Eli Tomac Wins First WSX Title at Abu Dhabi GP, Shane McElrath Becomes 2x SX2 Champion
The 2024 World Supercross Championship round at the Abu Dhabi GP has wrapped up, with American riders dominating. Eli Tomac (CDR Yamaha Supported by Star Racing) secured his first WSX World Championship, while Shane McElrath (Fire Power Honda) clinched his second SX2 World Championship title.
Germany's Ken Roczen (Pipes Motorsports Group) wins the night's WSX overall and his first overall of the 2024 WSX season. Tomac claims the win in the SuperFinal.
McElrath takes the night's SX2 overall while finishing 4th in the SuperFinal for the final race of the 2024 WSX season.
It's been a big week for McElrath, who claimed the Fox Australian Supercross SX2 Championship at the AUSX Open this past Saturday.
Here are the race recaps from WSX:
WSX
WSX GP Race 01
The Etihad Arena’s ultra-short run to the line and technical layout placed considerable emphasis on the gate drop. It was Vince Friese who got the holeshot followed by Savatgy and Roczen, with championship hopeful Tomac down in sixth.
On Lap 3, Roczen, Savatgy and Friese all came to blows with the reigning champion attempting a ambitious double overtake, but ended up clattering into the side of Friesse and falling back to fifth. That allowed Savatgy to seize first.
Disaster struck for Savatgy when he went down on Lap 5, allowing Friese back into the lead and elevating the resurgent pair of Tomac and Roczen back into the top three.
On the penultimate tour, Tomac’s attention was on Friese, and Roczen took the opportunity to snatch second. Friese took his first-ever WSX race win ahead of Roczen and Tomac.
WSX GP Race 02
Savatgy gets out of Turn 1 in front followed by Race 1 winner Friese, Roczen and Tomac, but Roczen and Tomac made quick work of Friese to move into second and third respectively.
For the second time in two races, Savatgy crashed out of the lead thrusting Roczen into the driving seat in first, with Tomac and Friese giving chase.
The top two streaked 10 seconds clear of Friese who finished third, and although Tomac was able to pressure Roczen in the closing stages, it was the PMG rider who took his second race win of 2024.
WSX GP Race 03
The final WSX GP start of the year saw Roczen and Savatgy go side-by-side for the lead through Turn 1. By Turn 2, the reigning champion had the advantage, while Tomac slotted into third just behind Savatgy.
The top three ran line astern for the first few laps, but the gaps began to close as they ticked past the halfway point and with it, the tension began to rise.
They were all pushing hard, and on the penultimate tour Savatgy made his third unforced error of the night, dropping a position to Tomac. Roczen secured his second race win of the event and by doing so, delayed second-placed Tomac from taking the title until the SuperFinal. A dejected Savatgy came home third.
Photo Courtesy of WSX
SuperFinal
Tomac got the final holeshot of 2024 with Savatgy slotting into second, newly crowned SX2 champion McElrath in third and Roczen fourth.
On Lap 2, Roczen got past McElrath through the whoops to move into third overall and started to hunt down Savatgy. By Lap 7, Roczen was on his tail and once again used a superior run through the whoops to take second from Savatgy.
Calm and composed up front, Tomac opened a four-second gap to Roczen. He stormed to his first win of the night and his 11th of 2024, securing his first WSX Championship in the process. Outgoing champion Roczen came home second with Savatgy taking a well-earned third.
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SX2
SX2 GP Race 01
With an ultra-short run to Turn 1, starts were going to be vital at Etihad Arena. It was Park who got the holeshot in the first gate drop of the night, but McElrath quickly seized the lead from him on the first lap.
The Rick Ware Racing duo of Schock and Lopes slotted into third and fourth respectively, but a mistake for the Brazilian on Lap 2 opened the door for Thompson to take the position.
On the penultimate tour, Lopes lunged to the inside to try and take back fourth from Thompson, but couldn’t get the job done.
At the flag, McElrath’s advantage was just shy of four seconds as he took yet another victory in 2024, while Park kicked his night off well in second and Schock took third.
SX2 GP Race 02
McElrath got the holeshot for Race 2 with Lopes and Desprey in hot pursuit. A pile-up at Turn 1 took three riders out of contention with Schock among them.
Lopes then went down on Lap 2 dropping down the order, which elevated Desprey throguh to second and Thompson up to third.
The Brazilian rider was on a comeback charge though, slicing through the field back to fourth at the flag. Thompson was just one spot ahead in third and French rider Desprey impressed with second.
Once again, McElrath went unchallenged at the front and won his second race of the night in superb style. That was enough for the American rider to clinch the 2024 SX2 Championship and his second title in the category.
SX2 GP Race 03
McElrath got the holeshot in the final SX2 GP gate drop of 2024, with Thompson and Desprey close behind. Park and Lopes got tangled up in yet another Turn 1 incident, dropping right to the back of the pack.
Just after the halfway point, Desprey deftly cut underneath Thompson for second and began chipping away at McElrath’s advantage. He was unable to close right up to the back of the Fire Power Honda though, leaving McElrath to to take his third win of the night ahead of the ever-impressive Desprey and Thompson.
Photo Courtesy of WSX
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SuperFinal
With Eli Tomac taking the overall holeshot, McElrath slotted into third overall (but crucially first in SX2) ahead of Ken Roczen, while Schock secured second in class and Thompson third.
Although McElrath conceded third overall to Roczen on Lap 2, he maintained the lead in SX2. An advantage he held until the final chequered flag to complete a 1-1-1-1 clean sweep of the WSX Abu Dhabi GP. A fitting way to sign off his title-winning campaign.
A late surge from Lopes claimed third from Thompson while Schock came home second.
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