LAKEWOOD —Two years after becoming the first AMA Pro Racing rider to win his debut event, Durango native Eli Tomac re-established himself as an up-and-coming national motocross star by sweeping last weekend’s two 250cc motos in Wortham, Texas.
Tomac, 19, arrived at Thunder Valley motocross park Thursday to begin preparations for this weekend’s national event at the steeply elevated track etched into the Front Range’s foothills. Tomac captured the 2012 Supercross (indoor) Lites western regional championship and could be in his final year before moving up to the elite 450 division.
“This is definitely my dream, to be doing this for a job — to go out there and ride your dirt bike,” Tomac said inside his team’s makeshift garage at Thunder Valley.
Saturday’s four combined motos (two per division) make up the third of 12 events on the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship. Ryan Dungey is the two-time defending Thunder Valley 450 champion, and the track’s 2007 and 2008 winner, James Stewart, has won all four motos through the first two rounds. Tomac is 2-of-4.
“It was a long drought, really,” Tomac said of his nearly two-year hiatus from an outdoor winner’s circle. “After you do win, people expect you to be there every week. But when you first come into the pro ranks, you have to get stuff figured out, a season or two to get your bike and team jelling together.”
Tomac is the son of legendary bicycle rider Jon Tomac, who has won national and international titles in three disciplines — BMX, mountain bike and road racing. He was inducted into the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame in 1991, having won more mountain bike races than anyone in the sport’s history.
“He’s helped me figure out how to be a pro, how to train, eat right and ride right,” Eli said of his father. “He’s definitely the biggest part of my program.”
The Tomacs moved from Durango to Cortez when Eli was 4, and he began riding dirt bikes about a year later.
“I just wanted to do something on two wheels,” he said.
Tomac joined various amateur racing circuits, requiring him to be home-schooled during high school because he traveled so much. He, like almost all motocross racers, competes year-round.
“At the end of your Supercross season, you’re like, ‘Man, let’s go race outdoors,’ and at the end of the outdoor season you’re like, ‘Man, let’s go race Supercross.’ So I really get along with both,” Tomac said.
Tomac is second in the 250cc point standings, behind 20-year-old Blake Baggett of Grand Terrace, Calif. Baggett won the season opener in Sacramento, Calif. Tomac and Baggett are considered the sport’s future 250 stars.
“He’s definitely good. I mean, he came out in his first professional race and won the thing, so he’s the real deal,” Baggett said of Tomac. “He’s a tough competitor, the son of John Tomac, so you know he’s putting in all the work, training-wise. To beat him is tough.”
Thunder Valley owner David Clabaugh is excited about Saturday’s event, which previously had been run at the end of June. Next to the Mile-High Nationals at nearby Bandimere Speedway in July, Thunder Valley hosts the state’s second-biggest annual motorsports event.
“We have some unique challenges here, and we are the only national track that’s 15 minutes from a major metropolitan area,” Clabaugh said. “So I know the riders enjoying coming here, and we have a great fan base.”
Mike Chambers: 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com
Motocross nationals
What: AMA/WMA Motocross Nationals
Where: Thunder Valley Motocross Park; 701 S. Rooney Road, Lakewood
When: Saturday, practice runs, 8 a.m.; Finals, 1 p.m.
Info: mxsportsproracing.com and amaproracing.com
