Nichols Finishes First in Two Classes at Little Oakie Series, Madera

ATASCADERO — Regional riders competed in the California Motorcycle Association (CMA) Little Oakie Motocross Spring Series 2021, held May through June in Madera. Among those competing were two Atascadero residents, David Nichols and Jayden Wheeler.

Nichols, 16, placed first in the 250cc 4STK Novice class as well as the sportsman open, which is open to any bike beginner and novice. Nichols’ parents own Bolt Motorcycle Hardware in Atascadero, so he grew up around motorcycles. Nichols rode a lot as a child, though he only recently picked it back up after a long break. He rides a Husqvarna TC 125 2-stroke with a factory engine.

“I try to just focus on the technique, staying smooth and going fast,” said Nichols. “We normally try to go to [the track] once every week.”

Nichols and Wheeler both travel to tracks in Porterville and Tulare for training.

“We would love to see a track here,” said Chantel Nichols, David’s mother.  

Wheeler, also 16, placed second in the 250cc 4STK Youth class. This was a change of pace for him, as he mainly competes in Hare Scrambles, which are intense off-road races lasting hours, and conducted on several-mile-long marked courses through rugged natural terrains such as woods or deserts.  

This past year, Wheeler performed well enough to promote from B-class to A-class. He rides a stock TC-125 as well and plans to continue with Scrambles while dabbling in Motocross.

Both Nichols and Wheeler plan to continue training and look forward to moving up to faster classes for future competitions. Wheeler’s goal is to continue having fun doing what he loves, while Nichols’ goal is to eventually compete in professional national events.