COLUMBUS – The 2013 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, features the fastest riders on the planet in the world’s most prestigious motocross championship. For over 40 years, these athletes from across the globe have laid it all on the line for the chance at victory and a coveted national championship. This season, the series features its most talented field of competitors in over four decades of competition. and on Saturday, Aug. 10, the championship will make its annual visit to New York for the Built Ford Tough Unadilla National for the tenth stop of the 2013 season.
Unadilla sits just outside of Utica and Binghamton in the heart of Central New York, and for nearly 30 years it has hosted the world’s best riders as a round of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship. With over four decades of hosting one of the world’s most physically demanding sports, Unadilla has become one of the most iconic tracks in the world with a legacy that helped launch motocross in the U.S.
With former champions Ryan Dungey (2010 & 2012), Ryan Villopoto (2011), Chad Reed (2009), and James Stewart (2008) leading the way, the racing is destined to be better than ever. Joining these superstar riders are a slew of New York natives, led by rookie 450 Class rider Justin Barcia of Monroe.
Since bursting onto the professional motocross scene back in 2009, Barcia has become one of the sport’s most talked about up-and-coming riders. After a successful tenure in the 250 Class in which he captured three wins, Barcia made his move to the 450 Class for the 2013 season with the Factory Honda squad. Through nine rounds, he has captured three podiums and sits third in the championship. He has raced at Unadilla in the 450 Class before, and would like nothing more than success at his home track.
Phil Nicoletti of Cohocton has been a journeyman throughout his motocross career, but this season he has found a home with a privateer effort owned by industry veteran Allan Brown. As a result, Nicoletti is in the midst of the best season of his career. He captured a career-best seventh-place finish at the sixth round of the season and currently sits 13th in the championship. With the hometown crowd on his side, Nicoletti is looking for another career day at Unadilla.
