VOLUME ISSUE JANUARY , P51
A
naheim 1 marked Eli Tomac's debut in
AMA racing with the new Red Bull KTM,
exceeding some expectations. The
33-year-old Tomac, the second-oldest rider
ever to win an AMA Supercross in the premier
class (Justin Brayton is the oldest), showed
determination from the start by leading the
first qualifying session and nearly winning the
heat race against his 25-year-old teammate
and former MXGP World Champion Jorge
Prado. However, for a seasoned rider like
Tomac, qualifying isn't the ultimate goal. He
stepped up when it mattered most, passing
for the lead on the first lap of the main event
and staying in front of 31-year-old Ken Roczen
for all 20 laps, marking his KTM debut with a
big win. Over his 14-year professional racing
career, Tomac is now one of only two riders to
win an AMA Supercross (in the premier class)
on four different brands: Honda, Kawasaki,
Yamaha and KTM. The only other rider is Chad
Reed (Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Honda).
Jorge Prado leads the start of
the 450SX main event.
BY RYAN NITZEN
PHOTOGRAPHY: OCTOPI MEDIA
GUYS RULE
