“Obviously, he’s a great rider and he gives it all,” said Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki crew chide Zach White while taking a breather from washing engine parts in the race shop’s ultrasound machine. “My expectations of him on Saturday night are to get through the race, although I think he’s capable of a top-five finish. He just needs to get his feet wet.”
White was speaking of Pro Circuit’s latest charge, 18-year-old Dean Wilson.
“He’s got a different riding style - it’s totally opposite of Christophe Pourcel’s,” he continued. “When Dean rides, he doesn’t look smooth. In fact, he’s entertaining to watch. But he goes good and doesn’t hit the mat too often. We’re all behind him and we know he’s capable.”
While Wilson, a 13-time amateur champion and 2009 AMA Horizon Award winner, competed in his first professional race at the Motocross of Nations in Italy last October (he won the B Final), truth be told, his first true test as a professional will come on Saturday night at 500 South Capitol Avenue in Indianapolis, Indiana, inside the 63,000-seat Lucas Oil Stadium. On-hand Thursday for press day for the opening round of the 2010 Monster Energy Supercross Series East Region, we tracked down the happy-go-lucky Scottish-born Canadian and talked to him about his approaching world premier.
Racer X: Dean, where are you right now?
Dean Wilson: I’m actually just in a hotel room chillin’ in Indianapolis.
Did you guys have a press day this morning?
Yeah, we rode a little bit. I had to get up at like 5:20 this morning and I rode at 6 in the morning, so that was pretty crazy. I had to get up at like 4:30 yesterday to get my airplane, so I’ve been getting up early lately.
Time to take a nap, huh?
Yep.
Did you get to ride the entire track today or just part of it?
No, just two lanes; like a triple and a little rhythm section. You know, it wasn’t much, but it was still pretty good just to kind of get the feeling of riding in a stadium, so that was good.
How did the dirt feel? I know that’s a bit of a silly question...
No, it felt okay. I think once more riders get riding, it will get a little loose. But it didn’t feel bad at all. It almost felt like a tacky track, but we’ll see once the racing starts, really.
How did the track look? Did you get to eyeball it at all?
Yep, I checked it out a little bit. It looks pretty technical, like the whoops are ginormous right now – I mean, they’re huge. But it all looks pretty good. I’m looking forward to riding a whole lap on it finally on Saturday morning. It looks good and I’m really looking forward to getting out on it and hopefully everything goes good.
I saw you about 10 days ago out at the Kawasaki test track. You had just gotten off your bike and were cooling down. I asked you how you were feeling and if you had 15 laps in you. You replied, “Yeah, as a matter of fact, that’s just what I just got done doing – a 15-lap moto.” How do you feel on a supercross track now. Do you feel pretty confident and comfortable?
Yeah, it’s been going really awesome, actually. I’ve definitely improve a lot since I first went out. For instance, the first week I went to the Kawasaki track, the most laps I could do was five laps. That was it because I had such a high heart rate. Now I can do 15. I have 15 in me. I’ve made lots of progression and I’ve just been working really hard with my trainer Mark on the physical side. I’ve also been working hard with my trainer Sam. Josh Grant took me up to the track a couple weeks ago and helped me. I don’t know, it’s been going really good. I’m just trying to put everything together and be consistent. That’s really what it’s going to come down to on the East Coast – to just ride nice and smooth and be consistent. I think that will help me a lot.
While riding with your teammates during the off season – Tyla Rattray, Jake Weimer, Christophe Pourcel and Josh Hansen – were you holding your own with them once you started getting comfortable?
We all kind of just do our own thing. We really don’t get too involved with each other. We go to the track, we do what we have to do and then we leave. But a couple weeks ago I got to ride with Jake [Weimer], which was awesome. I had Jake in front of me and [Ryan] Villopoto behind me. It was only a six lapper and I wanted to ride more than six, but Jake had to leave for something. Just that itself, riding with Jake and Villopoto that one day, it just felt so intense because I had Villopoto right behind me – obviously he passed me – and Jake in front of me, so I mean I was always pushing. It kind of gave me a little race feeling because I had pressure behind me and in front of me. That was pretty cool for Jake to help me out like that and I definitely appreciated it.
