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A rather unusual 20th qualifying position left the New England Patriot with an uncharacteristic mediocre gate choice. As he unleashed the torching YZF450 motor package to the High Point landscape, Phil came away with an eighth place start, looking to be a mainstay in the top ten. That he did, as he held the position nearing the halfway point. With fatigue beginning to set in, and sweat dampening the foam of his goggle lenses, until a critical mistake pushed him to the twelfth position as the laps dwindled on.
Overcoming all types of adversity, Phil would go on to take 11th for the opening festivities. It appeared as though there were a mystic attraction between both he and the number “11.” Hovering amongst the largest names in the sport, Nicoletti stood eleventh with the moto winding down. The JGR mechanics clapping in unison for the native New Yorker, as he had been overlooked many times before, but yet again was proving his worth and holding his own against both teammates and the rest of the field. Consistency is key, and that’s exactly the word used to describe his High Point performance. Solid, an 11-11 for eleventh overall is noteworthy and able of much praise Nicoletti most certainly deserves.
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