Dean Wilson is a kid on the rise. Two weeks ago at the World Mini in Las Vegas Dean-O swept all his motos except for one. This Team Green meanie then went to Glen Helen for the World Four Stroke Championships and raced four 30 minute motos (well, three and a half because his wheel exploded in the second 450 moto). Wilson went 7-3 in the 250 class and 1-DNF in the 450’s and served notice that he might just be the next big thing out of Canada. We tracked the seventeen year old kid from Calgary down the Monday after Glen Helen.
Racer X: Dean, congrats on your performance at the World Mini. My buddy Wes Williams from Vurb Moto said you were the man and rode awesome. Talk about the week for you.
Dean Wilson: Yeah, it went really well. I got decent starts and the track suited my style, it was rough and rutty. They had twelve lap motos which was about twenty minutes and for me, that’s better. Everything just clicked for me and it was really good.
You won every moto but one right?
Yeah, I lost one moto. I came off the start in third and was trying to get into second when I crashed. That put me back to seventeenth and I had to fight my way back up. Once I got into second, first place was about ten seconds ahead so I just settled for second because it was the first moto and I knew that second was as good as first with the tie breaker. I won the second moto so that was good.
Man, that’s terrible, I can’t believe you lost a moto. Slacker...
(Laughs) Yeah, I know. Sorry.
So how did that Glen Helen World Four Stroke race go for you?
It was good, man, there was so many fast pros there. It was like a national! First 250 moto I pulled the holeshot and led for a couple of laps and Stroupe got by me. Then I tried to follow him for a few laps but I got arm pump and started riding tight. I was just a little nervous riding up there. I went off the track a couple of times and then I went back to fourth. Then I crashed and was seventh. So that was that.
The second moto I was second off the start behind [Max] Anstie when Stroupe got by me right away, so I was just kind of following Anstie in third. They gapped me a bit, maybe five seconds, and I started reeling in Anstie again. Stroupe was checked out at this point. By the end of the moto I was maybe four seconds back of him. I think I learned a lot, the first six laps were like the craziest sprint ever! It was insane, I didn’t think it was going to be that fast but when I was leading I was going all out. I think I learned a lot, I think I’m in shape. I rode three and a half motos because I rode the 450’s also. I won the first 450 moto and then when I was in third the second moto, my rear wheel exploded. It was good though, I feel like I learned a lot.
What do you think you have to work on after watching a national winner like Stroupe?
I think I need to work on my speed. My corner speed needs to be better. I was pretty good coming down the big hill, that was my strongest point. I just need to get better everywhere. My starts are good but I could have better endurance. Mentally as well, I think when I was up front I froze up a bit and got nervous. I have to work on all those things and I should be good.
Dean Wilson: Yeah, it went really well. I got decent starts and the track suited my style, it was rough and rutty. They had twelve lap motos which was about twenty minutes and for me, that’s better. Everything just clicked for me and it was really good.
You won every moto but one right?
Yeah, I lost one moto. I came off the start in third and was trying to get into second when I crashed. That put me back to seventeenth and I had to fight my way back up. Once I got into second, first place was about ten seconds ahead so I just settled for second because it was the first moto and I knew that second was as good as first with the tie breaker. I won the second moto so that was good.
Man, that’s terrible, I can’t believe you lost a moto. Slacker...
(Laughs) Yeah, I know. Sorry.
So how did that Glen Helen World Four Stroke race go for you?
It was good, man, there was so many fast pros there. It was like a national! First 250 moto I pulled the holeshot and led for a couple of laps and Stroupe got by me. Then I tried to follow him for a few laps but I got arm pump and started riding tight. I was just a little nervous riding up there. I went off the track a couple of times and then I went back to fourth. Then I crashed and was seventh. So that was that.
The second moto I was second off the start behind [Max] Anstie when Stroupe got by me right away, so I was just kind of following Anstie in third. They gapped me a bit, maybe five seconds, and I started reeling in Anstie again. Stroupe was checked out at this point. By the end of the moto I was maybe four seconds back of him. I think I learned a lot, the first six laps were like the craziest sprint ever! It was insane, I didn’t think it was going to be that fast but when I was leading I was going all out. I think I learned a lot, I think I’m in shape. I rode three and a half motos because I rode the 450’s also. I won the first 450 moto and then when I was in third the second moto, my rear wheel exploded. It was good though, I feel like I learned a lot.
What do you think you have to work on after watching a national winner like Stroupe?
I think I need to work on my speed. My corner speed needs to be better. I was pretty good coming down the big hill, that was my strongest point. I just need to get better everywhere. My starts are good but I could have better endurance. Mentally as well, I think when I was up front I froze up a bit and got nervous. I have to work on all those things and I should be good.
How old are you Dean?
I’m seventeen. I turn eighteen on December 28th. I’ll be eighteen right before supercross starts.
When is the plan for you to turn pro?
This year, I think. The plan is ride the last three or four nationals after Loretta Lynns. We’ll see how things go. I’m also going to hit two Canadian nationals this year: Edmonton and Calgary. We’ll be at those also.
Do you have rides lined up?
Nothing really lined up, no. Nobody has really talked to me yet so I guess that means I have to step it up a little bit here! I look at guys like Canard and Dungey, because when they turned pro they really put the amateur name out there and showed what we could do right out of the gate. They got top fives right out of the gate and that’s what I would love to do. There are some fast “A” riders also, the 250 class is just so stacked. It’s going to be an exciting year and I hope to do something good.
So let’s get this straight here, you’re Canadian right? You have a Canadian passport and you’re a guy that we Canucks can cheer for?
Yep, I have a Canadian passport since 1999. I will represent Canada, it’s kind of a mixture of things because I was born in Scotland and lived there for eight years or so and then moved to Canada. We lived there for six years and then we moved here. I am going back to Calgary this summer for a bit so we’ll hit those nationals. I’ll be up there for about a month or so.
I raced Walton national last year and it was fun. I won the first moto and then in the second one I crashed out. It’s going to be fun to go up there this summer and race my home track of Calgary. It’s good for me to get the longer motos in and use it as a good warm-up race for the outdoor nationals.
I’m seventeen. I turn eighteen on December 28th. I’ll be eighteen right before supercross starts.
When is the plan for you to turn pro?
This year, I think. The plan is ride the last three or four nationals after Loretta Lynns. We’ll see how things go. I’m also going to hit two Canadian nationals this year: Edmonton and Calgary. We’ll be at those also.
Do you have rides lined up?
Nothing really lined up, no. Nobody has really talked to me yet so I guess that means I have to step it up a little bit here! I look at guys like Canard and Dungey, because when they turned pro they really put the amateur name out there and showed what we could do right out of the gate. They got top fives right out of the gate and that’s what I would love to do. There are some fast “A” riders also, the 250 class is just so stacked. It’s going to be an exciting year and I hope to do something good.
So let’s get this straight here, you’re Canadian right? You have a Canadian passport and you’re a guy that we Canucks can cheer for?
Yep, I have a Canadian passport since 1999. I will represent Canada, it’s kind of a mixture of things because I was born in Scotland and lived there for eight years or so and then moved to Canada. We lived there for six years and then we moved here. I am going back to Calgary this summer for a bit so we’ll hit those nationals. I’ll be up there for about a month or so.
I raced Walton national last year and it was fun. I won the first moto and then in the second one I crashed out. It’s going to be fun to go up there this summer and race my home track of Calgary. It’s good for me to get the longer motos in and use it as a good warm-up race for the outdoor nationals.
