It’s a hard thing to fathom when a top athlete of any sport is shown the door of their respective team, especially when they are still at the peak of their game. We see this in sports often, however, we are currently watching that same dynamic unfold with Eli Tomac as it seems Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing has all but officially elected not to re-up the Colorado great beyond this season and into 2026.

This decision comes despite a resurgent Tomac’s triumph at both the San Diego round of Monster Energy Supercross this year, as well as giving the young prodigy Jett Lawrence all he could handle during Fox Raceway’s second 450MX moto last weekend.

In case you were unaware, we’re talking about a four-time 450MX Pro Motocross champion, a two-time Supercross title winner in the premier division, and the second-winningest 450SX rider of all-time on the main events list – point blank, Eli is one of the very best to do it. And his ongoing competitiveness is unquestionable at this rate.

And yet here we are, with Tomac allegedly on the out at Star Racing after what will be four seasons with the Tallahassee-based organization, despite proving that he is a genuine front-runner even at 32 years old. So why is this happening? And shouldn’t it be a no-brainer for Star to re-sign? Many would think so.

A key hint is at the tail-end of that previous paragraph. Age. In our sport, anything beyond the 30 is almost considered prehistoric, which was popularised by the early retirement of the greats such as Ricky Carmichael, Ryan Villopoto, and Ryan Dungey, who called time on their illustrious careers around their mid-20s mark, which is a wild consideration in any regular profession.

Retirement at 27 is almost laughable, but it is a fact, and so therefore, when the industry and teams are measuring the legs left in a legend, it’s with this benchmark that things can be measured. How many days does Tomac have left at the top of his game, and what do we need to do to future-proof our team? They’re the questions that Star would be asking.

Image: Octopi Media.

You might say, ‘Well, they signed Cooper Webb, though!’ Which is true, but Webb is 29, with a few years between him and Tomac, which is an important consideration (both are two of the oldest 450SX champions in history). Webb also won Supercross this year, which remains the ultimate crown, as well as taking a pay cut when he signed on to return to Star and Yamaha in late 2023.

So in all actuality, it was probably always Tomac versus Webb as to who would eventually get the lead role at Star Racing, as Webb wasn’t going to stay on that reduced pay-grade forever to accommodate the number three’s existing, commanding salary. There was a battle underneath the surface, and Webb emerged the victor – thanks in part to his age, as well as his success throughout Supercross this year in clinching a third-career championship.

Still, it doesn’t sit right that a legend like Tomac is being ousted, by all indications. It’s probably emotive, but for these teams that want to stay ahead of the curve, emotions are negated in favor of the facts.

A similar situation emerged when the Dallas Mavericks NBA team traded franchise player Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers this year in what was a bombshell that rocked the entire league (Luka included). But the front office left the emotions at the door, seeing an opportunity to bolster their roster with additional players and draft picks, and so the blade fell on the superstar of the franchise in favor of the future.

Who is the future of the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing program, you ask? That’s an easy one, if you consider current 250MX champion Haiden Deegan and, to a lesser extent, Justin Cooper waiting in the wings. Deegan, a teenager still at only 19 years of age, and Cooper, 27, are two pieces of the puzzle that successfully future-proof the team, at the cost of waving goodbye to a current, proven winner in Tomac.

It’s not an ideal situation, but it’s reality, with manufacturers allocated a finite marketing budget to spend on riders, and an already-loaded roster of Webb, Cooper, and an incoming Deegan creating enough of a headache as it is, let alone Tomac’s salary and his fair share of bonuses to be earned. It’s a business move, and that’s that. However, for Eli, the fact that he has stayed competitive has kept him coming back for more.

Image: Octopi Media.

It wasn’t that long ago that Eli – upon dominating both Supercross and Pro Motocross equipped with the YZ450F in 2022 – was opting for series-by-series type contracts, non-commital in his future, but comfortable that he had found a home in blue after so many years – and much success – previously in his career at Monster Energy Kawasaki. Injuries too, have played a part in him being willing to race-on.

“I’ve remained competitive,” commented Tomac when asked about his longevity. “And that’s what I have told myself… If I am still competitive and getting on the podium, battling for the win, I haven’t fulfilled my desire to stop. I just enjoy it too much – that’s why I am still going.

“I like being a man of my word, [but] I haven’t been that when it comes to deciding when the end is for racing dirt bikes. I’m going to continue racing, and we’re currently working through deals right now. I said I was done, and then I’ve had these weird little injuries in Supercross, and it’s honestly extended my career, my ambition for racing.”

A closing remark on Eli and Star Racing is this, that it was broadly expected that he would’ve hung the boots up by now. The sport, collectively, drew a sad sigh when he exited the Denver Supercross in 2023 with a torn achilles, because we thought that that was a very possible end to his career.

As indicated, it’s since been unveiled by Tomac himself that this is not the case, as a second, third, and fourth wind have kept him from mentioning the ‘R’ word, and he seems almost more fired up than ever! The allure of a Tomac versus Lawrence rivalry is appealing, even to Eli himself in the twilight of his career.

So, where does Tomac end up in life beyond Star? All signs suggest that a deal at Red Bull KTM Factory Racing is done – or very near, at least – with the orange squad now in the unique situation of potentially having to field three 450s beneath the tent. As long as he extends as anticipated, double 250SX champion Tom Vialle will move up and join Aaron Plessinger, with Chase Sexton likely outbound in a high-profile move to Monster Energy Kawasaki.

Image: Octopi Media.

It’s all hearsay until the deals are officially formalised, but this is the current news on the rumormill, and all suggestions appear to be strong. Tomac at KTM, though, is extremely interesting. It’s a project that, for Eli, could easily be suggested as one he could almost do without at this stage in his life and career.

An Austrian machine – which he’s never competed on – as well as an entirely new program to adapt to… It has shades of Jeremy McGrath’s move to KTM machinery in 2003, with MC finally calling time on his career soon afterward. Except, KTM has evolved into a proven product over the past two decades and could very well keep Tomac in contention.

It’s intriguing, and again doesn’t make a whole lot of sense from most angles, but to both Eli, KTM, and his team of people, they obviously stand unified, and believe that 32 years of age is still to be considered as prime time, which in a lot of other sports is the norm. That’s if this whole piece actually eventuates, as per the speculation in the paddock.

We’ll watch to see what unfolds with great interest, but the current landscape is this: Eli is intent on pushing past the 27 club, redefining what is considered ‘prime’ in the sport of Supercross and Pro Motocross, while Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing wants to ensure it’s safe for the future, which has to essentially be centered around the next decade with Deegan.

And if the Cortez-based superstar doesn’t actually land in orange? The likes of incoming manufacturer Ducati – in particular the Italian powerhouse with its new-look Troy Lee Designs effort – is said to be circling with immense interest. Either way, the rest of us are watching on to see what trophies this new and unexpected narrative generates.