Question answered: Eli Tomac is untouchable as he wins seventh Daytona Supercross

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida – The week began with a question of whether Eli Tomac is untouchable in Daytona Supercross races and it was answered emphatically: He is.

For the seventh time overall and fifth consecutively, Tomac won the race most riders in the field equates to NASCAR’s Daytona 500. Fittingly, he tied the King Richard Petty for the seven wins in his sports’ iconic race.

Last year Tomac broke out of a tie with Ricky Carmichael for the most Daytona wins at six, but there was still a record hanging over him. Carmichael won his five Daytona races in a row. Tomac now also has five consecutively. Fittingly, he also broke out of a tie with Carmichael for sole possession of third on the wins’ list. James Stewart’s 50 wins is next on the horizon and no one doubts that will happen in the next few rounds.

“All the way from the start, me and Cooper [Webb] just locked up into two the whole time,” Tomac said from the top spot of the podium as the stands emptied and fans rushed the stage. “I think he hit neutral at the finish line on the triple and after that you had to be on your lines.

“Actually, before that we had contact on the double before the shelf, but we both stayed up. All I can say is I love you Daytona.”

Tomac looked beatable at the start of the day. He was outside the top five in practice, rose to fourth in qualification, but once the money was on the line, he won his heat to gain a great gate pick.

“I was struggling in practice straight up,” Tomac told James Stewart on NBC Sports. “My confidence wasn’t high. I was consistently getting beat by a second there, but when the lights come on here the track comes to me and I really find my flow again.”

With this win @EliTomac passes @RickyCarmichael for 3rd on the