Tomac was "freaking out" coming into Houston 2 - Eli turns it around
By Team TMX on 21st Jan 21
AMA Supercross Eli Tomac Houston
Round 2 of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship followed right on the heels of Saturdays 2021 season opener and Monster Energy Kawasaki rider Eli Tomac captured his first 450SX win of the year and his 35th premier class victory.
Tomac qualified in seventh place heading into the night program and would line up with team-mate Adam Cianciarulo.
As the heat race progressed, Cianciarulo and Tomac would battle one another for third and fourth place, until Cianciarulo decided to uncork a massive jump, clearing a quad at the end of the second rhythm lane to pass Tomac. And this is where they would ultimately finish, qualifying into the main event.
After the 450SX Main Event gate dropped, the defending champ was pressing hard behind the lead riders, ready to capitalise on any mistake.
On Lap 5 Cianciarulo washed out the front end in the sand sweeper just past the mechanics area. Now in second place, the #1 KX450 of Tomac began hunting down first place, when the sand sweeper section once again claimed another victim, propelling Tomac into the lead.
Tomac would lead the rest of way to claim his first victory of the 2021 season.
The win on Tuesday night gave Tomac sole ownership of sixth place on the all-time Supercross wins list with 35 total wins in the premier class. Just ahead of him in fifth place on the all-time Supercross wins list is Kawasaki legend, Ryan Villopoto with 41 total wins.
"I would be lying to you if I told you that I wasnt a little bit freaking out coming into today," Tomac admitted. "Starting the season out 16 points in the hole is not something you want to do, but tonight proved that the field is incredibly deep and anything can happen.
"I cant thank the entire Monster Energy Kawasaki team enough for busting their butts the past couple of days for me. I didnt have the best qualifying sessions today and even the heat race, but they got my KX450 where it needed to be for me heading into the main and the results showed. Its crazy to think we are now only four points out of the lead and plan to just carry the momentum from here."
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