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Red Bull KTM Eli Tomac’s climb toward the top of the all-time record books continues. His win in Seattle, the third of the season, moved him to within two of James Stewart for second all-time on the SMX League wins list.
This wasn’t “Beast Mode” Tomac. This was just Tomac continuing to do Tomac things. The way Tomac described it, the win was built on patience, timing, and a couple of track-specific keys he knew he could weaponize once the race finally opened up.
“He [Webb] had really good sprint laps in the beginning,” Tomac said. “Of course, it’s a long race, and I noticed I was making good time in the whoops, and then once I was able to get the triple onto the table I knew I could run with him. Then it was just a battle over who was going to not miss a rhythm section. Cooper did open up with some good laps there.”
That “triple onto the table” became a turning point — but the real exclamation mark came late, when the track was at its worst and Tomac reached into the playbook for something more.
“I was saving that for the main event,” said Tomac with a laugh. “I looked at it today and after seeing everyone enter with a double, sometimes there’s so much room in those bowl turns that you can actually go inside but no one really looks at it. I was like, ‘Okay I’ve had enough of stressing this rhythm, trying to hit it perfect.’ If you hang up at all on one of those landings and then you’re headed one of those next rutted ramps, and they have hooks in them, the suspension unloads and it can turn bad. The inside line got me off the ruts. That was key. It allowed me to take a breath somewhere on the track.”
Tomac now just sits one point out of the points lead behind Hunter Lawrence as we head into Arlington. Scroll on for more stats behind Tomac’s win in Seattle.
*All stats below are provided by SMX Media
Eli Tomac’s Win
- Was his 3rd of 2026
- And the 56th of his 450SX career, 16 back of Jeremy McGrath for the all-time record
- Seattle was the 112th SMX League victory, which put him 2 behind James Stewart for 2nd all-time
- It was his 375th SMX League start and his 190th 450SX start
- He is now tied Larry Ward and Justin Brayton for 5th on the all-time 450SX Class starts list
Cooper Webb’s Second
- Was his 79th career 450SX podium
- It came in his 145th career start
- Looking ahead: He has won 7 of his 11 career 450SX starts in Arlington
Justin Cooper’s Third
- Was the 6th podium of his 450SX career
- It comes in his 44th career start
- It was also his 66th SMX League podium
Other
Hunter Lawrence (4th): Made his 25th 450SX Class start and 138th SMX League start in Seattle. Lawrence has 0 wins, 6 podiums, and 13 top-5’s in the first 25 starts of his 450SX career
Chase Sexton (5th): Seattle was his 65th 450SX Class and 150th SMX League top-5 finish.
Malcolm Stewart (6th): Best finish of the season and officially moves into the top-25 all-time in 450SX Class starts with 127
Aaron Plessinger (7th): 100th 450SX Class start and 248th SMX League start
Justin Hill (11th): 85th 450SX Class start and 194th SMX League
*SMX League Statistics = 450 and 250 Class Supercross, Pro Motocross, and Playoffs
