News 25 Feb 2020

Tomac, Anderson express dislike of three-main format

450SX podium finishers still not sold on elevated Triple Crown risks.

Image: Octopi Media.

Leading riders of Monster Energy Supercross are still in favor of traditional formats it appears after both Eli Tomac and Jason Anderson voiced their dislike of the Triple Crown schedule.

In the third season since the three-main event structure was introduced in 2018 across a trio of rounds per year, the added risk continues to divide opinions.

Arlington round winner Tomac (Monster Energy Kawasaki) was the first rider to state his opinion when prompted post-race, despite the fact that he’s now won four Triple Crown overalls as the winningest rider in the format.

“On paper they look good, but I still don’t like them,” Tomac stated post-race. “I don’t like the three motos… it’s just chaos. I don’t like it, you know, three of those first turns, I might sound like a sissy, but I just do not like them.”

2018 champion Anderson – after finishing third overall – was more detailed in his critiquing of the format, pointing out the additional racing that the current field completes for points in comparison to over a decade or more ago when Ricky Carmichael was still at the top.

“I think the Triple Crowns, I mean they’re cool for the fans, but I think they’re a little bit too much for us riders,” Anderson added. “You think back in the day, I mean RC was doing one 20-lap main in the night and we’re doing three 16-lap main events. I mean, did we do 17 laps one time? The first one, yeah.

“That’s so much racing, so many chances for guys getting hurt and you saw that tonight. It’s a little bit too much risk, although yeah, it’s entertaining for the fans. You want to see us go through the whole season though, you know? At the same time, that’s just my opinion.”

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