No love for ET!?

el j
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I thought, after all the bashing, questions, etc., ET would have got more cred for getting a podium at Denver. He rode great. With the exception of an average start and a stall he had a very good race. No excuses, no excessive talk, just assholes and elbows.

Additionally I think he is like KR and a few other rare riders that do not want to interfere with the championship. If he would have got the start and no stall I believe he could have won. And so by outrunning the contenders would be good with that. But would not want to be in between racing them. Without the stall I think he may have let KR go. Not to help him personnaly but because he is a great sportsman. I expected to see ET let KR goe before the stall if KR was showing a wheel occasionally. After the stall I believe his goal was podium and he acheived that. I don’t think he would have run down KR due the championship. Hope he gets the jump on both HL and KR at Salt Lake and wins, while we get to see HL and KR batlle out behind him.

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RDnutz
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5/8/2026 7:16am

just my guess, but I bet right now the mindset with Eli and team is geared towards finishing strong with no setbacks- health or otherwise- going into outdoors season. Fine tune any changes to bike and give it his best shot for a championship before deciding if he'll exercise his 2nd year option.

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Cook441
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5/8/2026 7:19am

He could easily win SLC..get a 5th win of the season no doubt

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Nairb#70
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5/8/2026 7:26am

Nope, not anymore, just cant.

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davistld01
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5/8/2026 8:03am
Cook441 wrote:

He could easily win SLC..get a 5th win of the season no doubt

Agreed. I'd love to see Tomac & Roczen finish 1-2 tomorrow. 

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The Shop

Falcon
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5/8/2026 8:14am

Hot take: If Eli is winning and Roczen or Lawrence is all over him with the other in 3rd, I could see Tomac waving them by to have at it. Obviously, he'd go for the win if he's yarding them. However, I can't imagine him wanting to get in the middle of a title fight if he's slowing someone down. 

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Tuzzo123
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5/8/2026 8:16am
Nairb#70 wrote:

Nope, not anymore, just cant.

Did the talent just leave? What are you talking about 

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rstaichi
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5/8/2026 8:29am
Falcon wrote:
Hot take: If Eli is winning and Roczen or Lawrence is all over him with the other in 3rd, I could see Tomac waving them by...

Hot take: If Eli is winning and Roczen or Lawrence is all over him with the other in 3rd, I could see Tomac waving them by to have at it. Obviously, he'd go for the win if he's yarding them. However, I can't imagine him wanting to get in the middle of a title fight if he's slowing someone down. 

I doubt that. What’s a win worth in money? 100k plus I don’t think he’s pulling over, that just be dumb.

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Dudley
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5/8/2026 11:25am

Indeed great comeback for Eli. Had he not stalled it, might have been battling up front. My guess is he’d ride his own race and get out of the way if he happened to be slowing one of them up but really no reason to slow down otherwise. 

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Hammer 663s
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5/8/2026 11:27am
Falcon wrote:
Hot take: If Eli is winning and Roczen or Lawrence is all over him with the other in 3rd, I could see Tomac waving them by...

Hot take: If Eli is winning and Roczen or Lawrence is all over him with the other in 3rd, I could see Tomac waving them by to have at it. Obviously, he'd go for the win if he's yarding them. However, I can't imagine him wanting to get in the middle of a title fight if he's slowing someone down. 

I hope Freise, Harrison, Noren and some others are paying attention too (Webb, Prado, who are both out of it). I'd hate to have a lapper decide this title. 

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5/8/2026 11:30am
davistld01 wrote:

Agreed. I'd love to see Tomac & Roczen finish 1-2 tomorrow. 

I’d love for Kenny to win and Eli get second to be the seperater between kenny and hunter for the title.

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gt80rider
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5/8/2026 11:35am

It's over for et3... he has zero chances for another title... we just watching the retirement tour now.. 

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MOTO13
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5/8/2026 11:38am
Cook441 wrote:

He could easily win SLC..get a 5th win of the season no doubt

davistld01 wrote:

Agreed. I'd love to see Tomac & Roczen finish 1-2 tomorrow. 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^this. Perfect. 

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Dudley
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5/8/2026 11:40am
gt80rider wrote:

It's over for et3... he has zero chances for another title... we just watching the retirement tour now.. 

If so there’s nothing wrong with that. The racing is better with him out there 

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tomlopez
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5/8/2026 11:50am

During his podium interview after Denver, he said he wants to go for another podium - didn't mention a win. I agree and think he doesn't want to interfere unless he gets a holeshot and yards them - I doubt he would just pull over to let both of them by.

His ride was very solid. He was charging through the pack like old ET, and for a few laps, was making up time on Roczen. I think he decided he was happy with 3rd and didn't want to interfere. Had he not stalled and the title scenario wasn't what it was, I could've seen him dicing it up with the front two.

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MOTO13
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5/8/2026 11:52am
gt80rider wrote:

It's over for et3... he has zero chances for another title... we just watching the retirement tour now.. 

Then a pre-retired ET3 is better than 99.9% of the planet? He won 24% of the SX races this year...lol. 

What a fkng goon. 

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Flatliner
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5/8/2026 12:02pm
Falcon wrote:
Hot take: If Eli is winning and Roczen or Lawrence is all over him with the other in 3rd, I could see Tomac waving them by...