The first time I met you was in the Canadian pit are at the Motocross of Nations last October. I guess it can be said the race was your professional debut. Or maybe I should ask you your opinion about that: Was the Motocross of Nations your first big-time pro race or will it be on Saturday night in Lucas Oil Stadium?
I don’t know... I just kind of feel like Saturday night is my first race. At the Motocross of Nations, I wasn’t even in the actual race. Really, it wasn’t my first pro race because I didn’t race the actual race event. I can’t wait to race on Saturday. I’ve been waiting for it for so long and it’s finally coming. It just really excites me and everything is all new. It’s like a fresh start and I’m really looking forward to it.
So sort of the realization of a dream come true, huh?
It definitely is. Just like today for press day when I put on my team gear. I haven’t worn it yet and I’m just so proud to put it on. I’ve worked really hard to do it and to finally put that gear on and ride the race bike is pretty awesome. I’ve accomplished I’ve always wanted to accomplish. To be on Mitch Payton’s team is just awesome.
Have you and Christophe been able to ride together or speak one another?
No, I don’t really talk to him or anything because I never see him, for one. And when I see him, we never really talk. When we did talk, he’s nice to me, so that’s pretty much that.
You’ll be up against a number of very strong riders in the East Region such as Austin Stroupe, Justin Barcia, Brett Metcalfe, Nico Izzi and Pourcel. What do you think about those guys and what sort of result will please you on Saturday night?
My plan for Saturday is to just go out and really just ride the best I can. I’ve never raced any of these guys and I’m not really worried about the names. That doesn’t really bother me. What bothers me is if I don’t go out there and ride the best that I can. Because I know if I ride the way I know how to I should end up ending the night on a good note. If I don’t and don’t ride the way that I want to, then I’m going to be upset about it because I’ve worked really hard to get to where I am right now. I just have to stay relaxed and hopefully things can go well.
Can you pull off a podium finish?
I don’t know. I’ve never raced any of these guys. They always say that’s the goal – to be on the box. So we’ll just take it step by step and see how it goes.
After Indianapolis, you’ll be facing seven straight races. What’s the plan? To just go race by race and just start progressing from there?
Yeah, the plan is just to stay injury-free and just have a nice, safe and consistent season. That’s my plan.
Okay, Dean. Thanks for your time and best of luck on Saturday night.
No problem, Eric. Thanks a lot.
White was speaking of Pro Circuit’s latest charge, 18-year-old Dean Wilson.
“He’s got a different riding style - it’s totally opposite of Christophe Pourcel’s,” he continued. “When Dean rides, he doesn’t look smooth. In fact, he’s entertaining to watch. But he goes good and doesn’t hit the mat too often. We’re all behind him and we know he’s capable.”
While Wilson, a 13-time amateur champion and 2009 AMA Horizon Award winner, competed in his first professional race at the Motocross of Nations in Italy last October (he won the B Final), truth be told, his first true test as a professional will come on Saturday night at 500 South Capitol Avenue in Indianapolis, Indiana, inside the 63,000-seat Lucas Oil Stadium. On-hand Thursday for press day for the opening round of the 2010 Monster Energy Supercross Series East Region, we tracked down the happy-go-lucky Scottish-born Canadian and talked to him about his approaching world premier.
Racer X: Dean, where are you right now?
Dean Wilson: I’m actually just in a hotel room chillin’ in Indianapolis.
Did you guys have a press day this morning?
Yeah, we rode a little bit. I had to get up at like 5:20 this morning and I rode at 6 in the morning, so that was pretty crazy. I had to get up at like 4:30 yesterday to get my airplane, so I’ve been getting up early lately.
Time to take a nap, huh?
Yep.
Did you get to ride the entire track today or just part of it?
No, just two lanes; like a triple and a little rhythm section. You know, it wasn’t much, but it was still pretty good just to kind of get the feeling of riding in a stadium, so that was good.
How did the dirt feel? I know that’s a bit of a silly question...
No, it felt okay. I think once more riders get riding, it will get a little loose. But it didn’t feel bad at all. It almost felt like a tacky track, but we’ll see once the racing starts, really.
How did the track look? Did you get to eyeball it at all?
Yep, I checked it out a little bit. It looks pretty technical, like the whoops are ginormous right now – I mean, they’re huge. But it all looks pretty good. I’m looking forward to riding a whole lap on it finally on Saturday morning. It looks good and I’m really looking forward to getting out on it and hopefully everything goes good.
