KTM team 'blown away' by early Tomac performances
Section: Competition Post: Kane Taylor
Image: Octopi Media.
Consecutive 450SX main event victories and a perfect 50 points for Eli Tomac two rounds into the 2026 season has left the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team ‘blown away’ by his early performances, team manager Ian Harrison stated following San Diego.
Tomac, 33, has quickly adapted to the 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION to storm to convincing round wins at the Anaheim 1 opener and in round two this past weekend.
“I mean, I’m blown away,” Harrison admitted post-race at Snapdragon Stadium. “Five years ago, I would’ve told you that if you hire a guy over 30, you’re crazy – they have to be younger. But I can’t believe it now. The guys at the front of this field are all over 30 and I’ve got to eat my words. These guys are on it and it’s impressive.”
It’s been a relatively straightforward transition with Tomac at KTM – long considered rivals of the highest order during stages of his decorated career – and Harrison said that self-efficiency has been evident from the outset.
“With Eli and his program, he’s just committed, and he runs his own program,” he added. “When he needs help, he asks for it. If he doesn’t, he takes care of things, which is amazing for us. To see him fight through in the main event is impressive, and as I said last week, the amount of work he puts in, [these results] are understandable.”
Tomac is eight points clear of Ken Roczen (Progressive Insurance Cycle Gear Suzuki) on top of the championship standings entering Anaheim 2 this Saturday night, while Hunter Lawrence (Honda HRC Progressive) is a further two points behind following his P2 result in San Diego.
Thursday, January 22, 2026 at 9:45AM 
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