LAKEWOOD — In two AMA Pro Motocross races, southern Colorado-groomed Eli Tomac has nothing to complain about. He is a perfect 4-0, sweeping the 450cc motos in Sacramento, Calif., and San Bernadino, Calif., winning by an average of 43 seconds.
That’s like scoring a touchdown 25 yards ahead of the nearest tackler.
“I would say it’s a little bit of a surprise because you never know what to expect at the beginning of a series, and you never want to go into a series with too big of a head,” said Tomac, who still lives in his hometown of Cortez in the Four Corners area. “I think you’re better off going into it as an unknown. For me, I just came in level-headed, and this is the best I’ve ever been at the beginning of the season.”
Tomac, 22, is the undisputed favorite Saturday in his home-state race at Thunder Valley MX Park, which opened practice Thursday after a week-long worry about too much moisture producing too deep of mud for the 1½-mile course to be properly groomed. The show of endurance, control and speed will go on, with the 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. 450cc motos following each 250cc race.
Tomac, the 2013 250cc national champion, tackled the average-elevation track of 6,182 feet above sea level Thursday with little problem. The mud was thick and deep, but the surface and elevation is what he’s used to dealing with in Cortez.
“I know a lot of the guys who come from sea level kind of freak out, because the bike is quite a bit slower and the body is tricky,” Tomac said. “I train at altitude all the time, and fitness is not an issue. Maybe some other guys will be gasping for air.”
A year ago as a 450cc rookie, Tomac missed the Thunder Valley race because of a fractured collarbone. He nevertheless finished fifth in the standings and won his first career moto, at Spring Creek in Millville, Minn. He now has five overall career wins and has a comfortable 19-point lead over Ryan Dungy, the 2013 and 2014 series runner-up who won Thunder Valley titles in 2010, 2011 and 2012.
“Being healthy has been the difference,” Tomac said. “Last year I came in at Round 4, and that point you’re just playing catch-up — unless you’re a super hero, and most people aren’t. This year I came in healthy.
“The second thing is, I’m just comfortable on my motorcycle. It goes where I want it to go, and I just trust it. When you have that, you can go as fast as you can.”
Defending series champion Ken Roczen of Germany is also the defending winner at Thunder Valley. He is competing with a fractured spine, a series spokesman said, and 2007 and 2008 Thunder Valley winner James Stewart has been suspended for the season after failing a drug test.
“I don’t really dig much into the other riders,” Tomac said of Roczen’s back or Stewart’s suspension. “I will say about the suspension that it’s a bummer it happened in our sport, but I’m glad there is drug testing so there’s no questioning on who’s clean and who’s not.”
Mike Chambers: mchambers@denverpost.com or
Race day
Event: Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship
What: Third event of the 12-round series
When: Saturday, 40-minute 450cc motos begin at 2 and 4 p.m., following 250cc motos; gates open at 7 a.m., followed by practice and heat races
Where: Thunder Valley, Lakewood