Hot take: If Eli is winning and Roczen or Lawrence is all over him with the other in 3rd, I could see Tomac waving them by to have at it. Obviously, he'd go for the win if he's yarding them. However, I can't imagine him wanting to get in the middle of a title fight if he's slowing someone down. 

I hope Freise, Harrison, Noren and some others are paying attention too (Webb, Prado, who are both out of it). I'd hate to have a lapper...

I hope Freise, Harrison, Noren and some others are paying attention too (Webb, Prado, who are both out of it). I'd hate to have a lapper decide this title. 

This.

Extra care needs to be given,  it's not just another race.

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KurtJ99
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5/8/2026 12:27pm
tomlopez wrote:
During his podium interview after Denver, he said he wants to go for another podium - didn't mention a win. I agree and think he doesn't...

During his podium interview after Denver, he said he wants to go for another podium - didn't mention a win. I agree and think he doesn't want to interfere unless he gets a holeshot and yards them - I doubt he would just pull over to let both of them by.

His ride was very solid. He was charging through the pack like old ET, and for a few laps, was making up time on Roczen. I think he decided he was happy with 3rd and didn't want to interfere. Had he not stalled and the title scenario wasn't what it was, I could've seen him dicing it up with the front two.

like old ET, and for a few laps, was making up time on Roczen. I think he decided he was happy with 3rd and didn't want to interfere. 

 It appeared he made a decision to pause racing to the front to avoid interference, IMO not happy about it. If he was struggling on the track I can see "happy with 3rd" as the right interpretation. Hopefully he gets a good start in SLC and shows everyone what could have been without interfering with the Hunter/Kenny battle.

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5/8/2026 1:18pm

I really think he's ready to win again.

I predict SLC will be Tomac, Hunter, Cooper and then Roczen.

jambalaya
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5/8/2026 2:24pm

What exactly does he deserve love for?


His collapse this season is just mind melting 

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RDnutz
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5/8/2026 2:38pm
jambalaya wrote:

What exactly does he deserve love for?


His collapse this season is just mind melting 

I see the IQs haven't increased any in East County since I left Lakeside for CO 10 years ago

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vdrsnk04
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5/8/2026 3:19pm

I feel for ET, his whole career has been this way, unless he wins people ask what’s wrong with him. But I suppose it is because when he is on it he is simply incredible to watch.

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surfrider47
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South Pole AQ
5/8/2026 3:28pm
jambalaya wrote:

What exactly does he deserve love for?


His collapse this season is just mind melting 

He was sick, read the racerx interview that came out this week

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Lineman25
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5/8/2026 3:28pm

I really think he's ready to win again.

I predict SLC will be Tomac, Hunter, Cooper and then Roczen.

Not with the zero whoop speed he had going on today.

GPrider
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5/8/2026 3:39pm
Falcon wrote:
Hot take: If Eli is winning and Roczen or Lawrence is all over him with the other in 3rd, I could see Tomac waving them by...

Hot take: If Eli is winning and Roczen or Lawrence is all over him with the other in 3rd, I could see Tomac waving them by to have at it. Obviously, he'd go for the win if he's yarding them. However, I can't imagine him wanting to get in the middle of a title fight if he's slowing someone down. 

ah no, he gets paid to win races. So you think he would give up a bonus, maybe $100K plus, not have his employers, mechanic, truck driver, ect  get a win in the biggest race of the year? He is a champion, not a pussy

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RichieW13
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5/8/2026 3:44pm

I feel like NOT racing to your best (regardless if that puts you between contenders or not) is interfering with a championship.  Hunter and Roczen had to race against the whole field all year long.  Why should everybody else get out of the way at the end?  

If Tomac could have gotten past Roczen last week then Hunter would have the red plate now.  By not passing Roczen (if he actually did that), it keeps the red plate with Roczen.  So that still seems like interference.  But maybe racers don't see it that way?  Didn't Tomac get screwed once by Musquin letting Dungey pass him?

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5/8/2026 4:21pm

I’d love for Kenny to win and Eli get second to be the seperater between kenny and hunter for the title.

WTF, all Kroc has to do is finish in front of Hunter and he wins, no need to have Tomac split them for the title. I know math can be hard 🤣

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ando
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5/8/2026 5:40pm
davistld01 wrote:

Agreed. I'd love to see Tomac & Roczen finish 1-2 tomorrow. 

I’d love for Kenny to win and Eli get second to be the seperater between kenny and hunter for the title.

Other riders are irrelevant.  It comes down to whoever finishes ahead of the other at SLC wins the title.

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kpiper
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5/8/2026 5:51pm

I don't think Tomac plays nice with anyone this weekend IF he is feeling it. Of course, he may not be feeling it, but hope he does.

Motodude
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5/8/2026 5:55pm

No love? Vital, RX, MXA are plastering media with ET3 images and videos like its an Elvis tribute. 🤣

I hope he does well, an absolute moto legend, stella career indeed. 👍🏆

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Motodude
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5/8/2026 5:56pm

I’d love for Kenny to win and Eli get second to be the seperater between kenny and hunter for the title.

lostboy819 wrote:
WTF, all Kroc has to do is finish in front of Hunter and he wins, no need to have Tomac split them for the title. I...

WTF, all Kroc has to do is finish in front of Hunter and he wins, no need to have Tomac split them for the title. I know math can be hard 🤣

Hoe math happens at Vital, always has since 1998. 😂

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