COLT NICHOLS -GRIT 228 450MX

COLT NICHOLS | GRIT-228 | 450MX

With a path through the 2023 racing season that was unlike anyone else's, Oklahoma's Colt Nichols would take the road less traveled to arrive in the Pacific Northwest...but the number forty-five would be prepared (as always) once practice began for the round of Washougal. His smooth-flowing style would immediately mesh into the racing surface that was presented in Washington, where throttle control was a must and riding in a taller gear was more often displayed than not. Nichols embodied those two characteristics to the highest degree, which led to him generating a standing of eleventh (for practice) prior to beginning the opening racing trek of the afternoon. Amongst the first few laps of moto number-one, it would be Nichols who stood near a position just inside the top-fifteen, but displayed signs of moving forward as he swept through the switchback(s) after the finish-line. He would continuously launch over the infield anthill that sent him soaring into the flat-land thereafter; using every bit of suspension travel possible, while garnering time against those in the latter half of the top-ten. The Oklahoma native would toggle between skipping and leaping through the whoop section, exhibiting an efficient pathway nonetheless as he sped toward the finish line single. And after eventually zeroing-in on Freddie Noren, he would have to be mindful of Phil Nicoletti (as well) who was displaying a valiant charge of sorts from behind his rear wheel...and that's ultimately how the aforementioned trio of riders would finish - with Noren taking ninth, Nichols tenth, and Nicoletti eleventh, as well. Colt's initiation to the second-moto (following the restart) was a bit less than desired; but he would manage to gather a registry of seventeenth prior to beginning the latter afternoon quest. Nichols was stellar as he made moves quickly, avoiding the roughest of square-edged bumps while keeping the chassis as "light" as possible with a fluid style atop the Kawasaki frame. Lap after lap, he would proceed to fly over the single-tabletop "flyaway" jump nearing the finish-line with polished style, landing and attacking the left-handed corner thereafter with flawless technique. This would allow him to accrue time (and pass) Freddie Noren and Kyle Chisholm, as the field made their way around the halfway point. Once there, it was a race against time; in order to see how much of the gap he could diminish, on behalf of Phil Nicoletti who was in front of him. The veteran, ClubMX Yamaha rider was able to prolong his sense of stamina when it mattered most though, and kept Nichols at bay...where the former Supercross Champion (i.e. Nichols) would manage to reside tenth as the dust settled in Washington. And after garnering tenth overall, as well, a significant sum of points would be obtained on his behalf for the forthcoming SuperMotocross Championship!

More from GRIT