How One Rider Saved America from Humiliation (Jeffrey Herlings vs. Eli Tomac) (2023)

It was a dark day in American motocross. European rider, Jeffrey Herlings had just come over for a one-off, guest appearance race in the AMA National Pro Motocross Championship… And won. Even coming from last place after a first turn crash, all the way back up to lead before the chequered flag, passing Eli Tomac and all the rest of them along the way like they were standing still! But the real reason he was stateside? To acclimatize himself in preparation for the next round of his MXGP World Motocross Championship, which was set to take place in Jacksonville, Florida the following weekend. In light of all that’d happened, Tomac and a number of other American riders entered themselves as exhibitionists, and the world watched on with baited breath as it seemed like we were finally about to get a definitive answer to the age-old question… Who’s faster, Europeans or Americans?