You know it still crosses my
mind for sure. I might do a race
or something this winter, maybe
the Superprestigio in December,
but I don’t know. People always
say ‘it will be fun, come back and
do a race’ but for me, fun is not
just showing up, unprepared and
running around in the back. Fun
is being competitive. It’s getting
close to 15 years since I’ve done
it. I did win my last ever Grand
National Dirt Track, so that’s also
kind of a nice way to go out, but
we will see what happens down
the road. Honestly I’m not really
thinking about it right now.
With the level Henry Wiles and
those guys are at now, do you
think it would take a bit of work
to get back to the sharp end?
I’m sure of it. I mean it’s like
anything, those guys they are
the professionals. Technology
hasn’t changed a lot in dirt track
and neither has the riding level
really. You will see guys that stay
out of the races for a while or
maybe retire and then come back
competitive. It’s a simple sport,
but it’s the simplicity that makes it
so hard. I don’t know, I spoke with
Shaun Russell at Indy and he told
me that some guys who are still
doing it, say the pace hasn’t really
changed that much. They tell
me, ‘yeah it’s not gonna be easy’
but that I could still do it. I have
respect for the guys racing now. I
don’t think it would be as easy as
some people think it would be for
me. They think I can just show up
and do it, but it’s never like that.
You have separated from Aldon
Baker (current trainer to Ken
Roczen, Ryan Villopoto and
Adam Cianciarulo). Do you still
use a personal trainer or do
you take care of things yourself
now?
Yeah I still have a trainer who
does my program. I’m not with
him every day like on Aldon’s
program, but it’s been good. I’ve
actually learned some new stuff.
I spent a lot of time with Aldon
and we are still friends. We still
speak and sometimes even train
together, but I changed it up a bit
in recent years, got a bit older so
you know…
£ The first improvement
Nicky noticed on the new
bike was the power!
Will you go to California again
to take advantage of the
weather and put in most of your
cycling miles out there?
In the winter yes, once the
weather gets bad in Kentucky. I
will be home for Christmas and
Thanksgiving etc. but when the
weather turns, I will base myself
out there which will be nice.
Normally my brothers are around
so I have some good training
partners. We are in the sunshine,
plus it’s a lot easier to get out
to Malaysia for the pre-season
testing from California.
So will we see you hanging out
at Anaheim for the opening
round of the supercross
season?
I haven’t looked at the exact dates
yet but I would hope to be there
for at least one or two rounds.
When you are out there do you
get a lot of media attention,
given both your status and the
fact that your partner also has
her own TV show in the US? Are
you guys a bit of a celeb couple
with paparazzi attention?
Nah, not on that level. I mean
bike racing in America is not
mainstream. There are areas
where they know it but it’s not like
basketball or anything so it works
out fine.
Cheers Nicky, we would like to
wish you all the best for next
season and hope everything
works out with the injury and
the new motorcycle, so good
luck in 2015.
Thanks Michael. T
p. Aspar Team
Regarding dirt track racing, do
you have any aspirations to go
back and race the top guys at
the TT’s or anything?