Eli Tomac announces retirement after 17 seasons of SuperMotocross and eight championships
After 17 seasons of racing dirt bikes professionally, Eli Tomac announced his retirement from the SuperMotocross World Championship.
“I will be stepping away from Supercross and motocross racing at the end of September, following the final three SMX rounds,” Tomac said in a news release. “This has been the hardest decision I’ve ever made in my professional career, but I know in my heart that the time is now and that the time is right. I’ve won races and championships beyond my imagination. Racing has been the only thing I’ve woken up to and known the last 25 years, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
During his storied career, Tomac, 33, amassed eight championships in Supercross and Motocross, winning his first title in 2012 in the 250 SX class and backing that up with another 250 title in the 2013 Pro Motocross series.
His first of four 450 Motocross championships came in 2017, followed by others in 2018, 2019, and 2022.
Tomac won the 2020 and 2022 Supercross championships. He came within one round of winning a ninth overall championship in 2023 when he ruptured his Achilles tendon in the penultimate Supercross race on his hometown track in Denver.
Tomac continued to battle for championships into his final season. He won the first two rounds of Supercross in 2026, at Anaheim and San Diego. He was third in the Supercross championship standings with four rounds remaining this year. Only 15 points separated him from the leader, Hunter Lawrence, when he suffered a hip injury in qualification for the inaugural Cleveland Supercross race.
Tomac ends his career second in all-time 450 Supercross class wins with 57 behind Jeremy McGrath. He was fourth in all-time 450 Motocross wins with 32 behind Ricky Carmichael, Ryan Dungey, and Rick Johnson.
Also included in his long list of accomplishments was his contribution to America’s return to the top of the box in the 2022 Motocross of Nations at RedBud MX Park, more than a decade after their most recent victory in that prestigious race. That year, they dominated Team France and the remainder of the field.
“For those of us who had the privilege of watching Eli Tomac’s entire career, what stands out most isn’t just the victories, championships, or records. It’s the authenticity,” said Dave Prater, Vice President of Supercross for Feld Motor Sports in a news release. “Eli never chased attention, never tried to be something he wasn’t, and let his riding speak louder than words ever could. Fans didn’t just respect him, they loved him because he was real.
“Through every triumph, setback, comeback, and unforgettable battle, he carried himself with humility, grit, and class. Legends are defined by more than trophies; they’re defined by the impact they leave on a sport and its people. Eli Tomac didn’t just become a champion, he became an icon whose legacy will inspire riders and fans for generations. Thank you, Eli, for an incredible ride.”
Tomac ended his Pro Motocross career with one final Motocross top-five last weekend in the Ironman National. He was credited as fifth overall with moto finishes of seventh and fifth. Notably, this placed him between the 2026 Motocross champion, Hunter Lawrence, who was fourth with eighth and fourth-place moto finishes and Jett Lawrence, who was sixth with results of 11th and third.
“Never before in our sport have we had a competitor who was so good, for so long,” said Davey Coombs, President of MX Sports Racing. “Eli Tomac won the first professional race he ever entered, the 2010 Hangtown National, and then all these years later he began his final season with a win at the 2026 Anaheim Supercross opener. Throughout all of those seasons, Tomac performed at the absolute highest level of SMX, showing a versatility and staying power that’s rare in any form of professional sport. He also carried himself in a manner that’s earned him the deep respect of his competitors and everyone in the paddock, making him a role model for all.
“Our sport was fortunate to have Eli Tomac’s presence on the starting gate over so many years; his leadership as well as all of his championships will resonate for generations to come.”
Fans have only three more opportunities to watch the future Hall-of-Famer race live during the 2026 SuperMotocross Playoffs, which begins September 12 at Historic Crew Stadium, continues September 19 at Dignity Health Sports Park in Los Angeles, California, and concludes with the SMX Final on September 26 at Thunder Ridge Nature Arena in Ridgedale, Missouri.
With momentum from Ironman, perhaps a ninth SuperMotocross championship is possible after all.
Eli Tomac Career Highlights
- Two-time AMA Supercross 450SX Champion (2020, 2022)
- 57-career 450SX Main Event victories (second all-time)
- Four-time AMA Pro Motocross 450MX Champion (2017, 2018, 2019, 2022)
- 32-career 450MX overall victories (fourth all-time)
- 2013 AMA Pro Motocross 250MX Champion
- 2012 AMA Supercross 250SX West Champion
- 2024 FIM World Supercross SX1 Champion
- A record eight-time Daytona Supercross winner (2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2026)