Britain’s Jake Nicholls has raced GP motocross and twice raced in New Zealand and currently he’s top of the pecking order at home in the UK.
Nicholls – the MX2 world No.4 in 2012 – first visited New Zealand in 2013, winning the MX2 class at the big annual Woodville GP event, finishing ahead of Queenstown’s Scott Columb and Waikato’s Darryll King.
Despite being up against the MX1 class riders, he also then finished fifth overall in the invitation feature race at Woodville that year, behind Bay of Plenty’s Ben Townley, Australians Todd Waters and Kirk Gibbs and behind Rotorua’s Michael Phillips.
On his second visit to New Zealand three years later, in 2016, Nicholls finished third overall in the MX1 class the Woodville GP, behind Mount Maunganui’s Cody Cooper and Australian Dean Ferris, and fourth overall in the invitation feature race, behind Ferris, Cooper and Waters.
Nicholls, from Ipswich, now has one British title in the bag this season – and he is gunning for title No.2.
The 28-year-old posted fourth and third place finishes in the final round of the Michelin MX Nationals British Championship, held at Cusses Gorse, Salisbury just last weekend.
His efforts were enough for him to secure the title.
Now he turns his attentions to the Maxxis British Championships where he currently leads the MX1 charge by 39 points, with two rounds remaining.
It would be the Buildbase Honda star’s first Maxxis title and justifies his decision to give up Grand Prix racing last season.
“It couldn’t have gone better so far if I’m being honest,” Nicholls said.
“I knew it was the right decision to give up GPs.
“Now I’m riding all over Britain on really good tracks, rather than far-flung tracks in the middle of Turkey!
“Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy watching the GPs and that is why I know I made the right decision … Because I enjoy watching them.”
Nicholls has spent much of his career chasing GP glory but has also suffered more than his fair share of injuries which have combined to keep him from the top.
Now working in the family business at ‘TruPlant’, just outside Ipswich, he is benefiting from making the decision to leave the GPs – a decision that wasn’t taken lightly.
“I’m just better for it,” Nicholls said. “And it shows in my racing.
“It’s been a good season up to now and I would love to go on and win the Maxxis British. Many people, especially the fans, ask me if I would ever want to go back to GP racing, but there is no way.
“Not only am I riding well, but learning the family business is a bonus.”
Nicholls won his local Maxxis British Championship round at Blaxhall back in May. There are two rounds to go, at Foxhill, near Swindon and Lyng in Norfolk. He is leading the championship by 39 points.
“It’s a title I’ve never won and would love to win,” he added.
“I have already got the first title in the bag and now I want the second,” he said.
Words by Mike Bacon & Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ
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