Privateer Profile: Phil Nicoletti
January 21, 2010, 10:22am
Sitting a mere three points outside the top ten in the Western Regional Lites division is New York native Phil Nicoletti. An amateur standout, Phil is no stranger to the pro paddock, but injuries have limited the 20-year-old’s supercross experience, to say the least. After finishing sixteenth at Anaheim 1, Phil came out even stronger in Phoenix, finishing tenth. As Anaheim continues to get hammered with rain this week, Phil’s east coast mud-riding background may come into play on Saturday night. We talked to him for today’s Privateer Profile.
Phil Nicoletti: The KTM is a great bike. To be honest, I was a little bit scared to ride it at first because you hear all of the rumors about it not having a linkage, but as soon as I rode it I loved it. I started out on a KTM450 and it’s been great. I moved to the 250F and started riding that in supercross and I really enjoy it.
Maybe in the near future you’ll be on a KTM350…
I don’t know what the future holds for me. Right now I’m just looking forward to Anaheim 2. But the 350 sounds like it’s going to be a great bike. I’m not really obligated to do anything right now, so I’m just taking it one day at a time.
For your sponsors on the AMA website it says “none.” What’s up with that?
I don’t know, I think I got to go to the AMA and fill out my sponsors again, because I have a ton of people backing me. I have the Alessi family, they’ve been helping me out, giving me a place to stay. Through them I’m getting help from KTM and their Factory Services program. They’re doing my suspension and motors and it’s been really good. The past two years have been a huge struggle for me, so I just need to get back to my old self. I’m finally healthy, which I haven’t been, so everything is going good right now. I’m on a pretty solid program, using Mike’s trainer, and I’m in good shape.
How’s Victorville compared to New York?
I kind of miss the green scenery of New York, but I don’t really care as long as I’m riding.
Slow and steady. I don’t have a base or foundation, but before the season I sat down with Tony Alessi and we kind of wrote out a regiment of what I want to do for the supercross season. I don’t have any expectations. The west coast is stacked, there’s no doubt about it. A podium for me, I’m probably going to say it’s a little far, but a top five would be great. I’m just looking for a seventh through twelfth right now. The last two years I placed my expectations way too high, so I just want to set something that’s realistic and go from there.
But this was my first top ten from the past two years, and for me it feels like a win. I know it probably sounds bad to say, but for me it just takes a huge load off my shoulders. I’m just going to keep working from there.
You’re just building up confidence.
Exactly. You know, last year I totally blew out my knee during supercross and missed almost all of the outdoors—I shouldn’t have done the last four, I came back a little too early. But, all that stuff happens for a reason and I’m here where I’m at now and I couldn’t be happier.
A lot of people were probably scratching their heads when they saw the #175. Why did you change your number?
Well, I didn’t get a national number, and my amateur number had always been #71. I was looking at #715, but that was taken, so I just wanted to keep the seven and the one together. I like it.
Since being up here with the Alessis, I was going to run #802 since everyone thinks I’m part of the family now. People have been calling me 'Nicolessi!'
Nicolessi! That’s good! So, what’s the plan for the outdoors?
I’m not sure if I’m going to run a 250F or a 450. I’d like to stay on KTMs because I really like the bikes. I may go to Florida and ride with Mike, or I may stay out here with my mechanic, Terry Varner. It’s still up in the air at the moment.
Well, whatever you choose to do, good luck, man. Who do you want to thank for helping you out, Phil?
Yeah, I’d like to thank the Alessi family, Doctor Moreska at St. Lawrence Radiology, Terry Varner, my mechanic, Moose, Scott, KTM Factory Services, Twin Air, Renthal, MGX Unlimited, Alpinestars, Bel-Ray, FMF, Hothedz Designs, Boyesen and Cycra.
Phil Nicoletti: The KTM is a great bike. To be honest, I was a little bit scared to ride it at first because you hear all of the rumors about it not having a linkage, but as soon as I rode it I loved it. I started out on a KTM450 and it’s been great. I moved to the 250F and started riding that in supercross and I really enjoy it.
Maybe in the near future you’ll be on a KTM350…
I don’t know what the future holds for me. Right now I’m just looking forward to Anaheim 2. But the 350 sounds like it’s going to be a great bike. I’m not really obligated to do anything right now, so I’m just taking it one day at a time.
For your sponsors on the AMA website it says “none.” What’s up with that?
I don’t know, I think I got to go to the AMA and fill out my sponsors again, because I have a ton of people backing me. I have the Alessi family, they’ve been helping me out, giving me a place to stay. Through them I’m getting help from KTM and their Factory Services program. They’re doing my suspension and motors and it’s been really good. The past two years have been a huge struggle for me, so I just need to get back to my old self. I’m finally healthy, which I haven’t been, so everything is going good right now. I’m on a pretty solid program, using Mike’s trainer, and I’m in good shape.
How’s Victorville compared to New York?
I kind of miss the green scenery of New York, but I don’t really care as long as I’m riding.
Slow and steady. I don’t have a base or foundation, but before the season I sat down with Tony Alessi and we kind of wrote out a regiment of what I want to do for the supercross season. I don’t have any expectations. The west coast is stacked, there’s no doubt about it. A podium for me, I’m probably going to say it’s a little far, but a top five would be great. I’m just looking for a seventh through twelfth right now. The last two years I placed my expectations way too high, so I just want to set something that’s realistic and go from there.
But this was my first top ten from the past two years, and for me it feels like a win. I know it probably sounds bad to say, but for me it just takes a huge load off my shoulders. I’m just going to keep working from there.
You’re just building up confidence.
Exactly. You know, last year I totally blew out my knee during supercross and missed almost all of the outdoors—I shouldn’t have done the last four, I came back a little too early. But, all that stuff happens for a reason and I’m here where I’m at now and I couldn’t be happier.
A lot of people were probably scratching their heads when they saw the #175. Why did you change your number?
Well, I didn’t get a national number, and my amateur number had always been #71. I was looking at #715, but that was taken, so I just wanted to keep the seven and the one together. I like it.
Since being up here with the Alessis, I was going to run #802 since everyone thinks I’m part of the family now. People have been calling me 'Nicolessi!'
Nicolessi! That’s good! So, what’s the plan for the outdoors?
I’m not sure if I’m going to run a 250F or a 450. I’d like to stay on KTMs because I really like the bikes. I may go to Florida and ride with Mike, or I may stay out here with my mechanic, Terry Varner. It’s still up in the air at the moment.
Well, whatever you choose to do, good luck, man. Who do you want to thank for helping you out, Phil?
Yeah, I’d like to thank the Alessi family, Doctor Moreska at St. Lawrence Radiology, Terry Varner, my mechanic, Moose, Scott, KTM Factory Services, Twin Air, Renthal, MGX Unlimited, Alpinestars, Bel-Ray, FMF, Hothedz Designs, Boyesen and Cycra.
