Photo by: Octopi
During the 250SX East heat race at the final round of the 2020 Monster Energy Supercross series in Salt Lake City, Star Racing / Monster Energy / Yamaha’s Colt Nichols was landed on by GEICO / Honda’s Chase Sexton after they both misjudged the racing situation. Colt went on to finish the heat race and qualify for the main event, but he quickly realized when he got back to the truck that his hand was injured and his day was over. Sexton was okay after the collision and went on to win the main event and his second-straight 250SX East title.
Today, the Star Racing team put out an update on Colt’s injuries. “After great showings in the four Eastern Regional 250 Supercross races in Salt Lake City, Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha’s Colt Nichols was involved in a heat race crash with another rider at the East/West Shootout series finale and suffered a broken bone in his right hand,” the team announced today. “The Oklahoma native underwent surgery to repair the damage on Friday, June 26, and he will likely miss the first two rounds of the Lucas Oil 250 Motocross National Championship.”
“I’m very disappointed, to say the least,” said Nichols. “I was really enjoying being back to racing in Salt Lake City and I was happy with the way I was riding. It was good to get back on the podium and run up front, and I was looking forward to carrying that momentum into the MX Nationals. I knew that something was broken at the track, but I waited to get back to SoCal with my regular physician to learn the extent of the injury. I broke the third metacarpal bone in my hand – not a horrible injury – but it required a small plate and a few screws to expedite the healing. I originally wanted to try and make it to the first National, but doctors say it needs four-to-six weeks to heal. We’ll play it by ear.”
Of the crash, which involved Eastern Regional 250 Supercross Champion Chase Sexton, Nichols says, “Initially I was thinking ‘How did that just happen?’ but after reviewing the footage of the crash, I realize that I misjudged how close he was to me when I went double-single and cut to the inside. I did look over my shoulder, but I simply didn’t see him. It was a racing incident.”
