Story and photos by Allison Kennedy

While the first Canadian pro national was underway in Mission last weekend, Alberta ’s Dean Wilson was battling it out at the Loretta Lynn’s Qualifier at Glen Helen. The 13-year-old Yamaha rider was facing a stacked 80 class with top U.S. amateur riders like Eli Tomac and Blake Wharton. Wilson went 2-1-3 in the 85cc 12-13 stock class, taking the overall win and earning a spot at Loretta’s this year.  The pressure wasn’t off for Wilson when the racing was over. His bike was torn down as officials went over it with a fine tooth comb, a process that kept the whole Wilson family on edge. When it was over, the bike was clean—as they knew it would be—and Wilson had officially introduced himself to the U.S. amateur scene.

How did you feel heading into the qualifier?
Dean Wilson: I thought I had kind of dropped off the pace because all the guys were training hard. I was training hard and stuff but I had no one to push me here at home. So I went to California on Thursday and I didn’t feel good—I knew I had to get my head on straight.

Tell me about your motos in the stock class?
In the first moto, I came out in fourth place and I just didn’t care. I was just going to qualify and I wasn’t letting off the gas. I came out of the first corner in fourth and then there’s a big sweeper and then a straight, I just went inside and I passed them all and I lead for the whole race with Blake Wharton right behind me and then I got passed right at the finish line. In the second moto, I got the holeshot and I won. In the third moto, I got third. I was just trying to take it easy, stay on two wheels and qualify.

You had to deal with a protest after the race. Tell me about that?
I got torn down by Eli Tomac and Blake Wharton. I knew the bike was fine because it was out of the box. I had a brand new bike for the stock class but I was still nervous because everyone was around the tent watching. But everything was totally fine, it was all legal. I knew it was legal but you just don’t want anything to happen there, that’s for sure.

Did it feel good to beat some of the top U.S.  amateurs?
It’s nice for a Canadian to beat them … yeah it was nice.

What’s next for you?
Now I just have to train hard and focus on Loretta Lynn’s and be back up to speed for that. It should be good. It’s kind of nice because there is nothing to worry about now, I just have to get ready and focus. I’ll probably be training really hard when I get home because I want to win Loretta’s since it’s my last year on 80’s. I also want to qualify for the U.S. Open Invitational.

In Canada you’ve made the jump to the 125. How has that been going?
Yeah it’s good. My dad set it up so nice but it’s kind of a lazy bike to me. It’s so easy to ride. It works so good. Pro Circuit did the suspension and it feels so nice. When I first got on it ,I was really timid on it, I’d go through the bumps really slow but now I just kind of pin it and hold on and squeeze my knees—it works good.

Thanks Dean and congrats again.
Thanks.