By Brett Dailey

RXC: How is your season going do far?
Doug DeHaan: Well, I’ve been riding really well. I’m in contention every weekend but, I don’t know, I’m just not getting the breaks I need, I guess. I feel like every weekend, I’m riding a little better and my lap times are getting better all of the time so … I’m pretty happy with that. The bikes are working awesome and the team is really good so I’m happy with everything, it’s just a matter of having a clean weekend and getting in there [the main event]. You know, I should be in there, there’s no doubt but I’ll just keep plugging away.

It seems like starts are so critical this year. At Indianapolis, you almost qualified through your heat race because you got a good start and you’re running a really good pace but then you had trouble in your semi and LCQ.
Yeah, starts are really important. My starts have been good, actually, but in the heat, I had a good pace going for seven laps but the race was eight laps long. I started making a couple of bobbles on lap seven and with [Ivan] Tedesco it doesn’t really take a whole lot [of mistakes for him to make a pass]. A couple of little bobbles and he got by me. I definitely had a good pace going; it was just a matter of keeping it going that extra lap. Then in the semi, I just got a bad start and hit Keith Johnson in the first corner. It knocked my clutch all of the way down so I kind of rolled that first straightaway and got things straightened out and got going. In the LCQ, again, I was right there. I was in third and all over [Erick] Vallejo and [Jeff] Dement and then [Brock] Sellards was all over me and then we were turning up this one jump face and I just washed my front end out. Just a little error. It’s just one of those things where even a [Racer X] Gas Card or a good finish in the LCQ would have been better than my last few weekends but it’s just like I’m riding good but I have nothing to show for it on paper.

The 250 field seems so deep this year. There are so many riders that typically make it into the main who are not making it.
Yeah, I think there are more support guys. This past weekend there were a few injuries and stuff but pretty much every top guy is healthy, you know? Obviously [Mike] LaRocco is missing now and it sounds like [Ernesto] Fonseca’s news really sucks but for the most part everyone is healthy and there are a ton of support guys. There are a couple of surprises this year as well: I think [Jacob] Saylor has really surprised a lot of guys, making it there, and it’s just really tough this year.

What do you plan to work on for Daytona and then for the rest of the series?
Well, we’re working on the bikes this week, trying some different settings for Daytona but I’m just going to keep plugging away. Like I said, I can run that pace for six or seven laps but I just don’t quite have it for eight. Anyone who makes it in through a heat race definitely has the pace for eight laps unless they get a huge break. The same thing goes for the semi. In the semi and LCQ, I have been running a really good pace but I’ve had a few mistakes here and there, throwing a couple of races away really bad. I guess I need to keep concentrating on running perfect laps at that pace. The more I do it, with practicing and racing, maybe by the next couple of weekends it shouldn’t be a problem getting in there. Obviously, it’s going to be tough every weekend no matter what but with a good start, you should be able to do it.

Now you mention that you don’t have the pace to go full out for an eight lap heat race. I doubt it’s due to fitness so what is it? Do you just need to be mistake-free for eight laps or what?
Yeah, I mean, I can do eight laps mistake-free no problem. It’s just that in a race situation when you have a little pressure, it changes everything, obviously. Out practicing or something, it’s not a big deal. Even with other guys, I can go out and bust however many laps without a mistake but it’s just in a race situation it’s different. Maybe I was trying a bit too hard or something towards the end. I was definitely feeling good. The past four weekends I would say that I’ve been feeling really good on the track—doing all of the obstacles really well—so I just need to keep hammering away.

Have you made any plans for the summer yet?
Yes. I’ll be racing with the Butler Brothers for the [AMA] nationals, the full series.

So, you did decide to do that then.
Yes, I did. I’m pretty pumped about it. I’m really happy to be riding the Honda all-year-long; I really like the bike. I haven’t raced a 450 outdoors since the first year they came out so I’m kind of pumped to ride it outdoors and see what it’s like. I’m having a lot of fun on the bike. Hopefully I’ll get in there to race a couple of Canadian races. I would like to race the Dunes because it’s on an off weekend for the U.S. schedule and it’s also right before Southwick so that would be the perfect warm up.

Good. And it’s also your hometown race.
Yeah, that too! [Laughs]

Well good luck this weekend. You seemed to be on fire in Indy in your heat so I figured you would qualify easily in your semi and maybe have your best result in the main.
It seems like every weekend has been like that for me lately. You know, riding well, but just something little will happen that knocks me out of contention in that one race that really counts. It’s definitely a little frustrating after the race but then when it comes back to practicing, I’m fired up through the week, I’m having fun riding. Like I said, it doesn’t look like much on paper right now but I’m riding well so I just need to keep on it.

Do you like Daytona?
Oh yeah, Daytona is awesome for sure. The night race is cool; that was a good idea.

Again, good luck Doug.
All right. Thanks.