By Danny Brault

Photos: Allison Kennedy

Now that the Canadian series is over with, our boys have a chance to test their skills in the final rounds of the U.S. nationals. This past weekend at Steel City, Pennsylvannia, Ontario riders Doug DeHaan and Pierce Chamberlain entered the 250 class, while Ryan Lockhart made the 18-hour trek from Nova Scotia to Delmont to race the 125 class. DeHaan, a regular at U.S. supercross and motocross events, doesn’t usually face much of a problem qualifying for the races, but at Steel City, things didn’t quite work out for him. However, Lockhart, a first-timer at a U.S. national, qualified on his Richmond KX250F and finished 30th overall. We caught up with DeHaan to find out what kept him from qualifying for the 250 class at Steel City.

RXC: Tell us about your weekend at Steel City. I know you didn’t feel too well.

Doug DeHaan: I woke up Saturday and I had a sore throat and knew something was coming on. Then I did practice and quallys that day and was kind of getting bagged out from that little bit of riding and racing. Then Sunday morning, actually all Saturday night I couldn’t sleep and I just felt terrible. And Sunday I just had nothing, [laughs] I was getting tired in practice. Then two laps through the qualifier, I was just bagged.

Yeah in your qualifier on Sunday, it looked like you started to slow down after a couple laps.

Yeah I completely faded out, it was horrible. Then in the LCQ, I was in a huge battle and the guys were going crazy around me. I knew I was feeling like I wasn’t going to be able to last all four laps and just backed it off.

So are you getting pumped for the des nations?

Yep, yep. Defintley when I get back to riding that’s what I will be focusing on.

Will you be doing any testing with bikes before you race?

Well my mechanic is flying over a day early. We’re taking all our own stuff and we’re renting bikes over there.

Will you guys have a rig to pit out of over there?

Yeah, we’ll have a rig, the bikes and everything are coming from Switzerland.

You raced the des nations a few years ago, didn’t you?

Yes I did.

How was that experience?

Not so good, we went over with not much support at all. My bike seized every time I was on the track, so [laughs] it didn’t really go all that well. But it will be nice to have another chance with some good equipment.

Who else went with you that year?

Darcy [Lange] and Jason Thorne.

What do you have planned for this fall and winter?

The month of October I will train and get ready for the winter, like supercross and everything. Then in November I will probably do some Germany races.  

And you will be at the Montreal supercross?

Yeah, for sure.

Doug you are one of the only Canadian riders—if not the only rider—who races year round. In the winter you race U.S. Supercross, then the Canadian nationals, Montreal and then do a few races in Europe. Do you ever feel burnt out from it all?

Yeah, I mean, I take a few weeks off here and there, but that’s about it. I don’t know, I kind of just look forward to the next thing and keep going. If I feel like I need time off, I will just take it, but until then… [laughs]

So you’ll be at the World Supercross rounds this year?

Yeah, Toronto and Vancouver, for sure.

Will that be on your own?

With the Butler Brothers. They’re going to do it, I’m not sure if their truck is going to both races or not, but it will be at Toronto for sure.

It sounds like you and the Butler Brothers get along really well.

Yeah it’s been good. I mean, this year they’ve kind of stepped it up and they got a rig now and another rider, Cole Seibler. I think it’s just getting better. Last year was their first time to have an outside rider, so it was kind of new for them. But they did a god job and lived up to everything they said they were going to do. To have a ride for supercross— it’s pretty tough to get a ride, especially in the 250 class, it’s really, really tough.

Thanks Doug.

Not a problem, talk to you later.