An Open Letter from Eli Tomac to Ken Roczen, Fans, and the Motocross Community
August 2025
To Ken, to every fan in the stands and at home, and to the entire motocross family —
I’ve been meaning to write something like this for a long time. In this sport, we spend so much of our lives going full throttle — training, racing, chasing tenths of a second — that we don’t always take the time to slow down and say what’s in our hearts. But after years of battling side-by-side and against each other, I feel the need to say it now.
To Ken Roczen
Ken, I want to start with you.
We’ve been rivals for more than a decade. We’ve lined up on gates across the world, both of us hungry to win, pushing each other harder than anyone else could. I’ve seen your resilience firsthand — not just your speed, but your heart. I’ve watched you fight back from injuries that would have ended most riders’ careers. I’ve watched you silence doubts and rewrite your own story more times than I can count.
There were days I beat you and days you beat me, but in all of it, there’s been a respect that goes deeper than the results sheet. Rivalries are the fuel that make us better, and you’ve been one of the biggest reasons I’ve pushed myself beyond what I thought I could do.
So thank you — for every time you made me dig deeper, for every hard pass that made the crowd roar, and for showing the sport what true grit looks like.
To the Fans
To every single fan — whether you’ve been following my career since the 250 class or you just saw your first Supercross this season — thank you.
You’re the reason we line up and go for it when our bodies are screaming to stop. You’re the ones who stand in the pouring rain at an outdoor national, or cheer so loud in a stadium that we can feel it through our helmets. You’ve chanted my name after wins, and you’ve lifted me up after defeats.
When I hear that roar in the final lap, I know it’s more than just noise. It’s belief. It’s connection. It’s our community saying, “We’re with you.” That means more than any trophy ever could.
You’ve also supported us through our human moments — the injuries, the crashes, the times we weren’t sure if we’d come back the same. And when you see us as more than just racers, you remind us that we’re part of something bigger than results.
To the Motocross Community
This sport is unlike any other. The speeds, the jumps, the danger — they’re all part of it, but it’s the people that make it truly special. From the mechanics who work until midnight to get a bike ready, to the volunteers who mark the track before the gates drop, to the journalists and photographers capturing the moments — you’re the heartbeat of motocross.
I’ve been blessed to race for Team USA, to win championships, and to stand on podiums around the world. But the moments I’ll carry with me forever are the ones off the podium — laughing in the truck with my team, shaking hands with a kid at his first race, swapping stories in the pits long after the sun goes down.
A Sport of Shared Battles
One thing people outside motocross might not understand is how much we go through together. Sure, we’re competitors, but we live the same grind: the endless travel, the cold mornings, the training sessions when no one is watching, and the crashes that test our limits. That’s why even our fiercest rivalries carry a bond — because deep down, we know what it takes just to be here.
Ken, I think you’d agree — every gate drop is more than just a race. It’s a celebration of the fact that we’ve made it to that line, through everything it took to get there.
Looking Ahead
The 2025 Motocross of Nations is coming up, and it’s going to be special — racing on home soil with Chase Sexton and Haiden Deegan, in front of the fans who have been with us through it all. I’m as motivated as I’ve ever been, but I’m also more aware than ever of how rare and precious these moments are.
Whether it’s my last MXoN or just another chapter, I’m going to soak in every second — and I know Ken will be giving it everything too, because that’s who he is.
Final Words
Ken, I’ll see you at the next gate drop. To the fans, I’ll keep giving you everything I have. And to the whole motocross community — thank you for making this journey what it is.
When I finally hang up the helmet for good, I won’t remember the lap times as much as I’ll remember the people, the battles, and the shared belief that we were all part of something bigger.
See you at the races,
Eli Tomac
If you want, I can also create a Ken Roczen reply letter to make it feel like a full public exchange between the two riders. That could really deepen the emotional impact of the piece.
