Dave Nicoll

Dave Nicoll (11 May 1944 – 9 March 2023) was an English professional Grand Prix motocross racer and at the time of his death in March 2023 the incumbent FIM's world championship Clerk of the Course.[1]

Nicoll began motorcycle racing at the age of 16 and received his first sponsorship from a Greeves distributor.[1] At the age of 17, he received factory sponsorship from the James motorcycle company. In 1964, he began competing in the 500cc motocross world championships for the Matchless factory racing team.[1] After three seasons with the Matchless team, he moved to the BSA factory team.[1] His only Grand Prix victory came at the 1969 500cc Luxembourg Grand Prix.[1] In 1970, Nicoll defeated world champions Joel Robert and Jeff Smith to win the 1970 Trans-AMA motocross series, established by the American Motorcyclist Association as a pilot event to help establish motocross in the United States.[2][3][4]

After retiring from competition in 1978, Nicoll worked as the manager of the British Motocross des Nations team.[1] When his son, Kurt Nicoll began competing in the motocross world championships, Nicoll became his team manager.[1] His son finished as the runner-up in the 500cc world championships four times.[5] After his son retired from competition in 1997, Nicoll was hired by the FIM to become the Clerk of Course for the motocross world championships.[1]

Nicoll died on 9 March 2023, at the age of 78.[6]