Five Minutes with ... Dusty Klatt
MAY 1, 2007
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Klatt put in his best ride of the series in Seattle. |
By Allison Kennedy
Photos by James Lissimore
Despite some of the most challenging track conditions of the supercross
season, Star Racing Yamaha's Dusty Klatt put in his best ride of the
Western Region Lites series. Klatt came back from a 16th place start to
finish eighth in Seattle, giving him 15th overall in the series points
standings. We caught up with Klatt to chat about Seattle, the Four-Stroke Nationals and his outlook on approaching AMA outdoor season.
RXC: Hey, Dusty. Congrats on your Seattle ride. It sounded like the track was pretty rough?
Dusty Klatt: Yeah, at least we lucked out with weather. It was crazy
though, that's for sure. It was just really soft in practice, just tons
of ruts and everyone was just going double-double-double. The only
thing really separating anyone was if you were jumping the big triple
or not. I was doing them both, but then in the second practice I wasn't
even jumping the second triple because the ruts were pretty bad. I was
ninth fastest in first but when it was all said and done I was like
20th so I didn't think the night was going to go that well.
It ended up being your best finish of the series though?
Yeah, I got seventh in my heat race. I still felt I could have done
better all night long but that's all right. I made it in the top 10 at
least. I was sixteenth after the first lap and just had to work my way
up and I got by quite a few guys.
Did you know you'd worked your way in to the top 10?
No, I didn't even look at the pit board when I was out there. I usually
don't in supercross, you just get a quick glimpse and you're freaking
back on the track already. As soon as I rolled across, I just asked
Glenn and he said I got eighth, which was all right. It was tied with
my best finish yet, which was last year at Orlando.
It must have been a good way to end the SX season?
Oh, definitely. My results have just gone up and up and up, so that was
definitely a bonus. I'm glad it went that way and now I'm just looking
forward to the outdoors. Hopefully I can make that a whole new deal and
do better anyway. It should be good. I'm looking forward to it.
Did the eighth boost up your series finish much?
Not really, I knew heading in there that I couldn't move up much. I did
gain one spot, and I almost got two since Kyle Partridge was two points
ahead of me after the whole 'thing' was done. He started a whole deal
there with Martin there after the first qualifier and they both got
DQ'd for the night. I was right there on the line, I kind of saw it
coming, I wasn't sure if he'd run into him but he definitely had to say
something … but that was a little bit more than saying something [laughs].
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Klatt is ready to focus on the outdoors. He'll race the Prequel at Glen Helen on May 13th. |
No, I don't think so. I guess Brock [Tickle] and Matt [Lemoine] were signed up and I wasn't signed up yet so… I think I'll just be watching and then getting ready for the outdoors. Wait and see, they might need riders at the last minute and I'll be in. But as of right now, I don't think so. It's just time to get ready for the outdoors.
Speaking of outdoors, you raced the Four-Stroke National at Glen Helen a few weeks back. How did that go?
It went good but crappy at the same time. I just had bad starts. I felt I was the fastest guy all weekend long but I just couldn't seem to put anything together. I got bad starts in the 250F class; I was like 13th and 14th off the line. First moto, I was only able to work my way up to third in both motos, and Gosselaar and Metcalfe were right in front of me. Second moto, I was all the way up to third and the leaders were gone, and then my bike blew up.
You got a podium in the 450 class too?
Yeah, I got second in the first moto after a 10th place start and I worked my way up and then the leader was holding me up big time, dog paddling in the corners, and I was having a tough time getting around him, as soon as I went for the pass I went for the inside line and my rear tire kicked out of a rut and swapped me over. Last moto, I tried a third gear start off the line, I thought it might pull off the cement a little easier, which it did, but as soon as I hit the dirt everyone just left me. I ended up way back and worked my way up to seventh place. It wasn't the greatest but it was a start.
You've got to feel pretty good speed wise though?
Speed wise, I feel good. I just have to work on some things and try to get it going.
Does it feel pretty good to be back outdoors then?
Yeah, definitely, I'm not winning but… I would have definitely been happier if I'd won some motos. It's no different than JSR, he doesn't like losing; I don't like losing. [Laughs]
We were talking to Darcy at Detroit about Des Nations, he sounds keen. Are you interested in going?
Yeah, I want to go but I definitely want to go on a good team. We did well that year in Leirop with JSR, Blair and I. It would be weird not to have Blair there though, he's kind of been Canada's saviour in the past. I guess you have to wait and see how this year goes in Canada. That seems to be Blair's prime time, by that race. I'm definitely in though, as soon as I heard it was across the border, I knew I wanted to go for sure.
Any word on whether we'll see you up north this summer?
No word yet, we'll just have to wait and see how things go down here first. But if I were going to ride a 450 at the Des Nations, it would sure be nice to have some time on one before that. Hopefully you will see me at a few rounds. We'll have to wait and see.
Thanks Dusty.
Thanks.
