Dave Nicoll 1944-2023
It is with great sadness that we have learnt of the recent passing of Dave Nicoll, former British motocross rider and the FIM Motocross World Championship Race Director from 2000 to 2013.
Nicoll began motorcycle racing at the age of 16 and started competing in the FIM 500cc Motocross World Championship in 1964. His first win came at the 1969 Luxembourg Motocross GP and the following year, in what was a huge moment, he beat Joel Robert and Jeff Smith to win the Trans AMA Motocross Series.
Nicoll stopped competing in 1978 and worked as the manager of the British Motocross des Nations team.
When his son, Kurt Nicoll began competing in the FIM Motocross World Championship, Dave Nicoll became his team manager.
After his son retired from competition in 1997, Nicoll was hired by the FIM to become the Race Director for the FIM Motocross World Championship.
He was a real gentleman and an invaluable member of the Motocross paddock.
His son Kurt released the following statement.
Kurt Nicoll
“On Thursday March 9th my Dad, Dave Nicoll, passed away peacefully in his sleep after a 12 month battle with illness.
“My Dad dedicated his life to his family and to the sport of motocross.
“As a racer he won the 1969 MXGP in Luxembourg and the 1970 Trans Am ahead of Joel Robert and Roger DeCoster.
“After retiring from racing he was MX Des Nations team manager for Great Britain until he put his FIM career on hold to guide me through the potholes of becoming a professional motocrosser.
“I owe my whole career and my life path to my Dad. He taught me and my Brothers, Arran and Robert everything.
“When I finished MXGP in 1998 he immediately returned to the races as FIM race director. He held that position for the next 18 years and was universally respected by promoters, teams, riders, federations. My Dad knew everything about pro level motocross.
“He will be missed by my Mum, Barbara, as the head of our family and by the motocross community around the world, but I know that he left us with no regrets and a life lived to the fullest.”
