Photo by: Red Bull

In the beginning of every Monster Energy Supercross season, there are a myriad of questions that hover over every rider heading into the first main event of the year, and Red Bull/KTM’s Dean Wilson has more than most. As a 250SX rider, Wilson scored eight main event wins, but while he was often the fastest rider on whatever coast he contested, he was never consistent enough to lock down a regional 250SX Championship. Crashes, bike malfunctions and a rough bout with arm pump seemed to stand between Deano from ever hoisting a championship trophy over his head in the 250SX class, but we do not for a minute think that the Scottish-born American transplant cannot get the job done on a 450.

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In Deano’s rookie 450MX campaign in 2015, he switched to the Red Bull/KTM. Still getting acclimated to the very different KTM—Dean had been on Kawasaki’s since his amateur days—he finished 15th and 17th in the first two rounds, but at round three in Anaheim, he showed he was getting it figured out with an 8th in the main event. Unfortunately the #15’s freshman 450SX season ended early with a crash at the test track and a blown ACL, but he is healthy now and ready to pick up where he left off at the 2016 Anaheim 1 SX on January 9. Wondering how Deano’s preparation for ’16 has been going, we gave him a call for a quick interview. You can hear what Deano had to say in his “Inside Story” interview below.

Hey, Deano, how’s it going? Are you feeling forgotten yet? (laughs)

Ah, no, we’re all good.

Deano is a wildcard in the 2016 Monster Energy Supercross series. Photo by: Hoppenworld
Deano is a wildcard in the 2016 Monster Energy Supercross series. Photo by: Hoppenworld

Anaheim 1 is coming! How’s the off season training going for you?

Training is going really well. We’re working really hard. I’m doing a lot of laps at the track, which is the same thing everybody else is doing during the off season, but I’m feeling really good. I’m definitely feeling a lot better going into the season than I have been in the past. I feel like I’m in a really good place. I’m really comfortable on my bike. Everything seems to be going well.

 

How big of a change is the KTM? I know you said things are going well, but was it as easy to get used to?

Yeah, but I think even though I got injured last year, I still got a little bit more time on it and I got it set up how I really like it, so coming into this year I’ve got more time on the bike. I was at Kawasaki for a long time before that, so going to the new bike was always going to be a little bit different, but I feel like I have it set up where I’m pretty good now. I’m really comfortable and I’m really happy with how I’m feeling on it. I’m happy with my suspension, my chassis, everything really.

 

Last year you came in a little under the radar and struggled a little in the beginning before getting a solid top ten finish at A2, but this year, you’re almost off the radar. People will probably be going, “Oh yeah, Dean Wilson. We forgot about him.” Do you feel like you’re in a better spot for 2016?

Yeah, the first two rounds I kind of struggled with some things, but then I got better at the third round. I think I’m going to be a lot better off this year overall—my bike, my fitness, my mentality, everything overall. I know this year is a big year for me. I do realize that, and I’m doing everything I can to be the best I can when it comes to racing. We’ll see how it goes, but I feel I’m going to be a lot better off, for sure.

The only thing standing between Dean Wilson and the podium is some momentum. Photo by Hoppenworld
The only thing standing between Dean Wilson and the podium is some momentum. Photo by Hoppenworld

In your mind, do you feel you’re a better Motocross or Supercross guy. I know a lot of guys are specialists at one or the other, but while you’ve won a 250MX Championship outdoors, you’ve also won a lot of 250SX main events.

I don’t know; that’s hard to say. I feel like I’ve shown true speed in SX. I don’t feel like I’ve shown my true potential in a twenty-lap main event. I think I have a lot more to show in SX than what I have. In outdoors, I feel like if I keep going the way I am now, I’ll be on a good path for good results next year. I really enjoy them both, and I feel I’m good at both. In outdoors, I feel you have a little bit more time than in SX to make things happen. In SX, it’s only about an eighteen-minute race, so you really have to hustle to get where you need to be, where in outdoors you have a lot more time and you can have a little bit of a strategy. SX is all about the sprint.

