On Track Off Road No.183

Feature
If I could say anything to young kids to
try to help then it would probably be
about that sacrifice it takes to be at the
top level, and try to show up every single
time as focused as possible to do the job
at hand. And try to stay healthy!”
Factory rides are few and far between,
and talent is abundant. So abundant that
the competition for the top saddles in the
entry level Supercross 250SX class these
days starts well before budding athletes
turn Pro. The trend that started when
Nichols was younger has now intensified.
“To see how it’s evolved is kind of crazy,”
Nichols opined. “Now there are some
kids that are getting signed to professional
deals, and they’re 14 years old.
They’re still on minibikes. They haven’t
even quite made it to big bikes yet. It’s
rapidly, rapidly changing. Everybody always
wants the ‘next great thing’. That’s
in every sport, not just ours. It’s definitely
changing pretty quick.”
Like I said, if people wouldn’t have
signed me when I was 13, I wouldn’t
have known what to do with it. Even
when I was 16, I didn’t know what to do
with it. So it kind of took me a few years
to find my stride and realize what was
going on. The landscape is tough right
now. But all you can do, if you love dirt
bikes and you really enjoy this stuff, you
go out and you try your hardest, even if
you’re going to school or doing whatever.
I’m a testament to that: you can actually
still go get it done and sign with a
factory team and live out your dream.”
Looking ahead, will there be another
opportunity for ‘another Colt Nichols’?
Nichols definitely hasn’t seen the signs
of a shift on the horizon and is quite
honest about the fact that what worked
for him might not necessarily work for
everyone else.
From Nichols’ experience he sees a few
red flags. “In order to compete with
those kids getting opportunities parents
think they have to pull their kid out of
school and homeschool them and travel
the world and go to all these training
facilities. That’s what they want. I just
feel that’s asking for disaster. Then the
parents are relying on the kid and it’s
already giving him so much pressure at a
young age. They’re already looked at like
a make-it-or-break-it. They’re so young.
I just think that’s tough. I think that’s
unfair for the kids.”
“I really wish there was a different way to
go about the amateur racing scene and
get it revised in some way.