Phillip Nicoletti

With the circuit in Glendale possessing a bit more of an outdoor feel than when compared to other SX courses, many in the industry presumed that Phil Nicoletti would thrive as speeds amplified on Saturday. Their hypothesis was correct as the veteran battled amongst the front of the pack, diving into the sand with his front wheel in rotation, blasting berms as if he were carving through the valley of Southwick, Massachusetts in the outdoor championship! His persona on the bike was one that radiated confidence, and led him to a position of fourth in the earliest of stages while race leader, Levi Kitchen, sought to break away from the field. Nicoletti wasn’t one to override the course, and instead, let the narrative of this sprint unfold as he moved forward with calculation; finding the smoothest lines of the whoop section(s) while keeping the chassis loose at the height of third gear. Passing by the mechanic’s area as he stormed through the halfway point, he could see that of Julien Beaumer only a few seconds ahead (despite being previously overtaken by the KTM rider)...yet the gap would be too much to try and omit. Therefore as the checkered flag was thrown, “Filthy” was categorized in fourth; only losing one position (in totality) to the aforementioned rookie, before exiting the raceway. After showcasing numerous instances of brilliance in week’s past, Nicoletti knew that a solid sequence of opening laps would have to be displayed in order to stay on pace with those who led (including Levi Kitchen, Jordon Smith, and RJ Hampshire). As opponents began to march on their respective paths, the number thirty-six of Nicoletti had generated a flow that equated to a roughly seventh-place position, and looked solid doing it. Though not necessarily a rider to praise track designs that embodied large and technical rhythm lanes, Phil rose to the occasion even with the track breaking down; tripling past the plateau in the rhythm section after the finish line, even with Hunter Yoder not far behind. The process of staying strong through laps seven and eighth were crucial if he wanted to secure a top-ten standing. Yet as blue-grooved lines appeared and throttle control became paramount, the ClubMX rider would thrive. Constant shuffling between he, Robbie Wageman, and Hunter Yoder would create quite the spectacle for fans to view; with many clapping with applause as the veteran sped forward! Ultimately securing eighth while making definite moves on both aforementioned opponents, Nicoletti’s momentum when going into the considerable break was tangible and very well-respected.