Tomac at Flying Ironhorse Ranch
Photo Courtesy of Tyson Rider
Imagine getting a special invite to watch Eli Tomac (arguably one of the best motocross racers of all time) ride a closed practice session on a private track. When my good friend Spencer Luczak extended the invite, I was beyond excited and extremely grateful.
Eli was traveling to Utah for the official US dealer launch announcement of the all new 2023 Yamaha YZ450F. Of course Tomac being Tomac, had a red plate to defend and did not want to take any time off the bike so he arranged a private practice session at the Flying Ironhorse Ranch which is nestled in the Wasatch mountains just outside of Park City, UT.
What made this experience special was the fusion of watching one of the greatest racers ever display his talent at perhaps the most beautiful private tracks in the USA. It was the combination of these two elements that made this a truly unforgettable day.
The Flying Iron Horse ranch is owned by the Luczak family and is hands down the most beautiful MX track in the country. But don’t take my word for it. Here is a quick video by SwapMoto to give you a taste of the track. Spencer Luczak is one of the best individuals a person can meet. He has a true love for the sport and a respect for others. Not only is the track a special place, but the people behind it are even more so. Be sure to check out my article on the Flying Iron Horse Ranch to see more riding my McGrath as well as the details behind the Ranch itself.
Over the years there have been myriad opinions on how personable Tomac actually is. Since Tomac was on the back half of his pursuit for the 2022 Outdoor Nationals title, there were only five of us at the track watching his private practice. Out of respect, we wanted to give him whatever space he needed. When he took his first break, I was surprised to see that once he handed his bike off to his mechanic, rather than retreating to the trailer, he walked over to where we were standing and struck up awesome conversation.
Tomac openly talked about his bike setup, his opinions of the track, and his family. I asked him some deeper questions about his bike and he said “let’s go talk to my mechanic.” He was extremely personable, very relaxed, had a good sense of humor, and was very gracious to Spencer and the Luczak family for the opportunity to ride on their family track.
Click on images below to see some of the action. Photo credits Tyson Rider
The pros say they know when Tomac is coming up behind them without even having to look; they can tell by the sound of the bike and how he revs the engine.
Hearing it on TV is one thing, but being within 10 feet of it was something else! You can tell by the looks on our faces in the video below how exhilarating this was in such close proximity.
It’s amazing to see how quickly and confidently Tomac jumps in and out of corners. Similar to great athletes like Jordan, Barry Sanders, and Gretzky, Tomac has an uncanny ability to glide along the surface, making it look easy.
The video below is in slow motion. Power hits the ground at the 5 second mark.
Watching Tomac was the spotlight of the experience, but let’s not forget that this experience and many others like it, including our own time spent on our local tracks are all made possible by people like the Luczak’s. There is a lot of time, effort, and money that goes into the tracks we all enjoy.
PS- I wanted to say “thanks to all the Groomers out there, but unfortunately today’s world has ruined that word :)