Image: Octopi Media.

Returning to the podium in Detroit is indicative that the neck strain of Eli Tomac did improve, with the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing rider confirming that the issue which had impacted him the weekend prior was less of a problem at Ford Field.

Tomac, 30, scored his worst result of the season to date during round nine of the 2023 Monster Energy Supercross Championship, completing the main event in P8 amidst the rapidly deteriorating conditions at Indianapolis.

The reigning 450SX champion later revealed during the press day on Friday that he competed in Indy with a neck strain, however, stated post-race at Detroit that it was in better shape throughout the 10th round of the series.

“Overall, my neck didn’t really affect me tonight,” Tomac said. “That was a good thing, because last week it came out of nowhere, and I was like ‘what is happening’, so it is good that it has gotten better though.

“I woke up Friday morning and could barely turn my head to the right. I don’t know what it was, all I know is that muscle was locked up and it was bad for Saturday [round nine].”

After qualifying fifth at Ford Field, Tomac was P4 in his heat and slotted into that position during the early stages of the main event. Reaching as high as second on lap six, but was shuffled back to fifth in the following laps.

He reclaimed P4 around the halfway point and elevated to third in the final moments of the encounter, where he finished the race. Despite his seven podiums and five victories in the opening 10 races, Tomac lost the red-plate to Cooper Webb in Indy and now trails the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider by three points ahead of Seattle.

“Honestly, I feel like last week I should have even lost more points, with what happened with the two guys next to me,” Tomac added. “So overall, it could have been worse, could have been better, but yeah, I’m not too concerned at this point.”