Tomac Looks to Build On Success For GEICO Honda
January 27, 2011, 11:00am
OAKLAND, Calif. -- GEICO Honda standout Eli Tomac is hoping to earn his first career victory during the inaugural Monster Energy Supercross event at Oakland Coliseum.
"I really want to get a win, but I would be happy with anywhere on that podium," Tomac said. "A win would just be the icing on the cake."
The rookie Lites West earned his first podium finish during last weekend's event at Dodger Stadium when he secured the second place spot and his hoping to build on his success in Oakland.
"It was only my third race in Supercross," Tomac said. "So I don't think it's too bad to end up second. It's definitely nice to bring in more confidence this week. The next step for me is just to relax a little more when I'm racing. I kind of tightened up in L.A. and I believe it hindered my performance."
Tomac is looking forward to a great crowd at the newest stop of 2011 and is hoping to give it a valiant effort to get to the top of the podium, both for his competitors and the fans.
"I think Oakland should have a fun crowd," Tomac said. "It should make things interesting. I have a feeling they can get a little wild and it'll be cool to put on a good show for them."
Tomac competes in the Lites series with fellow teammate, Jimmy DeCotis, who is also a rookie in the category and is showing promise on his GEICO Honda.
"I had a pretty good run last weekend," DeCotis said. "I had great practice times but during the main I was little more conservative. I have a feeling that's going to change this weekend."
DeCotis was named the replacement rider for Wil Hahn after Hahn suffered a season-ending injury during the opener in Anaheim. DeCotis has been doing his best to feel at ease on the GEICO Honda in such a short period of time and he's beginning to feel more and more at home on it.
"I'm feeling really comfortable on the bike now, like it's my own," DeCotis said. "The team has worked a lot with me to make it comfortable as possible. I don't feel tentative on it anymore, I feel just like myself, right at home."
DeCotis finished eighth on his 250cc machine but knows that with some hard work and more lap time he'll get up on that podium with his teammate in no time.
"I hope so to end up on the podium soon," DeCotis said, "that's the goal every weekend. I need to ride my own race, be comfortable and be smart out there. I need to stay injury free and just enjoy my time out there and the top three finishes will come."
Fellow teammate Kevin Windham and veteran 450cc rider took his GEICO Honda to a sixth place finish during last weekend's Supercross main event at Dodger stadium.
"I feel pretty good after last weekend," Windham said. "We had a pretty good run at Dodger Stadium and now I'm just trying to inch my way back up."
Windham has high hopes for his 17th season of competition in Supercross and he knows that he has to pick up his game since he wants to be in the championship hunt at the end of the season.
"With opening rounds not going exactly how we wanted, we kind of dug ourselves into a hole," Windham said. "We've got some work to do but I feel like it was a good race for our GEICO Honda team at Dodger Stadium and I'd like to build on that and finish on the podium in Oakland."
Like Dodger Stadium, Oakland is a new venue for 2011 Supercross but that makes Windham more excited that nervous about this round of competition.
"It's always nice to go somewhere new, it was nice to go to Dodger and I'm looking forward to Oakland," Windham said. "San Fran has been good to me, which is right across the bay there, and I'm hoping for some more success up there."
Gates open for practice and qualifying at 12:30 p.m. PST and the main event begins at 7 p.m., Jan. 29, at Oakland Coliseum.
"I really want to get a win, but I would be happy with anywhere on that podium," Tomac said. "A win would just be the icing on the cake."
The rookie Lites West earned his first podium finish during last weekend's event at Dodger Stadium when he secured the second place spot and his hoping to build on his success in Oakland.
"It was only my third race in Supercross," Tomac said. "So I don't think it's too bad to end up second. It's definitely nice to bring in more confidence this week. The next step for me is just to relax a little more when I'm racing. I kind of tightened up in L.A. and I believe it hindered my performance."
Tomac is looking forward to a great crowd at the newest stop of 2011 and is hoping to give it a valiant effort to get to the top of the podium, both for his competitors and the fans.
"I think Oakland should have a fun crowd," Tomac said. "It should make things interesting. I have a feeling they can get a little wild and it'll be cool to put on a good show for them."
Tomac competes in the Lites series with fellow teammate, Jimmy DeCotis, who is also a rookie in the category and is showing promise on his GEICO Honda.
"I had a pretty good run last weekend," DeCotis said. "I had great practice times but during the main I was little more conservative. I have a feeling that's going to change this weekend."
DeCotis was named the replacement rider for Wil Hahn after Hahn suffered a season-ending injury during the opener in Anaheim. DeCotis has been doing his best to feel at ease on the GEICO Honda in such a short period of time and he's beginning to feel more and more at home on it.
"I'm feeling really comfortable on the bike now, like it's my own," DeCotis said. "The team has worked a lot with me to make it comfortable as possible. I don't feel tentative on it anymore, I feel just like myself, right at home."
DeCotis finished eighth on his 250cc machine but knows that with some hard work and more lap time he'll get up on that podium with his teammate in no time.
"I hope so to end up on the podium soon," DeCotis said, "that's the goal every weekend. I need to ride my own race, be comfortable and be smart out there. I need to stay injury free and just enjoy my time out there and the top three finishes will come."
Fellow teammate Kevin Windham and veteran 450cc rider took his GEICO Honda to a sixth place finish during last weekend's Supercross main event at Dodger stadium.
"I feel pretty good after last weekend," Windham said. "We had a pretty good run at Dodger Stadium and now I'm just trying to inch my way back up."
Windham has high hopes for his 17th season of competition in Supercross and he knows that he has to pick up his game since he wants to be in the championship hunt at the end of the season.
"With opening rounds not going exactly how we wanted, we kind of dug ourselves into a hole," Windham said. "We've got some work to do but I feel like it was a good race for our GEICO Honda team at Dodger Stadium and I'd like to build on that and finish on the podium in Oakland."
Like Dodger Stadium, Oakland is a new venue for 2011 Supercross but that makes Windham more excited that nervous about this round of competition.
"It's always nice to go somewhere new, it was nice to go to Dodger and I'm looking forward to Oakland," Windham said. "San Fran has been good to me, which is right across the bay there, and I'm hoping for some more success up there."
Gates open for practice and qualifying at 12:30 p.m. PST and the main event begins at 7 p.m., Jan. 29, at Oakland Coliseum.
