It’s Friday, and you know what that means! Just one more day until the gate drops on another round of Monster Energy AMA Supercross! Oh, yeah, and the Philthiest column in all of motocross goes live today too.
This week Phil Nicoletti gets into the mud and chaos of San Francisco, barely missing out on a podium finish, and growing up in the mud. Remember, send your questions to phil@racerxonline.com.
Phil,
You looked good Saturday night in San Francisco, we were all rooting for you. Here’s another handguard question but this one is completely different. Offroad style Elephant Ear handguards are great to have when riding in the mud, yet nobody was running them Saturday, which strikes me as odd. Are they against the rules in supercross? If so, why? A rider with dry hands and gloves is a safer rider.
-Centerpunch
Centerpunch,
I appreciate it mate! But the hand guard questions kill me. I hate hand guards so much and the way they look. I don’t even know what the f$$$ elephant ear hand guards even are. I refuse to even look them up. I’d rather wear the old school MSR gloves with the padding in the knuckles like when I was a kid instead of hand guards. My mechanic, Jonsey [Mike Jones], is fairly new to me, but not at being a mechanic, so he didn’t know my stance on handguards. I rolled up Saturday morning and hand guards were on my bike and told him to get those damn things off immediately. I’m just not a handguard guy. But yes, they do help with keeping your hands cleaner and they block roost. They help block cold air, etc. But I hate them.
-Phil
I’m bummed you didn’t hang on for a podium. I was genuinely saddened. Anyway, did you get the chance to watch Chase Sexton’s start at San Fran? I’m not sure I’ve ever seen such a quick launch. How do you think he did that? Fast reaction, or he guessed?
Thank you,
Stan The Stump Grinder
Stan,
You and I both were saddened. I wanted to ride my scooter into oncoming traffic on the way back from the stadium to the pits after the main. Wish it was a little better, but it for sure could have been a helluva lot worse! But Sexton’s start was absolutely insane. Insane. When I watched it on TV in the pits, I thought for sure he jumped the gate. He had such a gnarly jump he caused Aaron Plessinger to do a burnout bigger than Dale Sr. at Daytona. That was literally a do-or-die move. I’m not sure if he’s said the gate flinched or not. Haven’t heard his thoughts on it. But that was a power move, regardless, and saved him from a shit ton of chaos. He almost threw it away in the first corner, but he got it done. But if Chase guessed that I hope he went and bought Powerball tickets, because his luck was all time that night.
-Phil
Factory Phil,
Unreal night in SF!! Making the northeast boys proud that you haven’t forgotten how to ride in the mud. Your performance brought me back to the mudder at Broome’s amateur day (circa 2003?) with the Alessis, Dougherty, Picone, Toth, Mulcahy, Lindsay, Hutson, Scalise, and maybe Chatfield, where you arguably should’ve won, but that’s another story. Anyway, were these the worst conditions you’ve ever raced in, or does another come to mind? Loretta’s, Broome, Walden, Frozen Ocean, etc. immediately come to mind for me. You’ve seen it all so I’m curious if you have a crazy mud race memory.
Side Note: I called my old man the next day and the first thing he said was “Phil should’ve been on the F_€(ing box”. I traveled from Boston to Florida in bad weather and you won the conversation!
One Love,
-KCarp
KCarp,
Thanks, buddy, I appreciate it! Obviously through 30 years of racing and riding a dirt bike, there have been some WILD CONDITIONS. The number of mud races I did growing up is actually pretty wild. But not just the races. When I was a kid, I had a practice bike that was designated for just mud riding. My dad always made me a mud practice bike. It was always a year older model than my current bikes that I had for that year. I wasn’t even allowed to jump it, just because it was a beater bike haha. I also grew up riding snowmobile trails with Trelleborg studded winter tires. I would go for miles and miles with an extra gallon of fuel in a backpack. Those were the f@)&%!? days!
But those names you mentioned are some true OG’s who I spent a lot of my childhood racing. Also, each one of those guys were good mud riders in their own regard! I remember that Broome race when the Alessis showed up from California. Broome’s mud was never really that bad, because the ground was always quite hard and the water would just run off the hills. The roadside section always collected a lot of water. Loretta’s mudders ALWAYS sucked, and they still do to this day. Tracks that are flat never work well when it’s pouring.
The worst track for mud to me, and this has been a constant since the 65cc days, is High Point. I’ve had some stressful mud days there, whether it was an area qualifier, regional, or AMA national. The hills and off-cambers when High Point is muddy are gnarly as well. There is not one specific mud race. They are always tough as shit.
-Phil
