North Racing Inc. Unadilla Race Report
New Berlin, NY - North Racing's Jimmy Decotis finished with his best overall finish of the year at Unadilla. Following a strong holeshot, Decotis finished 11th the first moto. He continued strong in the second moto as he jockeyed for a top position in a tight pack. Unfortunately, following a first turn pile up, Decotis fell back and was forced to work his way back to a 27th place finish. Decotis finished in 17th overall for the day.
"I felt great," said Decotis. "I loved the track and felt strong at the start of the second moto, when all of a sudden bam! I found myself under a heap of bikes in the first turn."
"The first moto gave me a confidence boost and convinced me that I can run in the top 10," continued Decotis. "I'm looking forward to Southwick in two weeks."
North Racing's Mike Picone finished 26th and 19th respectively, and ended the day with an overall 23rd finish. Picone fell on the first lap in moto one and fell into last place by over 15 seconds. Picone worked tirelessly to regain positioning and climb back to 26th.
"I was impressed with Mike's riding," said Team Manager John Gaumond. "But what really impressed me was his endurance and never-surrender attitude."
NRi's Robby Marshall qualified 24th at Unadilla, but had a tough finish due to a back injury sustained when his rear shock seized as he landed hard on a table top. Last season Marshall finished 16th overall at Unadilla and won the Muscle Milk Recovery Award for improving 19 positions and finishing 10th in the second moto.
This year was less successful, as Marshall finished a respectable 20th in the first moto but finished 33rd in the second run after bowing out due to injury. Marshall was taken to the hospital with a pinched nerve and compressed disc, he was released Monday morning and is expected to race Southwick in two weeks.
Loretta Lynn graduate's AJ Catanzaro and Jason Brooks were under the NRi canopy this weekend in their first pro event. During practice sessions, Catanzaro and Brooks finished 2nd and 3rd respectively, giving them a 31st and 33rd qualifying time.
Catanzaro finished 29th in moto one and 25th in moto two for a 29th overall, while Brooks went 23rd and 31st for a 30th overall.
"Both riders impressed me," said NRi Owner David Briggs. "To come to your first national with a stacked 250 class and qualify takes a lot of work, nevermind finish in the top 30."
Finally, North Racing accomplished a rare feat at Unadilla by qualifying all five of their riders for the 9th round of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship. Such success usually eludes privateer teams and is typically reserved for the factory teams. On Saturday, Jimmy Decotis, Mike Picone, Robby Marshall, AJ Catanzaro and Jason Brooks all made the big show at Unadilla and all earned respectable finishes. Each rider would like to extend a sincere thanks to their sponsors and supporters.
About North Racing Incorporated
North Racing Incorporated (NRi) is a leading experiential marketing agency that specializes in the sport of dirt bike racing. Headquartered in North Attleboro, MA, NRi pairs brands with teams to ignite emotional bonds between fans and brands. Currently, NRi fields professional teams in the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship and the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series. To discuss partnership opportunities please email sponsorship@northracing.com or contact Adam Noble at 508-954-8811.
