Five Minutes with … Dusty Klatt
MAY 23, 2008

Our 2006 MX1 champ returns to the Canadian Nationals

By Danny Brault
Photos by James Lissimore

It was only two years ago that we last saw Dusty Klatt battling JSR for his first MX1 championship (well, he raced Walton last August, but let’s forget about that weekend), but it feels like a decade ago. The Campbell River kid is back in Canada, this time on a Monster Energy Cernic’s Kawasaki, and he is no doubt a favourite for the win in Ste-Julie and the title. We caught up with Dusty this week to see how things are going in preparation for his return to the Monster Energy Motocross Nationals.

RXC: Dusty, what’s going on in Campbell River?
Dusty Klatt: Oh, not much. I just got back from town.

What’s going on in town?
Just got some stuff at the shop and some personal stuff, the new season of the Trailer Park Boys [laughs]. I need to catch up on what’s happening.

That a boy! You better watch it a few times before the weekend.
[Laughs] Yeah, to get all of my lines straight?

That’s right. How long have you been back home?
A little over a week now.

What’s been going on since supercross wrapped up in Vegas?
I took a week off and started packing my stuff to come home. Glen and the team helped strip my bike down and get it fresh and ready. They sent me two bikes, one for a back up just in case. I loaded up my stuff and headed home and drove straight through. I was beat the next day and took a couple days settling in and then rode all week. I’m trying to get as ready as I can before Ste-Julie. I’ve been BMXing quite a bit, which was fun.

It must feel nice returning to your natural surroundings and sleeping in your old bed at night.
Definitely. It’s weird coming back here now because, really, I’ve been down there for nearly a whole year. You’re so used to getting on the freeways and stomping on it [laughs], and the Sprinter tops out at 80 miles. I’m used to driving like that, and then you come here and everyone’s going the speed limit. It felt completely different coming back here, and the price of stuff is skyrocketing here. It almost seems like it’s cheaper to live in the States.

We can't wait to see Dusty's aggressiveness on his KX450 in Ste-Julie

Are you nervous, excited for the opening round of the Canadian Nationals this weekend?
I was thinking about it quite a bit when I got here. I’ve pretty much stayed off any moto-site in general; then I don’t have to look at your guys’ crap [laughs]. I’m feeling pretty fine with it. I will get over any nerves once things get rolling. I know what I’m capable of doing and I think that the people haven’t seen me ride in forever, well, a couple years anyways. I’m just taking it race by race.

Well, I’d like to think that you’d still be in the top ten.
[Laughs] Funny guy! I’m sure the level has stepped up a bit, but we’ll take it as it goes.

What are your thoughts on the Ste-Julie track?
Yeah, I like Ste-Julie a lot; the year I raced there it was really good. Last year it didn’t look like too much fun, or so I hear. That’s probably one of my favourite ones on the circuit; it has good dirt, ruts and it’s good for racing.

Going back a few years, what do you remember about your very first pro race?
I was on a CR125 with #144. I think that was the first year the 125 came with an aluminum frame. Howie [Spencer] was there; I can’t remember if Nick Dunn was racing. I holeshot and led for a couple of laps and finished third. It was at Port Hardy.

What about your first national win? What do you remember about that day?
That was a good day, two moto wins and I think I was third in one of the 250 races. I was pretty pumped to start the season that way. It went forward from there.

How did your mindset change when you saw that you can win?
I don’t really see the confidence; I just try to work for it and be in the best condition I can for the weekend. Up to that race in Nanaimo, I finished seventh the year before on a CR125—which, the thing sucked—and was planning on being in and around that spot. The four-stroke helped me out quite a bit; the four-strokes suit my style better. Then, once you start winning, you want more of it.

What’s the best bike that you’ve ever ridden?
I’m going to say, hands down, my Blackfoot CRF450. It was pretty sweet! My Kawi is pretty close; it has a similar frame and feels like a Honda. But that bike just worked really well, anywhere on the track.

I’m sure it did. We’re happy to have you back in Canada, Dusty. Good luck this weekend.
Thanks.