I saw you about 10 days ago out at the Kawasaki test track. You had just gotten off your bike and were cooling down. I asked you how you were feeling and if you had 15 laps in you. You replied, “Yeah, as a matter of fact, that’s just what I just got done doing – a 15-lap moto.” How do you feel on a supercross track now. Do you feel pretty confident and comfortable?
Yeah, it’s been going really awesome, actually. I’ve definitely improve a lot since I first went out. For instance, the first week I went to the Kawasaki track, the most laps I could do was five laps. That was it because I had such a high heart rate. Now I can do 15. I have 15 in me. I’ve made lots of progression and I’ve just been working really hard with my trainer Mark on the physical side. I’ve also been working hard with my trainer Sam. Josh Grant took me up to the track a couple weeks ago and helped me. I don’t know, it’s been going really good. I’m just trying to put everything together and be consistent. That’s really what it’s going to come down to on the East Coast – to just ride nice and smooth and be consistent. I think that will help me a lot.
While riding with your teammates during the off season – Tyla Rattray, Jake Weimer, Christophe Pourcel and Josh Hansen – were you holding your own with them once you started getting comfortable?
We all kind of just do our own thing. We really don’t get too involved with each other. We go to the track, we do what we have to do and then we leave. But a couple weeks ago I got to ride with Jake [Weimer], which was awesome. I had Jake in front of me and [Ryan] Villopoto behind me. It was only a six lapper and I wanted to ride more than six, but Jake had to leave for something. Just that itself, riding with Jake and Villopoto that one day, it just felt so intense because I had Villopoto right behind me – obviously he passed me – and Jake in front of me, so I mean I was always pushing. It kind of gave me a little race feeling because I had pressure behind me and in front of me. That was pretty cool for Jake to help me out like that and I definitely appreciated it.
The first time I met you was in the Canadian pit are at the Motocross of Nations last October. I guess it can be said the race was your professional debut. Or maybe I should ask you your opinion about that: Was the Motocross of Nations your first big-time pro race or will it be on Saturday night in Lucas Oil Stadium?
I don’t know... I just kind of feel like Saturday night is my first race. At the Motocross of Nations, I wasn’t even in the actual race. Really, it wasn’t my first pro race because I didn’t race the actual race event. I can’t wait to race on Saturday. I’ve been waiting for it for so long and it’s finally coming. It just really excites me and everything is all new. It’s like a fresh start and I’m really looking forward to it.
So sort of the realization of a dream come true, huh?
It definitely is. Just like today for press day when I put on my team gear. I haven’t worn it yet and I’m just so proud to put it on. I’ve worked really hard to do it and to finally put that gear on and ride the race bike is pretty awesome. I’ve accomplished I’ve always wanted to accomplish. To be on Mitch Payton’s team is just awesome.
Have you and Christophe been able to ride together or speak one another?
No, I don’t really talk to him or anything because I never see him, for one. And when I see him, we never really talk. When we did talk, he’s nice to me, so that’s pretty much that.
You’ll be up against a number of very strong riders in the East Region such as Austin Stroupe, Justin Barcia, Brett Metcalfe, Nico Izzi and Pourcel. What do you think about those guys and what sort of result will please you on Saturday night?
My plan for Saturday is to just go out and really just ride the best I can. I’ve never raced any of these guys and I’m not really worried about the names. That doesn’t really bother me. What bothers me is if I don’t go out there and ride the best that I can. Because I know if I ride the way I know how to I should end up ending the night on a good note. If I don’t and don’t ride the way that I want to, then I’m going to be upset about it because I’ve worked really hard to get to where I am right now. I just have to stay relaxed and hopefully things can go well.
Can you pull off a podium finish?
I don’t know. I’ve never raced any of these guys. They always say that’s the goal – to be on the box. So we’ll just take it step by step and see how it goes.
After Indianapolis, you’ll be facing seven straight races. What’s the plan? To just go race by race and just start progressing from there?
Yeah, the plan is just to stay injury-free and just have a nice, safe and consistent season. That’s my plan.
Okay, Dean. Thanks for your time and best of luck on Saturday night.
No problem, Eric. Thanks a lot.
