Unadilla tough and physically exhausting for red plate holder Eli Tomac

The 50th Anniversary of Unadilla motocross welcomed the return of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship after taking a weekend off but the break wasn’t enough to stop Monster Energy Kawasaki rider Eli Tomac feeling exhausted after finishing fourth overall.

The first 450 class moto looked promising for Tomac as he launched his KX450 out of the gate to grab the holeshot but would drop to second on the opening lap.

Team-mate Joey Savatgy got off to a good start in sixth a position he would ultimately go on to finish after swapping positions multiple times.

Meanwhile, Tomac had a difficult time finding a rhythm on the tough Unadilla layout finishing seventh in the first moto.

The opening corners of moto two saw both Kawasaki motorcycles up near the front with Tomac sat fifth and Savatgy one position back in the opening lap.

Determined to find the podium in second moto, Tomac manoeuvred his way around three other riders to go on and finish third – his 7-3 moto scores would earn him fourth overall. Savatgy rode consistently earning another sixth-place moto finish for seventh overall (6-6) for the second round in a row.

Eli Tomac: “Although my starts were much better and I even got the holeshot in moto one, today was tough. The track was challenging and my body was just physically exhausted so I struggled to find my flow in the first moto. I was able to come back in the second moto and finish strong. Of course today wasn’t my best result but we finished the day with a decent fourth overall. I’m healthy and in a good position heading into the last two rounds with the ultimate goal of winning the championship.”

Tomac carries a 40-point lead in the 450 class championship points standings.

Joey Savatgy: “It was a good day even with the rough track conditions. I had good starts in both motos; we went 6-6 for seventh overall for the second time in a row. I feel like we’re in a good place, but still have work to do. All in all, it’s forward progress and I’m looking forward to finishing out the season strong with these last two rounds.”

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