DAYTONA BEACH, Florida: Since he won his first race at the famed Daytona International Speedway in 2016, Eli Tomac has been beaten in head-to-head competition there only twice in his career. Justin Brayton momentarily derailed his streak in 2018 after he scored back-to-back wins. Tomac then went on a five-race winning streak until he was finally beaten again by Jett Lawrence in 2024.
Tomac did not get an opportunity to exact revenge last year. Both he and Lawrence were sidelined by injury, but the racing was nevertheless thrilling between Ken Roczen and Cooper Webb.
“Yeah, it was unfortunate to miss [last year], of course; being on the couch sucks, but we’re back,” Tomac told NBC Sports during Press Day. “We’re back: The track looks great, looks really, really neat and I’m excited to get on it and see what I can do.”
The confidence exacted by Tomac’s record of seven wins at this venue could immediately be heard in his voice as he gazed upon the Daytona Supercross track prior to the 2026 running of the annual event.
“Me and this place we’re one, we’re one here,” Tomac continued. “It’s very similar to my house at home. The way just the dirt is. It’s kind of loose, a little bit sandy, so I think that’s a big advantage for me. It’s just a unique track and it just happens to fit my style.”
NBC Analyst Ricky Carmichael did not hesitate when asked who he believed would win Saturday’s race. The long straightaways and relatively low jumps in the 2026 edition of this track will considerably favor Tomac.
“I don’t think it’s any secret that Eli Tomac is the king of Daytona Supercross,” Carmichael said in a pre-race news conference. “He’s won this race seven times. He’s done incredible on that Red Bull KTM, and he’s earned that right to get the tip of the hat. He’s the guy to be beat. So no matter what the condition is here, I do think with it being faster, it’s even going to play into his hand a bit more. And that’s not to say because he’s not technical and if it’s slower that it would be harder for him. I just think maybe it would be more comfortable for him this way.”
With three victories this year, Tomac is the only multiple winner of 2026 so far. He lost the red plate to Hunter Lawrence three rounds ago with a disastrous round in Glendale, Arizona, when a Turn 1 crash contributed to a 12th-place finish. A poor showing in the second feature of the Houston Triple Crown kept him from standing on the podium for only the second time in 2026.
Tomac’s seven wins at Daytona is not the record for the most at a single venue, but it’s close — and if he is victorious this week, he will slot into second-place on that chart. What makes his accomplish more meaningful is that four riders with eight wins at a single venue all claim Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California, as the site of their achievement. That track has regularly hosted multiple events in its history. The same holds true of Bob Hannah’s record of nine victories at the Pontiac Silverdome.
But Tomac accumulated his seven wins on a track that runs only one per season. That speaks to not only his affinity for the track, but the longevity of his success. The same is true of Cooper Webb and his success at last week’s venue, AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, where he also has seven wins.
Daytona is arguably one of the toughest tracks riders face each season, further adding to its mystique.
“When I would come here, I loved how it would break down and I loved how you could, although it was rough and you had to be somewhat precise, I liked how you didn’t have to be as precise on this track and you could let the bike step out a little bit more than you can in Supercross,” Carmichael said. “And again, Eli’s a super techie guy, but he’s also willing to use all that power that a 450 has and put it to the ground and override the bike. I feel like sometimes in Supercross it’s hard to do that and you can get yourself in a really tough spot, so I think that’s why he is just so dominant here.”
In recent seasons, this race has taken on added significance.
The SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) owes some of its existence to tracks like this one and Atlanta Motor Speedway, which was another infield course that allowed track designers to stretch their legs. A lot of races will be run between now and September 12, when the SMX Playoffs begin at Historic Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, but then again, Tomac has retained his Daytona streak with a full year separating races at this venue.
Success this weekend could be a precursor to success in the playoffs.
“I would say it’s pretty close to SMX,” Tomac said. “It’s got a little bit higher speed, a little more motocross-like conditions. That’s a pretty good evaluation of it.
“But at the same time, Daytona is its own deal. There’s no track that develops like it, breaks down like it. It’s definitely its own race.”
The quest for eight wins will come with challenges from Mother Nature. The forecast is for heavy rain overnight that should end before Saturday’s program, but that is going to make the track softer and create obstacles the riders did not face during their Press Day ride.
As Carmichael indicated, however, that will only play into Tomac’s favor.
