Phil Nicoletti, the 2019 Rockstar Energy Triple Crown Champion and 450 Supercross Champion in Canada, will return to U.S. racing to compete in the upcoming 2021 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship. The season begins May 29th at Fox Raceway in California. “Filthy Phil” will join the Yamaha squad on a Yamaha YZ450F to compete in the 450MX division, while the rest of the team will remain Yamaha YZ250F mounted in the 250 MX class.
“I really enjoyed my two years racing in Canada but some of the teams and deals were no longer available,” said Nicoletti. “At the same time, I don’t feel like I’m done. I think I have some time left in me and Brandon [Haas] and everyone at has been able to put together a competitive program so I can go racing back home. I still love the grind of the great outdoors and it’s been fun to get back into the swing of it over the last few weeks.”
In his previous U.S. season, Nicoletti took sixth in the 2018 450 MX standings, and scored an overall 450 podium at the Unadilla National. He scored fifth place in the 450MX Pro Motocross standings in 2016 and a moto podium at the Glen Helen national in 2015. Racing in Canada for the Rockstar Energy Drink OTSFF Yamaha team in 2019 and 2020, Nicoletti won the 2019 Rockstar Energy Triple Crown with the best combined results from the Arenacross, Supercross and Motocross campaigns, and also collected the Canadian 450 Supercross Championship. Nicoletti was in contention for the Canadian Motocross National Championship last year with four podiums in the first four races, but a hand injury ended his season early. Nicoletti will spend the spring preparing at the ClubMX facility in preparation for the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross kickoff in California on May 29th.
Words: Press Release
