The first round in Charlotte is a home race for our team. With the facility only one hour away from the racetrack, we will have plenty of fans on hand to show their support. Getting to this point has been an interesting ride if you look back at the trials and tribulations of each rider along the way. Words: Mike Bonacci of ClubMX
One thing you cannot deny this group is their perseverance to fight through adversity in many ways it was presented in 2024. Now it is PAYDAY. They work all season long to get in the position of eligibility for the SMX rounds and our young(ish) team had moderate success – two are straight in and two are in the LCQ. Thankfully, Phil is not the latter. To make every effort in these playoff rounds, Dirt Wurx was back to build a spec SMX track that has been used extensively over the last few weeks. On the other side of the road, our crew built an elevated start area to mimic what we will see in Charlotte. The influx of riders from the 65 cc All Stars to top level pros have been putting time on the tracks, making them as challenging as possible.
PHIL NICOLETTI #36: Ironman was a great way to finish the last motocross race of his career. Phil put the effort into training the week prior, put the effort in for qualifying and put the effort in for the race and ended up with his best result of the season at P7 overall. With his family in attendance, he put in the performance of the year and saved the best for last. While others might be mailing it in for the last race, Phil wanted it to be one to remember and it was just that!. This photo encapsulates Phil’s season along with his determination. Another holeshot! Imagine being the oldest guy in the class and lining up against the greatest 450 riders in the world and beating them to the line AGAIN! It is truly a testament to his skill on a bike and the bike itself. If anyone doubts the power of the ClubMX Yamaha, keep reading into Coty’s paragraph. Now on to SMX – Phil is seeded P16 overall. The spread from P16 to P20 three races prior was only nine points. He got to work in those last three rounds and built up a points differential of fifty-three points, securing himself solidly in the top twenty and well clear of any LCQ threat. We joke about it from last year, but there was no way he wanted that stress again. So with more training under his belt on tracks perfectly suited for SMX, Phil will once again put his skills on display for the world to see. Grab your popcorn folks – it is going to be a show to watch.
COTY SCHOCK #69: The pain tolerance this dude has is unbelievable. What you did not see at Ironman was the abuse his body took from a crash in the first moto. He was ejected off his bike and then got caught up between the rear wheel and fender of his competitor. I rushed back between the 250 and 450 moto to check on him – he was hunched over in a chair with his jersey in shreds. The tire from the bike had ripped skin off his back like a cheese grater and the muffler from the bike had burned his stomach in a sixteen-inch area. I rushed him to the medical unit, where he could get some much-needed attention. I then ran back to the track for the 450 race and radioed the crew that it was unlikely we would see him line up for the second moto. They actually laughed and reminded me who we were dealing with – Coty Schock. To only my surprise he lined up for the second moto with an outside gate pick and next to the recently crowned champion. When the gate dropped, he outran all but two bikes including the
aforementioned, to cross the line P3 and once again proving these Yamahas are fast! With the adrenaline pumping, he ran up front for a good portion of the race. I “Googled” determination last week and his picture showed up first. As for SMX – his is solidly in the seeded category at P15. These tracks are more in his wheelhouse so we are excited to see what he has in store for these three races. Let us not forget that he finished third in Supercross this year so do not leave him out of the conversation.
MARK FINEIS #705: Mark has been in a bit of a rut in the last few rounds but can bounce back at any time. At Ironman, he needed to score seven points to get in the SMX LCQ position and got close with six. With a few riders not able to race, he was able to make it in the top thirty. Having the same opportunity on the training tracks these last few weeks, the change of scenery seems to agree with him. Being a good starter and riding a fast bike could be just the right combination for him to advance to the main event in Charlotte. The cooler temperatures, the home track advantage and the shorter races all play in his favor. With three riders projected to advance from the LCQ to the main event, he could easily be one.
JETT REYNOLDS: Jett returns to racing this weekend! Withshoulder fixed, he has been training extensively to get ready for the SMX LCQ as well. 99 points for the 99 – if you are a fan of numerology – this is good. If you recall, he was making steady strides up and through Washougal where he scored his first top ten of the season and felt good doing it. Yes there were setback but we still believe this kid has “it”. In Charlotte, you will be reminded just how good a starter he is. Having the teammates in the LCQ is going to be more than exciting, knowing they have fast bikes – it is now up to them to show what they can do.
RaiseIt4USA: The website www.RaiseIt4USA.com is live. We have collected quite a few items to raffle off and raise money for the teams representing the USA at the MXoN event in October. One of the most recent additions was an autographed jersey from Jalek Swoll. His recent accomplishments will draw some interest. Please check out the site and help to promote it. In addition, items for sale like T-Shirts, hats and sock are available online and at the Moto Tees trucks at the races.
Image: ClubMX
