Tomac Announces Retirement!

My GOAT forever. I prided myself on being his biggest fan. He was always my favorite since his 250 days and will never be topped for me. On a personal level a lot of the worst times of my life were smoothed over by watching him race, and he always inspired me to just keep fighting and not giving up. A core memory for me was traveling from here in NJ down to Daytona in 2022 and watched him win and do the burnout literally directly in front of me. This really sucks but I’m glad he leaves on his terms with his health. Thank you for everything Eli

Going to truly miss a champion like Eli racing laps in our great sport. A peoples champion all the way. 

Give him Kitchen's spot on the mxdn team and put Hymas on the 250. One last MX ride for USA.

I think he got off totally fine from that crash, but it was enough for him to ask “should I really be doing this still?”

A true champion and a complete class act. This is how a champion retires.

I just hope we get one more beast mode at SMX. 

One of the all timers and a class act through and through-his entire family. Legend. It was a privilege to watch him compete. I hope he can grab a podium at one of these play off rounds. Break out the tissues if that happens. 

Thanks for the memories champ.

Champion

only bummer is he couldnt go out on better terms, though i imagine if he hadnt had those nasty crashes he wouldve stuck around

I will NEVER forget Eli wheelying through the whoops at Daytona!   What a bad dude...Thanks for posting this.

He’s been a class act the whole way through. Enjoy retirement Eli, heck of a career 

I love that Roczen finally got his first SX title but man i was so bummed by the way things unfolded for Eli, he was so incredibly good during the majority of the SX season this year.

Anyways, what a rider and what a career. 3 more to go and hopefully he gets through them without any more hits to the ground.

And i can be proud of being able to say that i have seen him race once, 2006 Junior World Champs in Finland. 

Legend!, Congrats! and kudos on knowing when to say when.

Great roder, great ambassador for the sport and great person all around from the little time spent around him.  He will be sorely missed but well earned retirement.

While that crash might not have physically been what did it, watching it over and looking at it on pause for a minute is enough to make anyone who doesn't need to do it anymore at that level and intensity walk away. That crash could have been a tragic end to an amazing carrer he was planning on walking away from 2-3years ago. I could imagine if that went badly sitting there thinking I should have hung it up when I had the chance.

Reminds me of Dunges neck injury and Valentino Rossi dodging 2 bikes he didnt even know existed in Austria. You could just look at both of them after and tell they were done. No reason to be out there anymore.

Especially rossi. You could see that all over his face. For those that never saw that incident look up 2020 rossi Austria to see what I mean.

Top 5 all time for me. My favorite rider. I’d love to go back and see how many wins he has when he started outside the top 10. Those comeback rides are my favorite performances ever. If you were there you know. That’s how he earned the name Beastmode. Healthy Eli, albeit aging, only went head to head against peak Jett in SX one time and put it on him (San Diego SX ‘25). 🙌🏻🇺🇸 

Awesome career, not that you are probably on Vital trolling but just in case... all the best to you and your family Eli in your pro retirement, you are and will always be a legend. 

Dang...end of an Era!  Age is undefeated, unfortunately. One of the best to ever do it...and a highlight real that is better than anyone (save James Stewart)...I'm glad he can walk away healthy...I hope he enjoys retirement!  

One of the greats, gonna suck not seeing him out there anymore, but glad he was able to call it on his own terms. Kid was/is a beast and we got to witness some incredible rides from him. Enjoy retirement ET3, you deserve every bit of it!!

Damn didnt see this on the front page. Glad to see its got a separate thread. Eli is a legend 

I remember a few years back Herlings calling him out to race at any track just the two of them to settle it, shame we never got to see it. 

Prime Eli was an absolute beast, thanks for all the memories champ. 

Bugger..........what a great career. the sport will miss him!

'19 Eli on the Kawi was insane with his shit starts, blowing through the pack from 15th to 1st. '22 might be the biggest badass. That Yamaha was BARKING through the Spring Creek rollers

https://youtube.com/shorts/WKxNGEkk1VE?is=rLr67F1z1Xykqp8D

This right here 👆...

This is the day I became a Tomac fan.

Congratulations Eli! We'll sure miss watching you out there, but this retirement is well deserved.

Going to be hard to tune in every week. The last of my childhood hero's still out there. 

Got my tickets and good to go...  Hope it's not a shitshow on the hillside!

Enjoy retirement champ ! You deserve it . I think I'll go down a youtube rabbit hole of Eli Tomac races . 

Top 10 all timer for sure.  He's earned a nice retirement.

It not over yet!