Photo by: Hoppenworld
These “Privateer Showcase” presented by Race Tech Suspension at MotoXAddicts are interviews telling the stories of the guys in the trenches week in and week out just trying to chase their dream of racing in Monster Energy Supercross. While the riders at the front of the pack get the money, the T.V. time and the glory that goes with it, there’s a huge pack of kids just hoping to become regulars in the main events. We will talk to them and the guys on privateer teams looking to break through to that next level.
For kids coming up in the amateur motocross scene with professional aspirations, it’s always been all or nothing. You either dedicate your entire childhood—sacrificing intramural sports, friends, parties, dances, girls and school—to your race craft or you don’t do it at all. So when you hear about someone like professional Supercross racer Dustin Pipes—who is a college student—it’s an incredible anomaly. Not only is Dustin in college and hoping to someday get a law degree and become a lawyer, on any given Saturday night, he’s also one of the top-twenty 450SX Supercross riders in the world.
Dustin turned pro in 2010, and now in 2015, he has worked his way up to making main events in the premier class of the premier dirt bike series in the world: Monster Energy Supercross. While Dustin is a full privateer and a college student, he has still fought his way up to living the dream of racing 450SX main events in front of stadiums full of people on the weekend and pursuing his academic career during the week. So far in 2015, Dustin has made the 450SX main event at Indy—his first-ever professional main event—Houston and Santa Clara and has earned six points towards picking up his first-ever national number.
After Dusty’s career-best 18th place finish in Santa Clara, we gave him a call to talk to him about his 2015 Supercross season, his crazy schedule and his future goals. You can read what the #181 had to say in his “Privateer Showcase” interview below.
Hey Dustin, thanks for doing this interview. What are you up to at noon on a Tuesday?
Nothing really. Just did some homework and stuff this morning and now I’m waiting to go to the gym, waiting for you to call.
What exactly are you studying in college at the moment?
Business finance.
It’s definitely not the norm for a Supercross rider to go to college while racing 450SX main events on the weekend. Most aren’t even able to finish high school.
I don’t know. My whole family was like I better to go to college and actually do that. So last year I got hurt and this is kind of one of the routes I decided to go instead of sitting on my ass.
How do you find time to do that when you’re racing all seventeen rounds of Monster Energy Supercross?
Right now I’m doing it online. I lowered my class load. So during the summer I’ll just make up the credits and units that I’m going to take during this semester’s go around.
That’s crazy, and I’m sure someone like you could open some eyes and maybe even inspire others to do the same thing as maybe a backup plan. What are you planning on majoring in in the future?
I’d love to go to law school. That’s kind of my plan.
Law school, no joke. I think that would be awesome too. As competitive as you are—I mean, you might not be top five rider in the world at this point, but you’re top 20 in the world on any given night and that takes a hell of a lot of competitiveness and drive—I think that would actually carry over well to being a winning lawyer in a courtroom.
Thank you. Yeah, I think racing and stuff helped out a lot with my work ethic. The stuff you need to be able to be somewhat good at racing, I think it transfers over.
How old are you at this point, and where are you originally from?
I’m 23. I live in Fresno right now, but I’m from Madera, California, kind of a small town.
When did you start riding dirt bikes?
When I was six.
What got you into racing motocross at a young age?
My parents ran races and stuff growing up and all that. So my dad raced, my uncle raced, my oldest brother raced. It was just a family thing, and my dad threw me on a bike when I was in the front yard one time and I fell in love with it.
What kind of amateur career did you have? Did you do the amateur national scene or just stay more local coming up?
No. I actually raced all over, did the Mini Os, did Lorettas and all that. My best finish was like 2nd. I won some motos and stuff. So I was a decent guy, but nothing compared to some of the other guys. So I traveled around and did that, definitely not to the extent that some of the kids do living in the motorhomes and doing all that. We weren’t that crazy. We definitely tried to hit a lot of the major nationals.
I’ve been hearing your name for a while. I mean, you can’t miss Dustin Pipes. The name a porn star would love to have. (laughs)
I’m sure. (laughs) That’s a fall back career for me.
What year did you graduate from the amateurs and turn pro?
