At the post-race press conference following the Washougal National, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Eli Tomac said he’s likely to opt out of competing for Team USA at this year’s Motocross of Nations at Matterley Basin in England on October 1. Due to contractual obligations, Tomac is scheduled to race the USGP at WW Motocross Park the week after the end of Lucas Oil Pro Motocross and the Monster Energy Cup on October 14.
“Right now, it’s looking like a no. It’s schedule,” he said. “We have to go race USGP and then you have two weekends off then you make your way to England and then a couple weeks after that you have Monster Cup. For us, and for me, it’s like…. we’ve been racing since the first weekend in January and you’re basically putting yourself through the meat grinder all the way through the middle of October. Right now, it’s probably a no.”
Tomac was the favorite to be selected for the MXGP spot on the team. With Tomac likely out for this year, and Blake Baggett likely to undergo surgery on his thumb at the end of the season, Jason Anderson is the rumored favorite to be selected in MXGP. The MX2 spot is expected to go to 250MX points leader Zach Osborne.
Team manager Roger DeCoster is expected to announce the team at the Unadilla National on August 12.
