Is Eli Up for the Nationals?

ELI’S 2022 DOMINANCE DESPITE KNEE INJURY

Eli Tomac has been on a roll this year. But it wasn’t until he spilled the beans in his post race interview that we found out he had a knee injury.  

With a set of racers on new rides, we questioned who would do well during the season. Eli Tomac on Yamaha, Jason Anderson on Kawasaki, Malcolm Stewart on Husqvarna, and both Cooper Webb, Marvin Musquin, and Aaron Plessinger on brand new KTMs. By the halfway point, it was clear who the two top contenders were going to be when it came to figuring out their new bikes, Eli Tomac and Jason Anderson. While Malcolm Stewart was incredibly (and still is) consistent onboard his new Husky, he wouldn’t be able to win a Main Event like the other two.

Another factor in the 2022 season was Eli’s ability to stay healthy and on two wheels. In similar fashion to the 250 classes, the 450 class suffered many casualties in the 2022 season, knocking many of the top riders out of the races. While some weren’t capable of maybe winning the championship, less riders meant less competition in the Main Events.

Eli Tomac had all the wins and the momentum going for him with a large points lead mid-season. However, Eli hasn’t won since Round 12 at Seattle and he announced in his post race interview that he actually sustained a knee injury at the Atlanta Supercross that has severely hindered him lately and added lots of stress to his Championship-winning hopes. In the post race press conference, Eli mentioned that he didn’t ride at all during the week leading up to the Denver Supercross, but when he woke up on Saturday morning to race, his knee felt better and he was confident that he’d be able to ride through the injury one more time.

The next question is, will Eli Tomac’s knee feel good to race in Salt Lake City? Will he push for another win or just finish out the season smoothly? How much will this affect his training for the Nationals?