Page 53 - GRIT26

theGRIT
IMAGES / WONDERGOAT
Filthy Phil Nicoletti finally put together a complete moto during the second moto at Millville last weekend and
intended on improving upon it at Washougal. He struggled a bit in qualifying practice only coming away with the
seventeenth fastest lap time but he knew a great start would jumpstart his day. When the gate dropped for moto number one Nicoletti zoomed forward and right into the lead. The JGR Yamaha rider knew what he needed and went out and got it. He looked fresh and fast and led the first lap until the very end when Roczen just edged him out for the lead. After falling back to second he would lose a few more spots in the first few laps and settled into fifth. He was looking strong when the veteran Andrew Short slid in behind him and began applying pressure. The two would battle and Nicoletti would hold him off for a few laps before Short would make a pass stick. Nicoletti never really let Short get away and actually reeled him back in during the latter stages of the moto. He, Short and Bloss would all go at it and their battle would end with Nicoletti besting the two BTO Sports KTM riders securing fourth place in the moto. It was Phil’s best performance of
the season by far and best finish since Glen Helen two years ago. Nicoletti was riding high after that stellar first moto ride but would almost immediately suffer a set back in the second moto. He went down in the second corner and started the moto way behind. He received the green flag in thirty-second place but started to put on a charge. He was all the way up to seventeenth just ten minutes into the race and didn’t settle there. He sliced up to eleventh with five minutes left in the race and that is where his charge would end. He wasn’t able to back up his first moto finish with another solid result but he showed true fight and resilience. His 4-11 scores would be good enough for eighth overall tying his season best finish.
words/SETHHARNISHFEGER
53
WWW.GRITMOTO.COM