Shoot, I don’t know. I have no idea. I think I did the last in nationals in 2010. I think I did the last three nationals after Loretta. Then I missed pretty much the whole year the next year because I got hurt. Yeah, 2010 was the first year I turned pro.
This year you’ve made three main events. I remember Indy being your first. Was that your first ever?
Yeah, first ever. Been a long time coming.
What was it like to make that first main? That had to be an amazing feeling to finally get into the main event.
It was cool. The parade laps and stuff were pretty rad honestly. That was the coolest part of the whole thing. Actually riding the main, I was super nervous, extremely nervous. I didn’t really ride well in the main. Actually my first two mains I really didn’t ride well. I was way slow compared to what I was riding the whole day, just super nervous, but it was a really cool feeling to know that you’ve gotten that far, and it just makes you want to do it again.
You’ve made three now. From what you expected coming into the season and where you’re at now, how would you rate your season?
I think my goals going in were to make mains, so I kind of expected to be here. It took a little longer than I hoped it would, with my starts and stuff. My starts have been off and just not seeming like I belonged there, but ever since I made the first one, I feel like I belong there now, so if I make the next two mains—or when I make the next two mains—I’ll think this season has been pretty good.
Lately your qualifying speed has been on point and in the 20’s. Is that something you’ve worked on a lot?
Not really. I think for me it’s being able to get the track down as quick as possible, and that’s something that I usually struggle with. Another thing is there’s not as many guys as at the beginning of the year. A couple of guys got hurt, like [Jake] Weimer and [Ken] Roczen and stuff, so that kind of bumps us up a little bit. I think, just for me, it’s being able to get the track down quicker. If I can get the track down as quick as possible, then I can start to race the track and put in laps. That’s my thing for me.
What’s a week like in the life of being a privateer, getting to the races and getting your school work done?
Yeah. I usually ride. Like last week, I rode twice during the week. We had a couple of guys down to ride with us, and so I just ride and do all my homework and go to the track. A lot of the times I have prep on Friday mornings, so I do that. I’m usually riding probably two to three times a week during the week and then I get to race and stuff, so like four times. Then I’ve been flying out to probably like 90% of the east coast races. It’s been a pretty big issue. I have a lot of good guys that help me out.
I got your phone number from Chris over at Race Tech Suspension, and Chris says you’re awesome to work with. How do you like working with Race Tech?
I’ve been with those guys probably for six or seven years, I think—for a long time. Rob and all those guys over there—Juice, Checkers—they just do a great job. I think it’s one thing getting your suspension done—I think a lot of guys seem kind of close on that—but the thing that Race Tech does that puts them over the top, at least for me, is that they’re willing to go spend the time to make it right, send it back to make it right, and they just go to the next level and make sure it’s the rider’s preference. I think that’s the best thing about Race Tech.
You’re number 181 and have scored six points towards turning that into a two digit national number this year. Do you plan on going outdoors at all to try and score some more points?
I don’t know. We’ve kind of been talking about it and kind of seeing a couple different options and figuring out what’s best for us. As of right now, I’ll probably just be doing the west coast rounds, but if something comes along and we can figure out a way to get to all the nationals and actually make some money doing it, then I’d definitely love to do that.
I know this is a generic question, but you’ve made three main events so far. What’s the big goal for the rest of the year now?
My goal at the beginning of the year was 15th in a main, so I still haven’t gotten to that goal. I have to two weeks to do it, and hopefully I can do it this week.
Who else is helping you out? Just so we can give them a little love?
Yeah, there’s Ted Parks at TPJ, Fly Racing, Suzuki, Carl Nelson Insurance, Yoshimura, Race Tech, Rekluse, Snuffy Racing, Guts Factory Seats, EKS Brand Goggles, Alpinestars, Dunlop, Odi, Dt1, Motorcycle Superstore, Lucas Oil, Haggard Pirate, Vp Racing Fuels, Engine Ice, Bolt, Works Connection, Galfer, All Clear, promotofan.com, Boyce Excavating, Moto Blanket, the Silvera family, Gary Peterson, and my family for all the support throughout the years.
Thanks again for taking my call today, and we’ll see you in New York on Saturday.
Thank you for the interview. I appreciate the exposure!
