Eli Tomac Confirms Return To Competition In 2024

July 27, 2023

Eli Tomac and Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha have announced the rider will return to competition in 2024 with titles and improvement to his all-time win total as declared goals. The formal statement occurred as part of Yamaha’s annual dealer meeting, where the 2024 line of YZ-F motorcycles was introduced, and followed up with a press release that confirmed a third year with the group, plus quotes from Tomac and race team executives.

The multi-time champion first indicated that he wanted to be back on the starting line during the launch of Alpinestars’ 24 MX collection on Sunday, telling us, “The disconnect is nice for a little bit, but with injuries, you always find out how much you miss something when you’re forced to stay off the motorcycle. You miss the racing, the gate drops… You realize what you’re missing and what you wake up in the morning for, to go get.“

“My recovery with this has been going really well,” he explained of the ruptured Achilles’ tendon that ended his 2023 season. “I’m at about the two-and-a-half month mark now, out of the walking boot and all that stuff. I can wear tennis shoes and do cardio on my mountain bike up easy roads.” Tomac cited immediate and continued therapy as a reason for the progress and will continue to work to rebuild strength and control of his left ankle in the coming weeks.

“You go through stages with these types of things. For me, it was anger, then depression, but then it was, ‘I really want to get this healthy and try to be competitive again,'” he said, reflecting on the past three months. “I want to try to be back where I was because, in my mind, I don’t feel like I’m finished yet.”

Tomac said in the Yamaha press release that he aims to be back on the YZ450F at the “six-month mark” from the initial incident, around October-November, and that he’s signed for the 2024 season. However, there’s no clear outline of what 2024 will entail; Tomac’s initial agreement for 2023 was only for Supercross but was extended to include Pro Motocross and SuperMotocross before the injury.

“It definitely was a gut punch at Denver to have the championship taken away that way. We were hoping that Eli would come back,” said Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha Team Manager Jeremy Coker for the official communication. “I don’t think anyone would fault him for calling it a career with what he has accomplished, but we’re happy to see that Eli still has that fire and can’t wait to go racing.”

Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha’s complete 450 program for 2024 is still unannounced, but it’s widely known that Cooper Webb will return to the team following his recent split from Red Bull KTM.

The complete press release from Yamaha, including quotes from Tomac, Coker, and Jim Roach, is posted below…

Monster Energy Yamaha Racing is excited to announce that Eli Tomac will return in 2024. Today during a celebration kicking off the Yamaha dealer meeting in his home state of Colorado, the 2022 Monster Energy AMA Supercross 450SX and Pro Motocross 450MX Champion announced that he is returning for a third season with the team.

Tomac has been enjoying a successful tenure with the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing team and the YZ450F. In 2022, it was a stellar start with two titles and a Motocross of Nations victory, and so far he has amassed an impressive tally of wins with 14 in supercross and 14 outdoors. The Colorado rider was on track for another landmark season this year, surpassing supercross greats and claiming the runner-up spot on the series’ all-time win list with his 51st premier-class victory at the Glendale Triple Crown. Tomac also made history with his seventh Daytona Supercross victory. The win not only topped the record he set last year as the winningest supercross rider at the Daytona International Speedway but also tied NASCAR legend Richard Petty’s record for the most wins at the iconic venue. He had a commanding lead in the 2023 450SX Championship but unfortunately, was sidelined for the year after rupturing his Achilles’ tendon at the penultimate round in Denver. Tomac’s return to full fitness is ahead of schedule, and the multi-time champion is eager to get back on track.

Jim Roach – Yamaha Racing Department Manager for YMUS
“We’re excited to have Eli back for 2024. It’s not only great for Yamaha and the team to have him return but for the sport as a whole. We’re also happy that his recovery is going well and to see that he is reenergized and eager to go racing. Together we’ve enjoyed a lot of success with the YZ450F and look to continue that success next year.”

Jeremy Coker – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 450 Team Manager
“We couldn’t be happier to have Eli on board for next year. It definitely was a gut punch at Denver to have the championship taken away that way. We were hoping that Eli would come back. I don’t think anyone would fault him for calling it a career with what he has accomplished, but we’re happy to see that Eli still has that fire and can’t wait to go racing. There’s definitely some unfinished business, and we look forward to next season!”

Eli Tomac – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing
“Well, first off, I’d like to say the end of Eli Tomac racing a motorcycle was not the second to last round of the 2023 supercross season! So with that, I’m excited to announce that I’ve signed for another racing season with the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing team. My recovery has been going very well and is ahead of schedule in terms of the protocol. I believe I will be back on the motorcycle around the six-month mark in preparation for the 2024 racing season. The motorcycle and team were great last season. We were so close to the championship, but accidents happen, and that’s racing. I’m eager to get another shot at competing for the championship!”