025
Location
Austin, TX US
4/11/2026 3:28pm

This entire day felt like complete desperation from Eli that did not payoff at all in the main

6
6
davistld01
Posts
9187
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
Springfield, MO US
4/11/2026 3:29pm
ssrco%2Cessential tee%2Cmens 01%2C101010 01c5ca27c6%2Cfront%2Cproduct square%2Cx600.u2 0
1
15
KurtJ99
Posts
2322
Joined
2/6/2017
Location
CA US
4/11/2026 3:36pm

Bad start, hard to pass one line track. From WSX not his best on dry blue groove track. And body language wasn’t pushing maybe because all of the above. 

1
4
davistld01
Posts
9187
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
Springfield, MO US
4/11/2026 3:45pm
KurtJ99 wrote:
Bad start, hard to pass one line track. From WSX not his best on dry blue groove track. And body language wasn’t pushing maybe because all...

Bad start, hard to pass one line track. From WSX not his best on dry blue groove track. And body language wasn’t pushing maybe because all of the above. 

None of that equates. He was blazing fast in the qualifier on that same "hard to pass on" & "blue groove" track...then he won his heat looking like the Eli of earlier in the season. 

7
3
Jaybird67k
Posts
564
Joined
10/27/2013
Location
Vidor, TX US
4/11/2026 3:45pm
davistld01 wrote:

Eli was so "on it" in the qualifier & won his heat race going away...but WTH happened to him in the main? Dammit! 

As soon as I seen him lined up on the inside I was like WHY?

That was a terrible choice.

12
2
cable
Posts
1240
Joined
6/11/2008
Location
Rockford, MI US
4/11/2026 3:54pm

He just retired, and hasnt told us yet

27
8
KurtJ99
Posts
2322
Joined
2/6/2017
Location
CA US
4/11/2026 3:57pm
KurtJ99 wrote:
Bad start, hard to pass one line track. From WSX not his best on dry blue groove track. And body language wasn’t pushing maybe because all...

Bad start, hard to pass one line track. From WSX not his best on dry blue groove track. And body language wasn’t pushing maybe because all of the above. 

davistld01 wrote:
None of that equates. He was blazing fast in the qualifier on that same "hard to pass on" & "blue groove" track...then he won his heat...

None of that equates. He was blazing fast in the qualifier on that same "hard to pass on" & "blue groove" track...then he won his heat looking like the Eli of earlier in the season. 

Got better starts in heats. Track not as dry. Half the competition in heats. Kenny made a mistake in the heat that stopped him from challenging Eli for the win. 
While I’m not sure he would have won tonight with a good start, he lost it 10 feet out of the gate as he was pinched off. 

9
3
jambalaya
Posts
1239
Joined
1/16/2021
Location
Spring Valley, CA US
4/11/2026 4:09pm

I've been saying it for weeks. He's not injured. He's reverting back to his classic head case ways. 

He should be at least a 5 time sx champ

27
5
Windhamfan
Posts
98
Joined
9/1/2018
Location
Mount Pleasant, SC US
4/11/2026 4:14pm

Can I say that was embarrassing 

22
3
Windhamfan
Posts
98
Joined
9/1/2018
Location
Mount Pleasant, SC US
4/11/2026 4:20pm

Then Kenny has a golden opportunity and chokes. Shit show unless you’re a Hunter fan 

17
4
Press516
Posts
5524
Joined
9/11/2018
Location
Gilbert, AZ US
Fantasy
4/11/2026 4:20pm

Staying with the scoop after the track deterioration was an absolute fail.  I’m always amazed when riders get so hooked on something, they can’t see the forest for the trees…

37
2
Lineman25
Posts
199
Joined
4/7/2019
Location
Moncks Corner, SC US
4/11/2026 4:30pm

Take yourself out of a championship over something as simple as being headstrong about tire choice lmao

3
1
4/11/2026 4:31pm
Windhamfan wrote:

Then Kenny has a golden opportunity and chokes. Shit show unless you’re a Hunter fan 

Those Lawrence’s somehow sold their souls to someone.  If one isn’t on top the next one is.  Like Mitch back in the 00’s

4
11
ShipLap
Posts
1504
Joined
8/15/2018
Location
Moab, UT US
4/11/2026 4:32pm
Bag-on-Head
2
4
Nairb#70
Posts
3549
Joined
2/25/2020
Location
Ivoryton, CT US
4/11/2026 4:36pm

Eli has had a slump every year he has raced with no available explanation, just like this year. This year is just worse.

