In the aftermath of Eli Tomac’s unexpected drop from a promising third-place start to a disappointing tenth-place finish at the Detroit round of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship, speculation ran rife among fans and pundits alike.
Questions swirled as to what could have caused such a drastic decline in performance. Many theories surfaced, with mechanical failure or injury emerging as prime suspects, especially given the rapid descent Tomac experienced during the race. Specifically, online chatter pointed fingers at a potential malfunction in his rear shock.
In an effort to shed light on the matter, we sought insights from Jeremy Coker, the Team Manager of Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 450.
Providing clarity on the situation, Coker addressed the rumors in a text message today, stating, “Yes, I would like to [respond]. There was not a shock failure in any way.” He went on to explain that Tomac’s current shock setup performs well on harder, drier tracks.
However, when faced with the sticky, rutted terrain encountered in Detroit, the rear of the bike was prone to sinking, leading to what riders commonly refer to as arm pump—a condition characterized by fatigue and discomfort in the arms.
So, according to Tomac’s team, that’s the crux of the matter. The silver lining for them lies in the upcoming race in Glendale, Arizona, where conditions are expected to revert to the preferable harder, drier dirt, potentially offering Tomac a chance to bounce back.
As for the Detroit race itself, the leaderboard saw Jett Lawrence emerge victorious, clocking in at 20 minutes and 58.118 seconds, completing 28 laps aboard his Honda CRF450R.
Chase Sexton followed closely behind, finishing just 4.740 seconds adrift, while Ken Roczen rounded out the top three. Cooper Webb, Jason Anderson, Aaron Plessinger, Dylan Ferrandis, Hunter Lawrence, and Justin Cooper also put in commendable performances, leaving Tomac to settle for the tenth spot on the leaderboard, completing 27 laps in a time of 21 minutes and 4.500 seconds aboard his Yamaha YZ450F.
