Five Minutes with … Dean Wilson
MAY 5, 2008

Dean Wilson is working hard to become a factory racer in AMA motocross and supercross.

By Danny Brault
Photos by James Lissimore

Dean Wilson’s goal of becoming a factory racer in the U.S. is getting closer. The Xtreme Team Green rider has been a regular top five guy at the big dances down south in the last few years, but is now becoming a legit championship contender. In Oak Hill, Wilson picked up two titles in 125 Stock Intermediate and 250 Four-Stroke Non-Pro. He backed up those results with two more championships at the World Minis in Las Vegas, winning the 450 Stock Intermediate and 450 Four-Stroke Non-Pro championships. We checked in with Wilson for an update on his progress so far this year.

RXC: Dean, what’s going on?
Dean Wilson: I just returned from a Loretta’s area qualifier in Texas.

You’ve had quite the spring, putting in some great rides and results at Lake Whitney, Oak Hill, and, most recently, the World Minis in Las Vegas.
Yeah, they went pretty good. Whitney, that was my first race back from my broken hip, so I was a bit rusty there. I had only ridden two weeks before it so I wasn’t exactly 100 percent. I think I had seconds and two thirds or something. At Oak Hill it went a lot better because I had more bike time and I was more confident and comfortable. At Oak Hill I won two titles, but it should have been three, because in the 450, I pulled off on the white flag when I was all over first [laughs].

And you won a couple of championship in Vegas, too, right?
Yep. Vegas went well. At first, I won all of my motos going into the mains. In the first main event, I came from behind and was inches from the championship. I had some bad starts and was in a first corner pile up in one. I messed up some championship hopes by getting too aggressive.

At the World Minis, it looks like they just throw you guys out in the middle of the desert!
Oh, yeah, it’s not my favourite event. It’s so windy! You’re always so happy to get out of there at the end of the week.

The tracks in Texas, Oak Hill and Lake Whitney, look beautiful though.
Oh, yeah! Whitney was pretty good, but it was really fast. It seemed like everyone could go fast there. Oak Hill is a lot more technical and there are more rhythm sections and it’s more rutted, more my style. That’s why I think I do so well there.

Speaking of riding style, you’re style must suit a big bike because your best results come on the 450.
I don’t know. It’s kind of weird; I ride my 250F totally different than I do my 450. On my 250F I’m wide open everywhere, but on the 450, I just ride it like I’m just putting around. I’m definitely a better 250F rider, but get good starts on the 450.

Wilson's picked up four amateur championships this spring in Oak Hill and Las Vegas.

You’ve been creeping up on the radar the last few years, Dean, but in the last two races, you’ve solidified yourself as a contender. What’s clicking for you?
I want to say preparing going into the races. I’m ready to win. I have a good team behind me, the Motosport Xtreme Team Green. I show up to the races and everything is ready and I have mechanic—it’s pretty much everything I’ve been looking for. I don’t have to worry about anything except doing my best. Last year was a learning year because it was my first year on big bikes. Now I have a little more experience under my belt.

What’s it like riding for Team Green? Do you guys test regularly?
Normally, we do testing before every national. I’m not that great at testing; I’m probably the worst tester. I’ll ride any bike and it just feels good [laughs]. But the team’s really good, we go out testing, and all of my teammates are pretty cool, PJ [Larson], Tyle [Sjoberg], and Hunter [Hewitt]. We get along well and ride together.

So if you’re not that great at testing, how do you know the team isn’t just sticking some decals on a stock bike [laughs]?
I don’t even know, but I know every time I walk into the race shop, they’re working on ways to make the bikes better. The bikes are fast, that’s for sure! I’m not that great of suspension tester though.

Is your dad still helping out?
Yeah, but he doesn’t do anything at the nationals. Like, last year he was my mechanic. Now, this year, he watches and gives me advice and that’s it. He’s so bored of it [laughs]. It takes a lot of stress off of him; he’s pretty much my practice bike mechanic now.

Well, there’s probably more work to be done on your practice bike than race bike!
[Laughs] Oh, yeah. It’s terrible; it seems like every time I come back from practice, I break something.

So other than racing dirt bikes, what else is going on in Dean Wilson’s world?
Oh, not much. All I do is pretty much ride and train. I’m trying to do what every other kid is going for: make my dream possible, race supercross and outdoors and become a factory rider.

Well, we’ll be watching! Thanks for chatting, Dean, talk to you soon.
Thank you!