Our man Phil Nicoletti started outdoor testing for his Muc-Off/FXR ClubMX Yamaha team ahead of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship but he will be back racing in the 250SX East Region Championship this weekend at the St. Louis Supercross. Also, he'll continue answering your questions.
Got a question for Phil Nicoletti? Send it to Phil@racerxonline.com.
(Note: Some questions have been lightly edited for clarity.)
Phil,
How professional are the racers when they may be flying home for the weekend on the same flight? I wonder if there’s some tension if one rider may have snatched first place (and the prize money and points) from another rider via a block pass the night before and then the next day the same two riders are on an airplane together. Is it ever discussed at the airport or in the air or is it just held over till the next weekend?
Tony
Tony,
Honestly, not much is being said at the airports. A lot of people are on the same flights every weekend. It’s quite funny because there are 4-5 locations that are all going to: Orlando, Tampa, Charlotte, San Diego, and LAX. Most dramas stay at the track on Saturday. No one really gives a shit at 6 a.m. Sunday morning. I don’t think getting into it with someone at the airport is the smartest decision either. No one wants to end up on a no-fly list for a block pass on a Saturday night.
Phil,
I listened to a podcast Weege did with Aldon Baker and Aldon said even he’s super tired Sunday after flying back from a race, and he’s not even racing. Seems weird to me that a full night’s sleep after a huge output like racing isn’t a priority. Do you always take morning flights on Sunday? Do you nap when you get home? Are you even grumpier then usual on Sunday???
Tired Ed
Ed,
Sundays after a supercross are the absolute worst. Nothing like dragging out a supercross program from 9 a.m. track walk to ending of the 450 main event at 10:30 p.m. It is really, really dragged out. By the time the teams tear down, press conferences are done, and you stop to try and get food, we aren’t back at the hotel until 1 a.m. Most of the time everyone is on a 6 a.m. flight or 8 a.m. flight back to wherever the hell it is they are going. I always try and get home early, so I can just be home on my couch and chill.
I don’t really nap much to be honest. When I was with JGR, we would always take red eyes back from the California rounds, especially the Pro Motocross ones. You want to talk about taking destroying yourself. Do a Lucas Oil Pro Motocross race at Hangtown and hop on a red eye from Sacramento to Charlotte. It smashes any sort of hangover I’ve ever had! With all that being said, I don’t ride on Monday’s either because Sunday isn’t enough of a recovery day for me to be able to ride on Monday. I feel like dog shit. I choose to do a cycle and gym get the blood flow and ready for Tuesday. I know Aldon has his guys riding on Monday, and that’s why I’ll never be there training. HAHA!
Phil,
Hey dude, stop ignoring my pleas for advice. I tore my ACL. You got yours fixed last year. We both live in the same area. Tell me what I’m supposed to do and where I’m supposed to go, or I’ll pull this meager salary you’re supposed to get right out of your pocket!
And since I know you’re not gonna answer me again, tell me your philosophy on “pre-habbing” your leg muscles before surgery. Asking for a friend.
Weege
Ohhh Weege,
You sound like a lost puppy roaming around trying to find shelter out of the rain. If you’re having a lot of pain and there are other things wrong with it, then go get it fixed. If you plan on doing that though, my advice is to rehab it as much as possible and make it strong. At least 2-3 weeks of extensive rehab. It’ll help on the back end when you come out from under the knife. If you don’t have pain and it’s just loose and wobbly, I suggest not doing surgery right away and see if you can get strong and recovered with intense PT. That’s my option one, and I’ve had both my knees done. No matter what, whether you get surgery or you don’t, the knee is never the same again anyway. That’s just my opinion. Doctors get paid to cut you open, that’s how they make money. So do your best to see if it’s actually needed. A lot of athletes manage their life with no ACL just fine if there is no underlying pain. I went three years before fixing my first knee and it was perfectly fine. Don’t think getting the knife is your only solution.
