WASHOUGAL, Washington - With four rounds remaining in the Pro Motocross season, the SuperMotocross World Championship is starting to look like a boxing match. Riders are punching and counterpunching as they jostle for points. The latest rider to step back into the ring is Colt Nichols, who will make his first appearance in the outdoor season since 2021 and compete in his first race since suffering an injury in Round 16 of the Monster Energy Supercross season at Denver.
After winning the 2021 250 East championship, the clock was ticking for Nichols. Per Supercross rules, he had only two seasons to defend his 250 title and much of that was lost to injury. At the start of this season, he was given perhaps the best opportunity of his career. Nichols signed a Supercross only deal to keep the Honda bike warm for Jett Lawrence, who was finishing his career on a 250 and planned to advance into the 450 class for Motocross.
It was never intended to be a full season. Nichols raced in eight of the first 12 Supercross rounds and made the most of his opportunity. In the penultimate race at Denver, he suffered a minor injury to his knee and missed the season-ender in Salt Lake City. Even with those missed races, Nichols ended the 2023 season 14th in the standings, which in turn meant he was 14th in the SuperMotocross World Championship playoff seeding.
The goal for most of the riders is to head into the playoffs in the top 20 in points. That qualifies them for automatic inclusion in the final three races without the uncertainty and stress of being in the Last Chance Qualifier.
“We’re on the bubble right now, so I needed to come here and get some points and try to go race (in the playoffs),” Nichols told NBC Sports. “I’m trying to piece together a program. I don’t know how or what, but one step at a time.”
Uncertainty is the theme of the weekend. Nichols 450 Supercross debut on a 450 went well when he finished sixth in the Anaheim 1 season opener. Nichols continued to show consistency by advancing into each Main and sweeping the top 15 in his next six rounds, highlighted by with another top-10 at Oakland. He finished fourth at Nashville one week before his Denver mishap and had momentum on his side.
But Nichol has not yet ridden a 450 in the outdoor season. The Washougal Nationals will be a trial by fire.
“I’ve never raced outdoors on a 450,” Nichols said. “First one for me. I’m pretty excited. This thing’s been pieced together kind of last minute. Luckily Don (Wilson) from Swap Moto Live let me ride his bike. ... Are we prepared? No. But I’m excited to race to see where I fit in.”
At stake is that coveted 20th position in combined SuperMotocross points. Last week, Garrett Marchbanks climbed into the top 20 in points, pushing Nichols back to 21st by a slim margin of five points. They are not alone.
The Washougal Nationals will feature a race within the race between Nichols, Marchbanks and Josh Hill, who currently sits 19th in the SMX standings after also missing the first seven rounds of Motocross.
Meanwhile, creeping up behind them are Jose Burton and Lorenzo Locurcio, who have steadily climbed the points ladder and sit 22nd and 23rd in the standings.
“Hopefully I get enough points to put me in a position where I don’t have to race (the last three motocross rounds), but if we do, we’ll try to figure it out,” Nichols said.
