Catching Up with Dustin Nelson

Photos by Adam Campbell

First of all congratulations on a fantastic 2010 season. You have to be ecstatic about another QuadCross Championship and stellar finishes at the WORCS events. You dominated the QuadCross Pro class. What do you think sets you apart from the other west coast motocross competitors?
I have raced motocross my whole life. I started racing motorcycles when I was 6, turned pro at 17 and raced Supercross and Motocross professionally on a motorcycle for 9 years before switching to quads. I may have less time on a quad than most of my competition but I have massive amounts of racing experience. So I would say a lot of experience along with great equipment is what keeps me on top.

It’s pretty obvious that motocross is your strong suite, do you think if WORCS goes to a one-hour Saturday event and a one-hour Sunday event it might bring you closer to a WORCS championship? What is your opinion of that?
I definitely have some ground to make up on the off-road side. If WORCS went to a one-hour each day format I do think it would help me because the races would become more of a sprint, like motocross is. However, I don’t think that will happen and I’m not sure I want it to. I just need to step up my game with better off-road set ups and improve my off-road skills and fitness.

How did it feel to get your first WORCS win at Racetown this season?
It was awesome to finally win a WORCS race. It really lifted a pretty heavy weight off my shoulders. I have always liked the Racetown track both for WORCS and MX and that track is very similar to where I practice and test for the WORCS races. I did my usual thing, got a great start and just got into my rhythm. The only difference was that at the halfway point I was feeling great and the bike was working awesome so rather than losing ground, I was still pulling away.

Being a test rider is a dream job for many bike and quad enthusiasts. How did you land such a great gig with Yamaha?
Back in 1999 I was a guest instructor at a Rick Johnson Riding School on motorcycles of course. Doug Dubach was also a guest instructor that day. We worked together with a group of riders for half the day and got along really well. A month or so later when Yamaha lost one of their test riders Doug pitched me as a possible good fit. After a couple months of testing on a trial basis they gave me the spot.

Is it true, were you the first person to ride a YFZ?
That would definitely not be true. I was brought in very early in the YFZ testing process but I’m sure there was a few Japanese test riders and Yamaha US testing staff that took her for a spin before me.

Are you still testing for Yamaha?
I am still testing for Yamaha but tests are fewer and farther between now with all the budgets being slashed.

What are some of the machines you’ve tested for them over the years and what kind of changes have been made based on your input?
Wow… I’ve been involved with a lot of ground breaking bikes and quads through my years of testing. On the bike side, I was involved with the original YZ 250F that blew everybody’s mind when it first came out as well as all the generations of the YZ 450F. From the steel-framed 4-speed of 2003 through the auminum-framed, rear-facing head-design that are on today’s bikes. On the ATV side it would be hard to be involved with anything that changed a sport as much as the original YFZ 450, so I’m very proud of that. I have also been involved with the Raptor tranformation from the 660 to the aluminum-framed, fuel-injected 700 but I would say my crown jewel is the YFZ 450R. The idea started with the testing group and myself discussing a race ready quad sitting on the showroom and a replica of my race bike was built and sent to Japan to help get our point across. About a year later we tested the first prototype of what would become the YFZ-R, it lost some of the “race ready” feeling because of all the government restrictions on ATVs but it was really cool to see something started with some of my input come to fruition.

What is harder to get ready for WORCS or QuadCross?
WORCS is harder for me. There is so much time and preparation that goes into getting the bike ready for a two hour race at the high intensity pace that winning a WORCS race demands. For me personally, I’ve raced motocross my whole life and my body has been built for 25 to 35 minute sprints, finding the right pace to make both me and the quad last for few hours has been difficult for me.

Have you considered spending a year racing the ATVA MX Championship back East?
I would love to see where I stand with those guys if I got to race with them week in and week out through a whole season. But then again, I live on the west coast and all the races are so far away. I have three young kids that I love spending time with and I don’t want to be away from them any more than I have to. I enjoy the west coast racing scene, the turn out may be smaller than the east coast but we have some really great people and a good family atmosphere at the races.

There is a very committed team behind you. How crucial is it to have the backing you do? Who is involved in all your support?
To perform at the highest level of any sport you need a great support system.  I’m lucky enough to have built a great relationship with Yamaha that has been going on for over ten years now. Then there is Motoworks, DWT and Golden West, companies that are relatively new to my program but have stepped up huge and taken great care of me.  That’s just some of the financial and product support that helps us compete at a high level throughout the year, but possibly just as important is the two guys that are by my side at every race.  My dad, John Nelson, is my mechanic. He takes great care of my bikes. I’ve raced for a long time and had quite a few different mechanics. There is something to be said for the extra care that your dad will put into making sure everything is top notch.  Bill Johnson is my father-in-law and has been helping with the driving duties and taking care of the pits for a few years now.  Bill is a great guy that has a lot of knowledge about so many things. I think he could literally find a way to fix anything.

What’s an average day for you?
Well at least one of my boys will be climbing into my bed before 6 am. Everyone eats breakfast and then I drop Jaycee off at school just before 9. After that my days vary greatly, some days I spend the rest of the day playing with my boys until  school is out.  Other days I’m grabbing my mountain bike and pedaling for the trails or loading up a quad or motorcycle and heading to the motocross track or a nearby riding area.

How often do you practice and train?
I spend at least 4-5 days a week doing some sort of training. I usually ride a minimum of two days and spend a good amount of time pedaling.

Do you still work on your own bikes?
My practice bike is my responsibility but I work on it at my dad’s shop most of the time so if I get in a jam or need something major, he’s there to help.

Is racing a full time job for you?
Racing is definitely my full time job. Well racing and being a dad. I have held jobs in the past but there just isn’t enough time to work a regular job, train, race and manage all the things that go into a race team.

 

How much longer do you see yourself at this level?
I would say that has everything to do with how long I can stay healthy. I turned 33 at the last round of QuadCross and I feel like I’m in the best shape of my life. I do notice that every time I get hurt or beat up it’s harder to come back from but I feel that if I stay healthy I have at least another five years in me.

Are there any new changes in your program for next year that you can talk about?
Well all my sponsorship stuff isn’t completed yet but I do have a couple big changes we can talk about. GYTR will be a part of my program for 2011, we are happy to have them back on board and we’ll be using all their aluminum, clutch and engine parts. Probably the biggest news we have heading into 2011 is the signing of Josh Row. Josh is a great, young rider that I ride and train with quite a bit and we believe that with some mentoring and great equipment he could be the future of WORCS and QuadCross.

What is your favorite track?
I really like Speedworld and Racetown. Both tracks seem to fit my style and take some thought to get every ounce of speed possible. I really enjoy pushing super hard and having to be very precise like Speeworld in the dark, but I also like Racetown for the fact that if you slow down and pick the track apart your lap times can get faster.

What do you want for Christmas?
I want to finish every race in 2011 strong. No mechanical or rider error DNFs please.

Thanks for your time. We wish you an even better 2011.
Thanks a lot.

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