Rob Koy

Eli Tomac's Day at Ironman Motocross 2017 | PHOTOS

Eli went 5-6 for 6th overall at Round 12

August 28, 2017

At Ironman Motocross, Eli Tomac came into the last round of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship Series with a 28 point lead in the 450 championship. The Monster Energy Kawasaki factory rider came into Ironman MX with one goal: to win his first ever 450 championship. We will take you through Eli Tomac’s day at Ironman as he goes for the 450 championship.

As the sun rose over the pits in the morning, Eli’s Factory Kawasaki 450 sat under the tent all prepped and ready for Eli to close the deal on the 450 outdoor championship.Rob Koy

After the riders meeting Eli sat on his bike for over five minutes checking everything from bar position and lever position as the team gathered around him and discussed their championship run at Ironman.Rob Koy

In the 1st timed practice Eli turned a 2:10.051 on lap 3 for the 2nd best time of the session. Eli was the only rider in the 2:10s, but the MXGP KTM rider Jeffrey Herlings was the fastest rider of the session with a 2:09.422.Rob Koy

The track was very wet in the 1st timed practice and most of the riders were taking the dryer outside lines through the turns, but Eli was sticking to the inside rutted wet lines and they proved to be much faster.Rob Koy

After the 1st practice John Tomac shows Eli and the team either lap times or video from his phone as the team discusses their options for the 2nd timed practice.Rob Koy

The team hooks up the laptop to the bike to download the data from the 1st timed practice and maybe put in a different map setting for the 2nd practice.Rob Koy

Before the 2nd timed practice the AMA has a five-minute practice start session and Eli took advantage of the session to put down a few starts as he goes to the 1st turn.Rob Koy

Eli works his way through the deep sand rollers in the 2nd timed practice. Eli improved on his best lap time from session 1 on the dryer Ironman track with a time of 2:09.680 on the last lap of the session giving him the 2nd gate pick in Moto 1.Rob Koy

Eli’s mechanic Brian Krantz rides the bike out of the pits after the 2nd practice to go to the wash bays that Ironman built and made it mandatory for all the teams to pressure clean there bikes after the practice sessions.Rob Koy

Eli sat on the line in Moto 1 ready to get the Moto started. He did say that he was a little nervous before the races got underway.Rob Koy

Eli got his 1st holeshot of the year in Moto 1 and had a pack of KTMs following him out of the 1st turn.Rob Koy

Eli was passed by Jeffrey Herlings over the tunnel jump after the mechanics tents. Eli wasn’t able to do the double while Jeffrey went for it from the inside line.Rob Koy

Eli was surrounded by KTMs on the 1st lap of the Moto. Eli admitted that racing Herlings hard in the opening laps got the best of him as he should have settled for a podium position in Moto 1 and he would have sealed the championship.Rob Koy

On lap 2 Eli went for the uphill triple on the back portion of the track trying to make a move on Herlings, but lost the front end when he landed and went down messing up his bars and clutch lever. Look at Eli’s clutch lever as its hanging down the rest of the Moto. Eli was able to move up to the 5th position at the end of the Moto and went back to the truck as he said “not a happy camper.”Rob Koy

Off the start in Moto 2 Eli was up with the pack but Eli said that he wheeled off the start and wound up with a 12th place start.Rob Koy

Eli knew that all he needed was a 20th or better position to wrap up the championship. Eli was able to move up to 9th place on lap 2 and went back and fourth between 9th and 10th for the first half of the race.Rob Koy

Eli goes for the big triple as the Ironman fans look on.Rob Koy

Pick a rut. Eli was able to make a few late passes at the end of the Moto to get into 6th place.Rob Koy

Eli takes the checkered flag and is the 2017 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross 450 Champion.Rob Koy

Eli came up to the podium and started his victory burnout as Brian Krantz holds on to the bike as the floor was rubber and they were worried it might hook up.Rob Koy

Eli is handed the Championship #1 plate by AMA Racing manager Mike Pelletier.Rob Koy

Eli is all smiles as he gets to celebrate a premier motocross champion. Eli said that winning a 450 championship has been a dream for him since he was 5-6 years old watching races on TV.Rob Koy

The Monster Energy factory Kawasaki team holds up the #1 finger for the team championship pics on the podium at Ironman.Rob Koy

Eli got back on his 450 and went to town trying to blow up the rear tire on the rubber floor podium to celebrate his hard earned championship.Rob Koy

Eli was awarded the Edison Dye Cup at the Lucas Oil Estate on Sunday morning during the awards ceremony. Kawasaki team manager Dan Fahie received the Manufacturers 450 trophy and Brian Krantz was awarded the 450 mechanic of the year. Eli said that he is looking forward to racing the USGP next week at WW Ranch in Florida and thinks it will be a equal track as no one has raced there. After next week's race Eli is ready to take it easy for a while before he needs to start testing for Monster Cup in October.Rob Koy