The custom-built four-wheeler of a 15-year-old circuit racer from New York was stolen Saturday night from the back of a pickup parked at a hotel in Ocala. The four-wheeler is valued at $12,000.
Michel Nickels, 46, of New York, had parked his pickup at the Red Roof Inn on 40th Avenue. The ATV’s frame was locked to a fifth wheel mount inside the bed of the truck, which was backed up against a light pole and a fence, according to an incident report from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. Someone cut through the fence and the cable and unloaded the distinctive four-wheeler along with about $100 in fuel.
Nickels’ 15-year-old son, Mikey, races the ATV in the Grand National Cross Country Series.
In 2016, he was named the GNCC Youth Rider of the Year. You can read a recent interview about racing he gave HERE
“He’s heartbroken,” said Michel Nickels, who noted his son also recently suffered the loss of his dog.
The 2005 Honda has a 450 frame with a 250 motor and custom black wheels.
If you have any information about the stolen four-wheeler, call the Marion County Sheriff’s Office at (352) 732-8181.
