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ELI TOMAC
450 MXGP / 2ND
IMAGE / LANNAN WORDS / MATTINGLY DESIGN / TILLS
>> With September upon us, the currents and peaks of Hurricane season are in full bloom. Rough water, immense waves, and lucrative pressure systems are circling the globe at any given moment, looking to destroy all in their path. The same can be said about Eli Tomac, a competitor who’s seeking to ride the toughest current into victory. Surfing and carving his way throughout traffic throughout the entire qualifying session, his creativity was that of a modern-day Picasso or Van Gogh. This Floridian landscape was his canvas, and the knobbies of his rear tire were that of his signature in the paint. Coming into moto one, the ship had been fueled, and ready
to conquer any storm thrown his way. The field rushed into the opening bend, he was developing a precise groove through the first few sections. Looking to keep a solid pace, there was no lapse in focus as the rounds of the course continued to add. Hovering near the front of the field, he was quadding his way to victory, after an early dash and sprint, looking to get away from the field. It worked, he would throw his qualifying performance
in the trash, and walk with a victory for the first moto; showing everyone his true speed. For the second moto, his start wasn’t quite as pretty, but he was nearing the head of the field. Battling near the fourth place position, Paulin, Herlings, and Cairoli sat just in front, and Tomac was being very methodical about his movement selection. Hitting each tabletop with a piece of grace, his bulldog-charging style was mellowed a bit, as he would relinquish his authority to Cairoli and Herlings by the end of the race. His scores, although not picture perfect, were such a solid rebound of what many believed to
be a drained effort, put this weekend in the rearview, with a much greater outlook than previously imagined.
10 GRITMOTO • SEPTEMBER 4, 2017