Eli Tomac Exits Second Qualifying Session in Tampa After Dabbing Left Leg [Update]
![Eli Tomac Exits Second Qualifying Session in Tampa After Dabbing Left Leg [Update]](http://rxi.iscdn.net/2025/02/301420_al10284.jpg)
At the Tampa Supercross, the figurative air went out of the stadium during the second 450SX group A qualifying session. After putting in a few hot laps, Eli Tomac was suddenly riding alongside the track favoring his lower left leg.
The Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing rider dabbed his left knee in a turn and immediately pulled off the track. He was talking with the Alpinestars medical team and his mechanic for a few minutes before riding up the tunnel. Then, Tomac was seen limping to the pits as his mechanic pushed his bike in the dead engines zone (bikes have to be off and pushed through this area). You can watch Tomac dabbing his leg in the video below.
This incident with Tomac comes just one week after 2024 450SX Champion Jett Lawrence dabbed his right leg in Arizona and suffered a torn ACL that required surgery and now has sidelined him for the remainder of supercross.
Without speculating on what could have happened, his posture looked too similar to when he torn his left Achilles tendon at the 2023 Denver Supercross and pulled off the track. While he was limping, it was good to see the two-time 450SX walking under his own power.
We will provide more information when it becomes available.
Tomac is out of Q2 favoring his left leg 😳 #SupercrossLIVE #SMX pic.twitter.com/0VcaYGNT6t
— Supercross LIVE! (@SupercrossLIVE) February 8, 2025
Tampa - 450SX Combined Qualifying
February 9, 2025| Rider | Time | Interval | Best Lap | Hometown | Bike | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Chase Sexton | +54.179 | 54.179 | La Moille, IL  | KTM 450 SX-F Factory Edition | |
| 2 |  Cooper Webb | +54.543 | 54.543 | Newport, NC | Yamaha YZ450F | |
| 3 |  Malcolm Stewart | +54.751 | 54.751 | Haines City, FL | Husqvarna FC 450 Rockstar Edition | |
| 4 |  Hunter Lawrence | +54.772 | 54.772 | Landsborough, Australia  | Honda CRF450R Works Edition | |
| 5 |  Justin Cooper | +54.895 | 54.895 | Cold Spring Harbor, NY | Yamaha YZ450F | |
| 6 |  Jason Anderson | +55.078 | 55.078 | Edgewood, NM | Kawasaki KX450SR | |
| 7 |  Joey Savatgy | +55.234 | 55.234 | Thomasville, GA | Honda CRF450R | |
| 8 |  Eli Tomac | +55.266 | 55.266 | Cortez, CO | Yamaha YZ450F | |
| 9 |  Ken Roczen | +55.432 | 55.432 | Mattstedt, Germany  | Suzuki RM-Z450 | |
| 10 |  Justin Barcia | +55.554 | 55.554 | Monroe, NY | GasGas MC 450F Factory Edition |
Update:
We have now heard that Tomac is IN for tonight's racing.
Update: Tomac Seventh in Heat Race
Tomac looked to be struggling in the whoops en route to a seventh place finish in his heat race. He did not appear to have full pressure on his left pegs, which caused him to struggle in the whoops, where he normally excels.
Tampa - 450SX Heat 1
February 9, 2025| Rider | Time | Interval | Best Lap | Hometown | Bike | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cooper Webb | 54.355 | Newport, NC | Yamaha YZ450F | ||
| 2 |  Aaron Plessinger | 54.348 | Hamilton, OH | KTM 450 SX-F Factory Edition | ||
| 3 | Jason Anderson | 54.453 | Edgewood, NM | Kawasaki KX450SR | ||
| 4 | Justin Barcia | 54.476 | Monroe, NY | GasGas MC 450F Factory Edition | ||
| 5 |  Justin Hill | 57.541 | Yoncalla, OR | KTM 450 SX-F | ||
| 6 |  Justin Starling | 57.772 | Deland, FL | GasGas MC 450F Factory Edition | ||
| 7 | Eli Tomac | 58.140 | Cortez, CO | Yamaha YZ450F |
Update: Tomac 17th in Main Event
Tomac was seen limping down to the starting gate. He was about last coming through the first turn. Eventually, Tomac came through the finish line in 17th, two laps down. He was clearly bothered by the incident earlier in the day, especially when he was going through the whoops. He finished the race two laps down.
Tampa - 450SX Main Event
February 9, 2025| Rider | Time | Interval | Best Lap | Hometown | Bike | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Malcolm Stewart | 23 laps | 54.013 | Haines City, FL | Husqvarna FC 450 Rockstar Edition | |
| 2 | Cooper Webb | 7.102 | 54.318 | Newport, NC | Yamaha YZ450F | |
| 3 | Jason Anderson | 5.059 | 55.058 | Edgewood, NM | Kawasaki KX450SR | |
| 4 | Justin Cooper | 3.283 | 55.386 | Cold Spring Harbor, NY | Yamaha YZ450F | |
| 5 | Chase Sexton | 1.282 | 54.415 | La Moille, IL | KTM 450 SX-F Factory Edition | |
| 6 | Justin Barcia | 2.908 | 55.257 | Monroe, NY | GasGas MC 450F Factory Edition | |
| 7 | Joey Savatgy | 5.623 | 54.952 | Thomasville, GA | Honda CRF450R | |
| 8 | Aaron Plessinger | 20.275 | 55.155 | Hamilton, OH | KTM 450 SX-F Factory Edition | |
| 9 |  Shane McElrath | 6.983 | 57.086 | Canton, NC | Honda CRF450R | |
| 10 | Justin Hill | 1 Lap | 56.375 | Yoncalla, OR | KTM 450 SX-F | |
| 11 |  Mitchell Oldenburg | 10.528 | 56.844 | Alvord, TX | Beta 450 RX | |
| 12 |  Colt Nichols | 1.482 | 57.509 | Muskogee, OK | Suzuki RM-Z450 | |
| 13 |  Benny Bloss | 18.662 | 57.681 | Oak Grove, MO | Beta 450 RX | |
| 14 |  Anthony Rodriguez | 7.248 | 58.224 | Caracacus, Venezuela  | KTM 450 SX-F | |
| 15 |  Kyle Chisholm | 4.174 | 59.040 | Clearwater, FL | Suzuki RM-Z450 | |
| 16 |  Mitchell Harrison | 3.834 | 58.833 | Lansing, MI | Kawasaki KX450 | |
| 17 | Eli Tomac | 1 Lap | 59.540 | Cortez, CO | Yamaha YZ450F | |
| 18 | Justin Starling | 10.118 | 59.966 | Deland, FL | GasGas MC 450F Factory Edition | |
| 19 |  Kevin Moranz | 2.041 | 59.755 | Topeka, KS | KTM 450 SX-F | |
| 20 |  Jeremy Hand | 1 Lap | 59.151 | Mantua, OH | Honda CRF450R | |
| 21 | Ken Roczen | 9 Laps | 54.538 | Mattstedt, Germany | Suzuki RM-Z450 | |
| 22 |  Tristan Lane | 1:53.222 | 58.963 | Deland, FL | KTM 450 SX-F |
Update: Tuesday, February 11 at 6:10 p.m.
Yamaha announced Tomac has a broken left Fibula (lower leg bone) and will be out for the Detroit Supercross. There is no timetable on his return to racing.
