I'm not crying...you're crying... 
Phil Nicoletti Announces Retirement from Full-Time Racing at Conclusion of 2024 Season
Cochecton, NY (April 18, 2024) – Phil Nicoletti, a veteran of 18 full seasons in professional motocross and supercross, has announced his full-time racing career will conclude at the finale of the 2024 AMA season, with the SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) finale in September. Nicoletti currently rides for the Muc-Off/FXR/ClubMX Yamaha team in 250SX West Region division of Monster Energy AMA Supercross and will switch to the 450 class with the team for the upcoming AMA Pro Motocross Championship and the SMX Playoffs. He’ll continue to put in the work this season and try to provide more memorable moments, either good or bad, in typical “Filthy” Phil fashion.
“I actually made this decision at Anaheim 1,” says Nicoletti. “I rode press day, then I called my dad and told him, ‘It’s over.’ Just a feeling I had. Main thing, I just don’t have it in me anymore to take the chances I need to during the week. It’s not even a results thing, really. On race day adrenaline takes over and I feel like I can continue to be a fifth-to-seventh guy. But this sport is so freaking gnarly, you have to push to your limit every day even in practice. I don’t want to go search for tenths [of a second] on a random Tuesday. It used to piss me off when one of the kids went faster than me but lately, I’ve found myself not giving…a care about it on some days. I’ve loved the grind, but I always said as soon as I don’t want to do that anymore, I’m outta here.”
Nicoletti will attend press day at this weekend’s Nashville Supercross and East/West Showdown, and he’ll field any media questions there.
Phil, 35, raced a handful of pro races at the end of the 2006 and 2007 seasons, then followed that with 17 full seasons as a professional. He’s currently collected 71 total top-ten finishes in professional AMA competition. He scored fifth overall in the 2016 450 Pro Motocross Championship standings, as well as eighth in 2015 250 MX standings and sixth in 2018. In 2018, he also took an overall podium finish at his home Unadilla National. In 2019, Nicoletti ventured to Canada and scored the Rockstar Energy Triple Crown Championship, with the most combined points from Canadian Arenacross, Motocross, and Supercross. After COVID-19 cut the racing options in Canada, he returned to racing in the U.S. full time for 2022, including a return to AMA Supercross. He has since logged 11 top ten finishes in AMA Supercross despite also battling injuries and typical “bad news Phil” luck on the weekends.
Phil, always an innovator, will leave a legacy as the first rider to ever don the new “leader lights” in AMA Supercross when he led last year’s Anaheim 2 event. He also snagged a holeshot against the likes of Jett Lawrence and Cooper Webb at the second SMX event in 2023 and looks forward to trying to do that again this season. Nicoletti plans to stay around the racing scene once he retires from full-time racing but looks forward to never having to jump three-in to a rhythm section again
Damn
First AC now Phil. 2024 is crushing greats... whose next?
What a great career and a great announcement. You achieved what so many people never did, enjoy whatever comes next
Sure will miss you Phil. Stay involved in the sport so we can continue to enjoy your straight-forward style!
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Someone give that man a job in the industry!!!!!
Damn.
Thanks for the ride Philthy.
We’re losing one of the great personalities in moto! Cheers to you filthy 🍺
I’ll never forget Phil hopping into the Collegeboy class at Walden Mx on a 125, pulling the holeshot and jumping the entire gatorback that used to run along side the pond or when he went triple triple quad through the commandments at Hurricane Hills, gets back to the pits and screams;
“THIS HONDA IS SUCH A POS!!!”
Thanks for the memories Phillip 😂 👊🏼
Not the only one we miss in that pix
Got that right! 🙂
April 1st was weeks ago, not the moto news I expected to start the day off with! Congrats Phil: Thanks for your honest, humorous, and candid nature, in a sport that takes itself all too serious more often than not. Cheers
Phil adds much-needed color and transparency to our sport.
I'm picturing Dale Earnhardt winning the Daytona 500 and the entire pit row comes out to congratulate him. Except with Phil, we all give him the finger.
First order of business after retirement... grease the rollers on that garage door!
In all seriousness, congrats Phil on an awesome career!
He’s leaving a void that won’t be Phil’d. One of a kind type of guy, congratulations on a great career Phil.
Oh man! Congratulations Phil on a great career. You will be missed
No wonder he had his feet up in this photo I took of him in Anaheim....he was already thinking about relaxing in the recliner.
Well said.
Tearfully flipping the bird as a salute.
Pit Row
Phil has called it quits on his own terms after a pretty damn solid career. The doors within the industry are open for him. Whatever he chooses to pursue next he will succeed at. He has the foundation and work ethic to excel.
I fucking love the guy and I'm so happy for him. First class dude and I wish Phil all the best for the next chapter. Just like RC, Phil will always be remembered.
Thank you Phil....
Well, now he can just race part time as a Phil in rider
damn, auto correct
Where’s Phil?
Happy Retirement!
Probably JMart.
We will miss him.
Good one! 🙂
Maybe Feld can do an "Adult" Broadcast and have Phil to the play by play unedited!
Do not support this, my life is going to be so empty
Dude that ain't a bad idea... have Phil do a livestream watching the race but calling it as-is with f-bombs and everything.
Bit of a bummer, love it when he’s on camera. Will never forget the wild crash on the kawi.
Glad he’s going out on his terms, has had decent career
Worst news this week
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