Jake Nicholls interview - Winner

Posted on August 13, 2018

Buildbase Honda rider Jake Nicholls is holding court in this year’s British MX1 championship and looking likely to become the 2018 British MX1 champion, in what he describes as not serious racing. Without doubt, even at British level, the racing is serious, and beating GP riders like Graeme Irwin, Tommy Searle and Evgeny Bobryhev isn’t something that many motocross riders in the World can claim fame to.

Having won last weekend, in the most recent round of the Maxxis British Motocross championship at the very tough Hawkstone Park circuit, the veteran of British motocross has put himself in line for a possible ride for Team GB at this years Monster Energy Motocross of Nations, set for a circuit Nicholls has already raced in 2018, the famous Redbud facility in USA.

We caught up with Nicolls and talked about his win last weekend, his RedBud experience and many other subjects, including the ridiculous speed of the fastest man on the planet, Jeffrey Herlings.

MXlarge: First, congratulations on the weekend. Can you explain your weekend for me, how it went?

Nicholls: Yes, first race I got the holeshot, and led the whole race. The track was difficult, wet in the morning and Hawkstone is always a hard track anyway. It was similar to the International really the conditions. I had pressure the whole race from different people. I dealt with it pretty well, and I was using too much energy, not panicking, but I had so much pressure. Irwin was close in the end and I did just enough. The second moto I did the sighting lap and felt a little tired, like I needed a boost of sugar or something. I got a good start, but Tommy (Searle) got the holeshot and I have raced him for years and knew he would push really hard for a few laps.  He really sprinted and I balls-up the first lap and he got away and I knew I couldn’t push at that speed without making a big mistake. I was second for the whole race, then got passed and passed back, then I had like three people on me, and Bobryshev passed me and I squared him up and passed him back, we were all going at it and it was so much fun. I hung in there until the end and got second and the overall.

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MXlarge: Obviously the previous round you lost some points to Bobby, and then getting some back on him, you must be feeling confident for the championship now? Are you a bit surprised Bobby hasn’t been more up front on more occasions?

Nicholls: I think he isn’t riding too bad, I think he is doing well.  I am riding better than I ever have and like any National, we are quick on our own tracks. I think he has been fine in both MXGP and British are not too bad. I guess I have been a bit more consistent, every week.

MXLarge: How are you enjoying your racing now. I know you got sick of MXGP and its very competitive, but you mentioned to me that you are riding better than ever, so you must be enjoying yourself again?

Nicholls: I am just so happier, I have a team that has a budget that doesn’t need to go over to get to Grand Prix’s. So we have better bikes because of that and every weekend I get in my little camper and drive maximum six hours. Then I get home Sunday night and go to work on Monday. Its just fun and more fun that its ever been. I am now in the family business and I have real life stress and its put the racing into perspective, and its just fun. Yesterday I didn’t have one lap where I didn’t have pressure, but I just had a smile on my face and didn’t let it bother me at all. It is so easy to get caught up in the GPs and the racing and the pressure. I did far too much when I was doing GPs, too much training, too much pressure on myself. Now I ride two times a week, I don’t train as much, and I don’t think about it as much. I mean I still live and breathe it, but it’s fun now.

MXlarge: You did that AMA National round at Redbud. Its clear the Nationals don’t have the depth they once had, but still you arrived and worked out of your suit case and did pretty well.

Nicholls: I felt ok, but they way I rode I wouldn’t have gotten top 12 in a GP. I was on a borrowed by, pretty standard and it was a really deep track and sandy. I was really nervous, but the track, or that Larocco leap was scary and hard to do, and I didn’t do it until the sighting lap. It made me nervous and it wasn’t ideal. It was a good weekend, and I rode well and maybe I could have gotten top 12 in a GP if I rode like that, but there is no hiding that it is nowhere near as deep as a Grand Prix, there is no hiding that.

MXLarge: So you rode the Redbud track, and this week the British team will be decided. Are you in line to be selected? Have you heard from Mark at all about it?

Nicholls: I actually rented Mark some diggers last week, because he ran an event last weekend. He basically said there are four of us in the running, and as far as I am aware, Ben Watson is a given on the 250, and the 450 rides are between Max (Anstie), Tommy (Searle) and myself.

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MXlarge: You have ridden for Britain before, right?

Nicholls: Yes, three times.

MXlarge: If you got picked this year, you have ridden redbud, and talking to a lot of riders, they all say that track will be good for the Grand Prix riders. What is your opinion?

Nicholls: It would be great to get picked and I think it’s a good track for GP guys, because it’s a bit sandy, gets pretty rutted and it isn’t that fast. Apart form Larocco leap, the jumps are not that big, and they won’t be using Larocco leap for the des Nations anyway. I think it’s a good track and it would be amazing to be picked. I have stood down from serious racing and to be picked would be awesome.

MXLarge: If Britain don’t pick you what about riding for Puerto Rico, seeing as you are not riding seriously anymore?

Nicholls: I think anyone can ride for that lot. Bloody hell, hahahaha.

MXlarge: I know you are not a fan of the way the Grand Prix’s are done and obviously you know I am and I work for Youthstream, but the way MXGP is at the moment, with the MXGP class being so competitive and the Euro riders have really improved due to that, Some riders are going to struggle to get a ride as it is so competitive now. What is your opinion?

Nicholls: Listen, what they have done for the events, they are really amazing, they piss all over the American Nationals in terms of the presentation and I think the American guys know it. Davey Coombs is pushing to try and get to the level of MXGP. To me (the problem), its down to the MX2 rule, making the situation where guys are just MX2 riders, having to move up to the MXGP class. I think it’s a shame, and 250 is exciting racing, and at times that class has been like watching pain dry this year. They talk about prizemoney, but to be honest, the prizemoney at the American Nationals isn’t amazing either. The MX2 thing, it’s a shame. The EMX is a sandbaggers class now, where you have people my age racing. Fair play to Mel Pocock, he is riding amazing, but I always thought the EMX class was a development class to the MX2, but that isn’t the case anymore.

MXlarge: I have to ask you about Herlings. I just asked Dean Ferris about Herlings vs Tomac, and he said he thinks Herlings beats Tomac, because he is on a different level. I mentioned to Dean that I am not sure I have seen somebody ride like Herlings is riding at the moment, and I even slap myself in the face for forgetting just how good Stefan (Everts) was. What is your opinion of Herlings at the moment?

Nicholls: To be honest with you, it’s amazing, there is no other way to describe it. You have to give credit to Cairoli, because Christ, there is no tougher opponent than Herlings, mentally, physically and everything and the old boy isn’t doing too bad considering. He only got beaten by 30 second in Lommel and I thought he would lap everyone there. It is unbelievable. I know he rides like three or four times a week and then the Grand Prix, and to me that just isn’t normal, but hey, whatever. It is incredible his skill on a bike, they way he jumps everything, and it’s a product of hard work, nothing has been gifted to him there. He is just a hard worker and as hard as nails.

MXlarge: But you should be able to beat him at Redbud but take a shovel or a baseball bat.

Nicholls: Yes, right, hahahaha.

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