Five Minutes with … Doug DeHaan
APRIL 28, 2008

Doug DeHaan is back in Canada.

By Danny Brault
Photos by Allison Kennedy

Doug DeHaan has returned to Canada. While this winter has been quiet on the racing front for DeHaan, it’s been a loud few months in his personal life. First DeHaan and his girlfriend, Claudia, tied the knot at her home in Austria, and now the two are expecting a wee one in August. Sadly, the honeymoon was cut short when DeHaan had to fly back home to London, Ontario last Wednesday. Then, on Friday, I learned that DeHaan has some more news to share: he’s going to be racing a KTM 450 at select Ontario Provincials and nationals. We caught up with Big D this morning to see what’s up.


RXC: Doug, what have you been up to?
Doug DeHaan: I just got home last Wednesday. Since then I’ve been helping train Cole Varty, a kid from out near Edmonton. I’m just working with him and we’re on our way riding right now.

You’re in Alberta right now?
No, he’s in Ontario, actually. He’s come this way for the summer. He’s going to try qualifying for Loretta’s; the qualifiers are so much better out here and there’s more regions to go in. They’re going to set up camp here for the summer, and race Loretta’s and Walton. Just Cole is here right now; his parents are coming out tomorrow. They’ll go back and forth when they need.

Cool! I know Cole from the Raymond Amateur National, he’s a great kid and great rider. So how was your winter in Austria?
I raced a few supercrosses; I think I did five of them. Through February and March I was hoping to get into a couple more, but nothing worked out. I ended up spending more time than ever off the bike. Since January, I raced once, and then I probably rode a couple more times, just on a Kawasaki one day, and then on a KTM the next. It was a slow and relaxed winter for me. It was good; I got married and everything.

It must be nice to have a break. It seems like you’ve been racing every weekend for, well, forever!
I have, easily for three years without a break [laughs]. I don’t miss the traveling; week in and week out of the airports, I don’t miss that at all. I’m going to stay a little more local, work with Cole, and head back to Austria in August.

Doug DeHaan's wife, Claudia, was there for one of Doug's proudest racing accomplishments: his first amateur title from the Walton TransCan! DeHaan claimed the #1 plate in the Vet Master class last August.

How is married life treating you so far?
[Laughs] It’s treating me well. It’s awesome, for sure, but it’s a bummer that a week after the wedding I had to leave her. She is expecting in August, so she’s working until June and then she’s off. By that point, she doesn’t want to take a nine-hour flight. There was no other way to do it, so I will see her in three months. Not the typical way to start off a marriage, but we didn’t have too many options [laughs]. I will go back in August, and I will have a couple months to get settled with the new “addition” before the racing starts.

If you’re heading out in August, you won’t be able to defend your Vet Master title from the TransCan!
No, I’m not [laughs]. Walton’s a little too close to the due date. At first, I was thinking, ‘How could I fit that in?’ [Laughs] Naw, I’m just joking. It’s up for someone else, I guess.

I hear you’re going to be riding an orange bike this summer.
I came over and was looking around and I had been talking to the Morgan guys. I was trying to find a bike for three months. I was talking to Andy [White] back in the winter about racing the nationals, but I never took that deal because, at that time, I didn’t want to race the nationals. Then I called him back and let him know I wanted to hit up whatever races I can, in the area and some nationals, and he pulled through for me. That was awesome. He said it was no problem and said he would send me out a bike. I’m pretty happy about the whole deal.

Which races can we expect to see you at?
Well, I’ll probably race some local Ontario races and the Gopher Dunes national. We’ll just see how it’s going and where Cole’s program is at that point. I will probably go to some of the races with him also. I plan on riding this weekend at the Dunes—it will definitely be riding [laughs]. I haven’t been on a bike in quite a while, so I’m going to take it easy and break myself in.

Going back to the “little D” that you’re expecting in a few months. Has your father or anyone offered you some advice on the life-changing event?
No, they’re basically offering advice on the marriage event first [laughs]. I’m sure I will get that advice later! I’ve got all of the marital advice, but some of my good friends had kids also, so I’ve been prying them for information.

You’re growing up, Dougie.
Yeah, exactly! It’s definitely been some different parts of life, and I couldn’t be happier with how it’s going.

We’ll see you this weekend at the Dunes, Dougie.
For sure.