It’s officially the end of an era as Eli Tomac announced he’ll retire from professional competition at the conclusion of the 2026 SMX World Championship Playoffs. Tomac won four 450 Supercross main events this year and recently earned his best result of the Pro Motocross Championship with a fifth at the season finale at Ironman Raceway.
“I will be stepping away from Supercross and motocross racing at the end of September, following the final three SMX rounds,” Tomac announced. “This has been the hardest decision I’ve ever made in my professional career, but I know in my heart that the time is now and that the time is right. I’ve won races and championships beyond my imagination. Racing has been the only thing I’ve woken up to and known the last 25 years, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
Tomac’s career will be remembered as one of the best ever, spanning 17 professional seasons between 2010 and 2026. The Colorado native is ranked second on the all-time 450SX wins list with 57 Main Event victories, and fourth all-time in the AMA Pro Motocross 450MX wins list with a total of 32. He’s also a two-time AMA Supercross 450SX Champion (2020, 2022) and four-time 450MX Champion (2017, 2018, 2019, 2022), along with representing Team USA at the FIM Motocross of Nations (MXoN) on six occasions – captaining the United States to victory at RedBud in 2022.
In addition, Tomac extended his Daytona Supercross record with an eighth-career victory in 2026, was notably crowned the 2024 FIM World Supercross Champion in the SX1 Class, and was also recognized in 2022 as an ESPY Award recipient in the prestigious Best Athlete, Men’s Action Sports category.
“Eli exploded onto the scene well over a decade and a half ago, and if he wasn’t on your team, you sure wished he was, because you’d ultimately be fighting against him to try and win,” said Ian Harrison, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager. “Over the years, Eli has become the second-winningest rider in Supercross history and has won multiple national and Supercross championships. We’ve had the privilege of working with him this year, and it was no different – he was fighting for the title and for wins each and every week. Eli is an amazing rider, and for the team and myself, to see how he operates and to get a better understanding of his sportsmanship and work ethic was a gift after all those years that we competed against him. But, like all good things, they do eventually come to an end, and with that Eli has decided to retire at the end of this season. Our team is grateful for the opportunity we’ve had and know that whatever he does in the future, it will be successful. Eli is a hard worker, disciplined and dedicated, and we truly wish him and his family all the best.”
Eli Tomac Career Highlights
- Two-time AMA Supercross 450SX Champion (2020, 2022)
- 57-career 450SX Main Event victories (second all-time)
- Four-time AMA Pro Motocross 450MX Champion (2017, 2018, 2019, 2022)
- 32-career 450MX overall victories (fourth all-time)
- 2013 AMA Pro Motocross 250MX Champion
- 2012 AMA Supercross 250SX West Champion
- 2024 FIM World Supercross SX1 Champion
- Eight-time Daytona Supercross winner (2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2026)
- ESPY Award recipient in 2022 (Best Athlete, Men’s Action Sports)
