5 Minutes with ... Dusty Klatt

March 14, 2005

By Allison Kennedy

Photo by Allison Kennedy.

After spending much of the winter practicing and training in California, 125 West Champ Dusty Klatt decided to test his speed at the 4 Stroke National in Phoenix, Arizona this weekend. Klatt finished fourth overall with 4-5 motos in the 250F class, and won his Saturday qualifier. Sunday started off well for Klatt, he won his Premiere qualifier and was running third in the opening moto when his day came to an abrupt end. We caught up with the 125 champ in California to see how he’s feeling about the upcoming outdoor season.

We heard you had a nasty crash at the 4 Stroke Nationals this weekend? What happened and how are you now?

Dusty Klatt: I’m so-so. Yesterday wasn’t so great for me. I’m fine now—I just hit my head and didn’t have a clue where I was. It’s all good now.

Prior to that, it sounded like you were riding really well in the 250F class. You went 4-5 in that class. Tell me about those motos?

I kind of wish the 250F class went a bit better. It was tough. It was a little different. The top 20 riders are all within three seconds in lap speed pretty much. A start definitely helps out a lot. There were some fast guys there too. A 4-5 finish isn’t bad but I wish I could have gotten a top three.

What was it like running with Ryan Hughes, Jesse Casillas and Steve Mertens? Were you keeping pace and running with the leaders?

In the 125, I was in third in the first moto for a while but a guy got by me. In the second one, I worked my way from fifteenth up to fifth. Then I felt good in the premiere class on Sunday. I won both my qualifiers on my 25OF on Saturday, and my qualifier in the premiere class Sunday. It was going good. I got a decent start and I was right behind Ryan Hughes for the first two laps and pretty much staying with him. I slid a bit and one guy got by me. I got going again and I was right behind him. I was coming into this corner and there were a few braking bumps coming in. It kicked my rear tire off the track and I don’t really remember anything from there. I guess it just tossed me into the corner. I was right out of it. They took me off in a golf cart and I was waving to Pat as if I hadn’t seen him in a few months. Oh well ... that’s the way it goes.

Other than hitting your head really hard are you okay?

My wrist is a little sore and my butt is a little swollen. I’ll be fine in a couple of days. I’ve got a big charlie horse in my leg.

We also heard through the grapevine that you had a pretty serious practice crash a few weeks ago? What happened there?

There were three table tops in a row ... I scrubbed the first one and it threw my back end out a little. It was kind of muddy between the second and third one and when I landed it kind of swapped me out a bit, then I caught my front wheel and it pitched me three quarters of the way up the next launch. I landed right on my side and hit my head a bit. I was coughing and had specks of blood in my spit and blood in my urine, so I decided I’d better go to the hospital. I had some internal bleeding and it turns out I had some bruising on the bottom half of my right lung. So things haven’t been too good for the last little while but hopefully this is the end of it.

Are you going to take a bit of time off?
I’ll take a few days off. There is another Four Stroke National on April 2 and 3. I might go race that event and then head home right after that.

For the most part, is your time in California spent training and practicing, not racing?

Pretty much. This was the first race I’d been to since the BC arenacross series.

How have you been feeling speed wise?
Pretty good. It seems like I’ve been picking up speed. Then you get the feeling that you are getting fast and head to a race. After being down to the race on the weekend, it was a little bit of a disappointment. Then again, Ryan Hughes isn’t exactly slow but he’s not the leader at the AMA Nationals either. It’s a bit of a kick I guess but I’ll just have to train that much harder again.

You have pretty high expectations of yourself.

I’m that kind of person. I’m a little hard on myself—that’s just kind of how I’ve always been. I’m training pretty much as hard as I can. It’s been getting better but hopefully I can just pick it up and be that much better by the time I get home.

Your new teammate Donnie McGourty had an impressive performance in Daytona. Your former teammate Ryan Morais has also been putting in some strong supercross rides. Is it difficult to hear those results and not be in the mix or are you just focusing on being in top form for next season?

I like watching the races. Sometimes you watch Carmichael doing stuff on the track and then you see another guy not jumping a section. I’m always like, ‘Why aren’t they jumping? I could jump that.’ Then I go to the track, and I’m behind Ryan Hughes and he’s saying, “Geez, Carmichael is six seconds a lap faster than me…” I still have a long way to go but…

What is the plan from now until the nationals?

I’ll probably hit a few BC races when I get home, Campbell River and Nanaimo.

Is the Blackfoot team racing Hangtown?

Yep, I believe so. That’s what the plan is. That will be my first big race. I feel so-so about it. After the weekend, I wasn’t really that pumped about it. We’ll just have to see how things go. It seems I have an idea of where I’d stand if I did go to the National there. I think Blackfoot kind of expects a little bit more from me there—they want me to do pretty well there. It’s going to be tough but like I said I’ll just have to keep on it and just get ready. My speed is pretty good and my conditioning is good. I just have to work on a few things. It’s always a little different racing. You get pushed a little bit harder. Being smooth and consistent is really a big thing, it gives you that extra second. I’m getting a little better with corner speed. If I do go to Hangtown, I don’t want to be running in friggin’ fifteenth. It would be nice to be close to the top five. It will be tough but that’s kind of where I want to be sitting if I want to go anywhere in this sport. I just have to work on it.

What’s your training schedule like?  
I go to the gym every night and ride during the day. Not today though ... I’m a little sore and we’ve got to clean all the bikes.

Which tracks have you been riding at in California?

Perris, Glen Helen, Competitive Edge track—it’s not open but I have a connection with the guy and he lets me come up and ride there.

Who have you seen while you’ve been practicing?

About a month or two ago, I saw Ryan Villopoto out riding. I caught up to him and passed him and we had a little race going on the practice track. I think I was a second or so faster. I ran into Hughes a couple of times at Cahuilla Creek. I had almost the same lap times as he did there early in the day. Then the second time he went out, he was about two seconds faster. He rides pretty quick. I ran into Darcy last week at Perris. I was riding some motos there and had a chat with him just before I left. And Mitch Cooke was around for a while but I think he’s headed to Florida.

We’re looking forward to seeing you back in Canada. Thanks a lot and stay safe.

Thanks, will do.