The man they call “The Rippa”, Jimmy Decotis, announced today that he is stepping away from professional supercross and motocross racing indefinitely due to health concerns brought on by his struggle with Lyme Disease. In a social media post today, the JGR / Suzuki rider filled everyone in on why he will not be under the JGR tent for the final seven rounds of the season.
“I wanted to update everyone and let you know that I will not be racing the final leg of Supercross starting this weekend,” Jimmy said. “The last 3 years I have tried to compete at the highest level in the world while battling my Lyme Disease. I have tried everything in my power to remain healthy while pushing my body to the limits but unfortunately it has caused my health to decline to a point where racing dirtbikes just isn’t in the cards for me at this time. I love this sport with all my heart and I hope one day I can find some more answers so I can go back to doing what I love with my team, sponsors and fans. I’m stepping away from racing for the time being to focus solely on my health and to hopefully get back to the person and racer I was once. The JGRMX team and I have had some incredible results under these circumstances and have built relationships that will last a lifetime. Thank you guys for always supporting me and going above and beyond.”
Jimmy will be missed at the races, but “The Rippa” has never been short on determination so I suspect this more a “see ya later” than a “goodbye”.
You can see Jimmy’s Instagram post and the video he posted with it below.
