After touring the globe for races in Abu Dhabi and Australia, Filthy Phil Nicoletti is back for another edition of UnPhiltered. This week he gets into topics like bike tests, racing all over the world, and getting banned from Australia.
As always, if you have any questions or thoughts to share with Phil, send them on over to Phil@RacerXOnline.com.
Phil,
I just got done reading a motocross magazine bike shootout and it dawned on me, do you ever read bike shootouts? Do professional racers and privateers gain anything useful in helping them decide what team to pursue or what brand to try from a magazine or YouTube shootout?
-Jim
Jim,
I’m going to be honest with you: I have never ever read a bike shootout in my entire life. I mean, let’s be real: what bike is really THAT bad anymore? If you’re a vet guy, I’m sure you’ll do the same 3:30 lap time like Steve Matthes at Glen Helen Raceway at the World Vets regardless of what brand manufacturer you’re on. Every bike now is so good in stock form. Every engine, all brands, are really good, both on the 250 and 450. What we race is so much different compared to stock. But for me, I would really be keen to try a bike shootout now. Ride every bike in stock form, on the same track, where the variables are the same. I’m really curious to try every manufacturer's stock suspension setup. Everyone gets their suspension done, right? So it makes you wonder how much time actually gets put into a stock setting. It would be cool to see what bike I could go fastest on in stock form, and not on a bullshit track that’s flat, either. It'd be cool to try every bike and give a true read on what is good, and what is garbage.
-Phil
Phil,
Congrats on taking seventh place in Abu Dhabi. That’s pretty good, especially for a washed up retired guy. My question for you is, what’s it really like in Abu Dhabi? You see videos of all the nutty, theme park stuff they have and it’s made to seem like the whole place is like walking around a palace. Is it as extravagant as it’s presented? What’s the nuttiest thing you’ve seen/done over there?
-Stateside Samuel
Stateside,
Result was ehhh. The whole night came down to a qualifying time, so of course, my qualifying time was absolute shitttttt! I qualified 12th outta' 14, but when the gate dropped I made some moves and went 9-8-7. The start was so ghetto, short, and unfair. Abu Dhabi itself is a WERID PLACE! It’s like a utopia. I’ve been there twice now between last year and this year. Where we were at in Yas Island, where the F1 track is, is eerie. Not many people, but a lot of locals just standing around waiting to work. Very nice hotels, and amazing restaurants. A very, very clean city. Pretty much spotless. Dubai, is much bigger obviously, but to me it’s also still a weird deal. None of it makes sense to me. A lot of tourists there on vacation, spending money. But to me, that place isn’t a vacation spot, like, at all. It’s really hard to explain unless you go there yourself and feel the vibe. It might be up your alley, but that place isn’t for me.
-Phil
Semi-legal Phil,
I saw you raced down in Australia. That’s awesome, stoked you have the option to keep doing these fun races in retirement. I’m confused, however. I thought you had gotten banned from Australia? Am I wrong on that? Do I have my facts cross-rutted? What’s the story here?
-Anthony
Anthony,
Well, I was banned from Australia when I was a kid. Stuff had got messed up with my Visa, which I originally thought was being taken care of by the manufacturer. But it all comes back on me being a dumb kid and not following up, so I did get banned for seven years. But since then, I have now been back to Australia three times. Everything is good and old news. When I did get nailed I was 20 years old, and left the stuff to other people to figure out. Big lesson learned there, especially in this sport. But I love going back to Australia. It’s one of the best places for me to go. I have so many good friends there that I met back in 2011, so it’s always awesome to go back and see them. Not only that, but AUS-X was an unbelievable event. I hadn't had that much fun riding my dirt bike all year. The fans were unbelievable, the coffee was the best, the beer, the food, everything. If you want to take a vacation, come to Australia next year for AUS-X. You won’t be disappointed.
-Phil
