“There are a lot of things in this sport that make me so happy I’m retired,” says Jeff Emig, a four-time AMA National Champion. “It’s rough, it’s gnarly, it’s hot. But this scenario, when the blinders are on, you’re living in this state of hyper focus and everything is on the line, this is what I miss the most. This is what you live for.”
That’s Jeff Emig’s advice for Chase Sexton and Eli Tomac this weekend, as the duo should be dealing with immeasurable pressure to deliver in a winner-take-all showdown. Emig was the last rider to live this scenario in this class, as he and Jeremy McGrath entered the 1996 AMA National finale (in the 250 two-stroke class) separated by just two points. If McGrath won both motos, the title was his, and McGrath had gone 1-1 the previous weekend in Binghamton, New York. Also, this is Jeremy McGrath in 1996, one of the most dominant forces in the history of the sport in his absolute prime. It would be hard to stay confident in the wake of all that, but Emig wasn’t scared.
![Eli Tomac]()
Eli Tomac Mitch Kendra ![Chase Sexton]()
Chase Sexton Mitch Kendra
McGrath had already stated that Steel City was his favorite track on the circuit. When ESPN pit reporter Davey Coombs asked Emig about McGrath saying Steel City was his favorite, Emig responded with an all-time answer: “Well, we’ll see whose favorite track it is when we’re holding the #1 plate.”
“That’s the belief you have to have,” Emig says now. “The training, the motorcycle, and all of those things, that’s secondary to this internal belief you can get it done. I don’t even remember saying that! It was very reactionary, it was reflective of my true belief in myself in that moment."
“As a racer you get into this state of being so hyper-focused on this one goal,” Emig says. “You have a group around you, mechanics, team managers, everyone gets sucked into this vortex of this title. It’s so rare to be here. You think of all the amazing motocross racers who have come through the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship. How many have actually gotten to live this moment? Game seven of the World Series, the last play of the Super Bowl. All of these things.”
- Motocross
Fox Raceway 2
Saturday, September 3- QualifyingLiveSeptember 3 - 1:00 PM
- 250 Class Moto 1LiveSeptember 3 - 4:00 PM
- 250 Class Moto 1LiveSeptember 3 - 4:00 PM
- 450 Class Moto 1LiveSeptember 3 - 5:00 PM
- 450 Class Moto 1LiveSeptember 3 - 5:00 PM
- 450 Class Moto 2LiveSeptember 3 - 6:30 PM
- 250 Class Moto 2LiveSeptember 3 - 6:30 PM
- 250 Class Moto 2LiveSeptember 3 - 7:30 PM
- 450 Class Moto 2LiveSeptember 3 - 7:30 PM
The key, as Emig stressed to me this week, is to not dread the pressure and the challenge of beating an amazing competitor, but instead to enjoy being in this position at all. Entire careers of great riders will pass without ever facing a scenario like the one we will see Saturday. That brings pressure, but also an opportunity like no other. Hey, Emig survived the winner-take-all showdown with McGrath 27 years ago, and here we are, calling him to talk about it again.
Sexton, for his part, seems to feel the same.
“I think this is the closest title race in history and I think that’s pretty cool,” said Sexton to Eric Johnson earlier this week. “For us in the moment, it’s really cool. I also think after it’s said and done we’ll be able to look at it and say to one another, ‘It was pretty cool to be in that situation in trying to win a championship.’ For me, I’ve kind of taken the road and am looking at it like it is a good opportunity for me and the reason I trained to be in this position. I’d rather be where I’m at now than back in second or third place and racing all by myself. I’m glad to have this opportunity this weekend.”
Tomac sounded similar after the Ironman National.
“It’s been an exciting year,” said Tomac. “I’ve never been this close in the points, obviously, at this point in time in the series. I think we both have elevated the speed of motocross, to be straight-up. That’s just the way it’s been. It’s been a lot of fun. However it ends, it’s been a fantastic year for myself and the team. Like I said, I don’t feel like I’ve ever been in this position like this. So, it’s cool. We’ll see what happens.”
Sexton has to gain at least two points on Tomac to get the title, Tomac has to prevent Sexton from doing so. The battles have turned irresistible-force-versus-immovable-object tough. Unless one of them completely falters and hands the trophy over, this is going to be an all-out battle of a weekend.
“The moment like this, when you have a final race championship battle is so special and so rare, that trying to downplay it like it’s any other race, to me, that’s the wrong way to go, for the athlete, for the team, for anyone involved,” says Emig. “The greatest go down in history for rising to the occasion, and we have such amazing contrast in this championship. With Eli Tomac we have a three-time 450 motocross champion, the 250 titles, has 450 titles in supercross. He’s not quite at the end of this career, but can he do more? It’s easy to think that Chase Sexton, well, he has nothing to lose because he’s never won this before, but I would argue for both of them, it’s not about downplaying it. It’s about rising to the occasion and winning the race. And here’s the thing: both riders are more than capable of doing it.”
