Defending 250 West Supercross Champion, Justin Hill, came to Houston with a chip on his shoulder. The Oregon native was determined to win; however, the Autotrader/ Yoshimura/ Suzuki Factory Racing team rider felt off all day.
It has been said that championships are won on the bad days. Hill fought through adversity to score a top-10 finish in the Main and is still very much in the title fight.
‰ÛÏI struggled all day and felt off," Hill lamented "I‰Ûªve never had an entire day where I made zero progress. From the very first time my wheels touched the track, all of the way until the checkered flag flew in the Main Event, I didn‰Ûªt get any better. My comfort level was off. We had a few minor tweaks that needed to be made to the rear suspension on my bike, but I didn‰Ûªt ride the RM-Z250 for what it was worth. I was in a funk.
‰ÛÏIt‰Ûªs difficult, because I had the speed at Anaheim 1, but bad starts kept me from running towards the front. At Houston, the speed was not there. It was a total 180-degree turn from the opening round. I‰Ûªm definitely disappointed in myself. Everyone on the team wants to help, and I‰Ûªm grateful for their support. I will be working with a few members of the team this week to try some different settings. I‰Ûªve never wanted to win so badly," Hill concluded.
Riding through the pain of a rib injury, Hill's team-mate Phil Nicoletti used grit and determination to score a 12th place finish. This came after Nicoletti was unable to ride all week. With more down time, he expects a better result at Anaheim 2.
‰ÛÏThe track was very demanding. I struggled to find a flow after not riding all week," Nicoletti explained. "I had to take time off after my Anaheim 1 crash in order to let my body heal, so I knew it would be challenging to find a good feeling in Houston. I went to the doctor after the Anaheim opener. It was discovered that I had a few cracked and misplaced ribs. I‰Ûªm looking forward to having a bit more time to let my body heal before coming back strong at Anaheim 2.‰Û