 

When you first moved up to the 450 class, the class was dominated by guys that were maybe your heroes or guys you at least looked up to coming up as an amateur—guys like Ryan Villopoto, Chad Reed, James Stewart. Now, though, the young guns like Ken Roczen and Eli Tomac are 450SX Championship contenders. Both guys you’ve beaten straight up indoors and out before. Does the rise of the underclassmen make you feel more confident on the 450?

Yeah, I’ve beaten all of the guys in the 450 class at least once before. Whether it was in a heat race, the Lites class or whatever, I’ve beaten them once before. I think turning laps is something I’ve improved on a lot coming into this season. I think training with Tyla Rattray has also helped me a lot, and I think this year I’m going to be a lot more calm and collected. I really would love to be battling up front. It’s weird, like you said, I used to be racing against guys that were my heroes or guys I looked up to at one point, but now it’s the new generation of guys I used to race against. I’m just going to keep working my best and try to be one of the guys up front.

 

Yeah, when you look at who the Championship favorites are—sure, there’s [Ryan] Dungey who’s the Champ and has been around a minute—but most everyone expects Roczen, Tomac or maybe even you to be the guys in the immediate future.

Yeah, exactly. I think it’s just because we’re the young generation. We’re all fresh, we’re all hungry, and not that James and Chad aren’t, but we’re the new crop, and everyone’s expecting us to be battling and psyched before the season. I think it’s definitely going to be some great racing this year.

 

Have you been riding with Dungey and [Marvin] Musquin at the KTM track much? How’s the speed versus the teammates?

Yeah, I rode with Marvin and Dungey last week, and Dungey’s faster than me right now, but I’m still happy with where I’m at right now. Obviously, to get to his speed is where I want to be. I’m still ticking off my laps, and even though I’m a little bit slower right now, I’m still working hard. I’m just trying to be the best I can be right now and continually improving myself.

Deano returned from injury for the last three rounds of the 2015 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship. He surprised a few people with a fifth in the second moto in Utah. Photo by: Hoppenworld
Deano returned from injury for the last three rounds of the 2015 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship. He surprised a few people with a fifth in the second moto in Utah. Photo by: Hoppenworld

I know you had surgery on both your hands/wrists while you were out with the knee injury. How are the hands feeling, and did it help a lot?

They’re alright. It’s not like it totally took the arm pump away, but it wasn’t mainly for arm pump; it was for my carpal tunnel. It needed to be done. It helps, but I still get pumped up if I’m not warmed up correctly or not in the right frame of mind. Lately I’ve been feeling really good on the bike, so arm pump hasn’t really been a concern.

 

And the knee is still holding up well after the ACL replacement recovery?

Yeah, the knee is feeling great. I’m really happy with that. I’m really happy with how my whole body is feeling right now and with the KTM. It’s all coming together.

 

Nice! Where do you see yourself in the 450SX field, your personal goals heading into Anaheim 1 next month and your goals as the season moves forward?

I think a good goal for me would be to try and be in the top five. I think that’s a good realistic goal for me, and I know I can do it. I’ll just try to shoot for the top five every race and see where that takes me.

 

How is working with Tyla? He just retired, so he’s barely removed from your position, but how are his training skills?

Yeah, he’s really good. Obviously this is his first year of being a trainer, but he’s training the guys on the Troy Lee Designs team and he’s training me. It’s very repetitious. We’re doing a lot and we always do something every day, but the thing about it is I feel the difference he’s making. That’s what’s important to me; I feel stronger. You know, if you do everything you can during the off season and you’re prepared, you have a lot less worries going to the starting line because you know you’ve done everything you can. All you can do is ride your best. With training with Tyla, I really feel like we’ve done everything we possibly can, and now it’s up to me to make the results happen.

Winners never forget that feeling of winning, and are never satisfied until they have that feeling again. This win was from 2014 inside Angel Stadium. Photo by: Hoppenworld
Winners never forget that feeling of winning, and are never satisfied until they have that feeling again. This win was from 2014 inside Angel Stadium. Photo by: Hoppenworld

Well, thanks for picking up the phone today and talking with us. We will see you at A1, and we’re hoping to see you near the front in ’16.

Thanks, Dan.

Author

Dan Lamb is a 12+ year journalist and the owner of MotoXAddicts.