Eli Tomac has made a heartfelt video looking back at his legendary career as Beast Mode announced his retirement from the sport after the next three SMX races. Tomac was planning on racing Supercross in 2027 but after that crash at Pala, and a comeback to racing that hasn’t went as expected, Tomac decided it was time to call it day.
The American leaves as one of the best and one of the fastest to ever through a leg over a bike and won every title in US racing plus the US GP and the MXoN – what a career!
You can watch or read his thoughts below:
Alright everyone, it’s time for me to officially announce that I’ll be stepping away from Supercross and Motocross Racing at the end of September at the conclusion of the three SMX rounds. This is the hardest decision I’ve ever made in my professional career for obvious reasons, but I know in my heart that the time is now and that the time is right. I’ve accomplished and won races and championships basically beyond my imagination or as a dream when I was a kid.
And now all of a sudden I’m here. You know, it’s the only thing I’ve woken up and have known the last 25 years, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything at all. I mean, this sport, it tests you. The lows are low, but the highs are definitely higher. And one thing’s for sure, it’s fun to ride a motorcycle, especially in the dirt. So I have so many thanks to everyone that’s been here along for the ride.
It’s helped me accomplish everything that I’ve done, starting with my parents, my wife, my mechanics, all the team, crew, everyone that kept my motorcycle safe and sound and basically leaving up to me to get the job done. Looking back, I started my professional career with Geico Honda and that was from 2010 to 2015. I won my first pro race. That was, it just didn’t really even make sense winning my first pro race and it literally being my first pro race So it’s a moment I’ll never forget. It’s a time to be alive when you’re in that 250 class, I’ll tell you what.
And from 2016 to 2021, I was with Monster Energy Kawasaki. I got my first 450 Supercross championship. The pinnacle of the sport. We got it done.
In 2022 to 2025, I was with Star Racing Yamaha. We were able to get both 450 championships that year and our first year together. That was kind of the next stepping stone for me after my first Supercross championship was, hey, could I get that done with or win both? And we were able to do that. So that was a very cool moment.
And now, 2026, and I’m still currently with Red Bull KTM. You could call me the old guy, but Red Bull KTM believed in me. And we went out there and we won Anaheim 1, won four Supercross races. We’re totally in the title contention for the Supercross season.
Unfortunately, at the start of Motocross, I had that big crash and haven’t quite been the same guy. And as I have said as recently that I was going to race 2027, even though I’m not, if I was going to, it would have been with Red Bull KTM. This has been a very fun time in my career with this team and everyone involved.
And last but not least, thank you to all the ET3 fans that have been there along for the ride. And if, yeah, that have just been there. In the autograph lines at the racetrack with us, y’all are truly the reason why we’re out there doing what we do. So I give thanks to you.
