With Broc Tickle out for the remainder of Lucas Oil Pro Motocross due to a shoulder injury, RCH/Yoshimura Suzuki announced yesterday that Matt Bisceglia will fill-in for the remainder of the series.
The former Horizon Award winner signed with AutoTrader.com/JGR Suzuki this off-season to ride the RM-Z250 but has yet to compete in the 2017 season due to separate leg injuries. With the JGR truck already at capacity with Justin Barcia, Weston Peick, Kyle Cunningham, and the impending return of Phil Nicoletti at Unadilla, the move to RCH makes sense for both sides.
“I’ve been hurt for a while so I haven’t raced yet this summer,” said Bisceglia in a team statement. “I was planning on coming back this weekend regardless and then obviously I got the call to ride the RM-Z450 for RCH. My fitness feels good. I’ve been doing long motos during the week, but obviously nothing compares to race pace. Throughout the injuries and everything else I’ve dealt with this year, I’ve done my best to stay in shape off the bike no matter what I’m doing. That’s definitely helped with all that. It’s a big confidence booster knowing that I’m on a bike that is capable of winning races and being under the tent with a team that can win. That does a lot for your confidence. I’m confident in the bike, too, so I’m excited to get some time on it and then show up and see what we can do at Millville.”
Bisceglia, 22, made seven starts in the 450 Class last year with Yoshimura Suzuki, filling-in for Blake Baggett and James Stewart, finishing 15th in 450MX points. In 14 motos raced in 2016, Bisceglia had nine top 10 moto finishes. Bisceglia will make his season debut this weekend at Millville alongside former GEICO Honda teammate Justin Bogle.
“As much as we’re all bummed for Broc, it’s going to be a lot of fun to have Matt racing with us,” said Bogle. “We know each other really well and have spent a bunch of time together. We were teammates in the past so it’s good to have him on a Suzuki with RCH for the rest of the season.”
“I’m excited,” added Bisceglia. “We were teammates for a year or two back in our Honda days. Beyond that, he was from Oklahoma and I was from Texas. We grew up together and raced each other a lot before we turned pro. It will be cool. Justin and I get along so I’m looking forward to racing out of the same tent with him this weekend and the rest of the summer.”
