Page 80 - ISSUE27

theGRIT
IMAGES/ KILPATRICK
8-8 moto scores aren’t Phils best results, he did on the other hand put in some of his best riding of the season. After Washougal all of the riders had a two week break in their schedule and it seemed to have rejuvenated the #34 Joe Gibbs Racing rider. Phil has always been good off of the starting gate and he did it again this weekend in his home state of New York. Phil was inside of the top 5 in the early stages of the first 450 race and looked to be comfortable, but yet again we seen him make a small mistake and drop outside of the top 10. It seemed as if a fire was under the butt of Nicoletti as he starting charging his way back towards the front and even took 7th place for a short period of time before Benny Bloss got back around him in the final stages of the race. Im not sure if it was the tricky track or the extreme heat conditions that got to Phil in the late stages of the races but after running inside of the top 5 for most of race two and actually being in the runner up position for a little while, he seemed to fade in the last 5 minutes. The New York Yankee themed gear may have been the key to Phils great riding this weekend and if so bring it next weekend to Budds Creek, even if the race is located in Mechanicsville, Maryland.
words/JOSHARMSTRONG
80 GRITMOTO • AUGUST.15.16