4
1
gt80rider
Posts
6841
Joined
4/19/2008
Location
Boulder, CO US
4/11/2026 4:51pm

All them 450 sx race wins... and only 2 titles... et3 the headtrip king... 

6
9
gt80rider
Posts
6841
Joined
4/19/2008
Location
Boulder, CO US
4/11/2026 4:51pm

Those Lawrence’s somehow sold their souls to someone.  If one isn’t on top the next one is.  Like Mitch back in the 00’s

If you only knew... 

18
ShipLap
Posts
1504
Joined
8/15/2018
Location
Moab, UT US
4/11/2026 5:11pm

Cue Charlie Daniels and Georgia . . .

3
1
3strokemx
Posts
2305
Joined
9/2/2010
Location
US
4/11/2026 5:34pm
KurtJ99 wrote:
Bad start, hard to pass one line track. From WSX not his best on dry blue groove track. And body language wasn’t pushing maybe because all...

Bad start, hard to pass one line track. From WSX not his best on dry blue groove track. And body language wasn’t pushing maybe because all of the above. 

davistld01 wrote:
None of that equates. He was blazing fast in the qualifier on that same "hard to pass on" & "blue groove" track...then he won his heat...

None of that equates. He was blazing fast in the qualifier on that same "hard to pass on" & "blue groove" track...then he won his heat looking like the Eli of earlier in the season. 

KurtJ99 wrote:
Got better starts in heats. Track not as dry. Half the competition in heats. Kenny made a mistake in the heat that stopped him from challenging...

Got better starts in heats. Track not as dry. Half the competition in heats. Kenny made a mistake in the heat that stopped him from challenging Eli for the win. 
While I’m not sure he would have won tonight with a good start, he lost it 10 feet out of the gate as he was pinched off. 

Also harder to maneuver through traffic with a scoop on a slick track

1
2
parkman
Posts
216
Joined
2/27/2019
Location
Nashville, TN US
4/11/2026 5:53pm Edited Date/Time 4/11/2026 5:56pm

I don't know how much the broadcast showed him, but I was there today. I watched Eli like a hawk in qualifying, heats, main. The track looked amazing all the way through qualifying #2, but it was progressively drying out. Eli didn't look as fast in the heat as in qualifying but the track wasn't absolutely gone yet. But the sun came out for an hour plus and after the 250 main in particular you could see the track was so shiny and baked—it was 100% incompatible with a scoop tire. Eli probably didn't want to change it after how good the day had gone so far, but how he couldn't see how this was going to go down was beyond me. 

He actually rode hard in the first half of the main, but it didn't matter, everytime he got on the gas the rear just went sideways and Chase would just walk away from him on every single straight and corner exit. He couldn't put any power down. No drive in the whoops. The only place he looked good was the sand. Baffling decision after AUS WSX. Honestly hope he never touches the scoop again. 

22
3
OldTech
Posts
1194
Joined
1/13/2024
Location
Decatur , AL US
4/11/2026 6:05pm

I think the track crew was expecting rain even as the show started, so they didn't water. doesn't explain his tire choice after the sun came out though.

1
3
ShellyMX
Posts
276
Joined
3/22/2026
Location
Smyrna, GA US
4/11/2026 6:10pm

I understand the physics, but it just sucks that a tire choice could impair him this much. He was at an extreme disadvantage. The weather is so crazy. You don’t know how to predict what’s going to happen.

2
4
dingaling
Posts
242
Joined
5/15/2021
Location
AU
4/11/2026 6:33pm

When they mentioned in the qualifiers or the heat that he had gone back to the scoop tyre, even a keyboard warrior like me was thinking that it won't work in the main once the track has further dried out and become slick. Strange decision making at KTM for sure...

5
1
dingaling
Posts
242
Joined
5/15/2021
Location
AU
4/11/2026 6:37pm
Windhamfan wrote:

Can I say that was embarrassing 

I think he was 2 positions from getting lapped...that's bad

1
1
KurtJ99
Posts
2322
Joined
2/6/2017
Location
CA US
4/11/2026 6:55pm

Whatever is going on and whatever happens I hope it doesn't cause him to call it a career prematurely. He has had the opposite of what I expected on the KTM - early season wins and late season slump - but he is still considered a threat in every race and championship.

2
4/11/2026 6:56pm

 Take it easy guys. He’s keeping it real

image 2876
10
34

Post a reply to: WTH Tomac??

The Latest