Catching Up with...Dusty Klatt

Interview and photos by James Lissimore

There was plenty of debate going into last weekend's Monster Energy CMRC Motocross National at Castrol Raceway in Edmonton, Alberta. After the first two rounds, Blackfoot Yamaha's Colton Facciotti looked invincible, stretching a moto win streak that dated all the way back to the second moto at Nanaimo last season. The biggest threat to the end of Faccioti's dominance was the supposed debut of amateur phenom, Dean Wilson in the MX1 class at Edmonton and after Wilson's blistering last times in qualifying it looked liked it might be the case.

But, when Wilson didn't line up for the MX1 moto it was actually Facciotti's teammate, Dusty Klatt, who got out front and put in 35 flawless minutes with Facciotti all over him to take the moto win and end the streak. For the Campbell River, British Columbia native who dominated the 2006 Championship before heading south to try his luck against the best, it was a return to form that we haven't seen since he headed for America. We caught up with him to see how his day went....

Dusty, congrats on the moto win. How does it feel to finally get the monkey off your back?

It definitely feels good. I mean, I didn't really feel that great after the first Kamloops race, during the week and coming into Calgary I felt like crap all weekend. But I mean, after that weekend, leading up to this race I felt pretty good. I met with my trainer, Mia, and talked a bit about what we could do to figure some stuff out and she pretty much got a new program for me to start running here and I definitely think it's going to be better. We'll go through this week but I think during the three week break it will make the most difference. I'm looking forward to it and, I mean, I felt a lot better this weekend so hopefully I can plug away during the week and make things better.

What was going through your head when you had Colt all over you in that moto?

Just to be calm. I've been there before with JSR right on my ass so...I mean, obviously Colt is riding really good right now. Getting a start has been the main key; obviously it really killed me in the second moto. I just put my head down, obviously I didn't want to make it easy for him. I wanted to win bad....just pinned her pretty much(laughs).

Dusty Klatt ended Colton Facciotti's unbeaten streak by winning the first moto at Edmonton

Yeah, I noticed that he actually passed you at one point and you turned around and passed him right back. That had to have given you a lot of confidence to know that you can get in there and battle with him. 

Well, he pretty much rubbed me but that was about it. He was obviously right on my ass too but we also got into lappers when that happened. Obviously, it's going to be a tough year, there's lots of races left and anything can happen and the main thing is just to get that Yamaha off the gate good and be consistent throughout the year.

You didn't get as good of a jump in the second moto and you had to work your way up. How were you feeling out there then?

(laughs) It definitely sucked with all that roost, let me tell you. I just charged as hard as I could to the front so I didn't have to deal with that and honestly, I guess when I got into third I thought I was in second the whole time. I thought Colt was out front but I got to the finish line there and I was like “Ahh second” and they were like “Third, good race” and I was like “What?” Oh well, but I heard Paul was on the gas that moto so...man, it was pretty funny; weird, at the same time because we(Dusty and Colt) were a minute and three seconds ahead in the first moto so that was kind of weird. I guess Billy(Whitley, Cernic's team owner) gave him a talking to between motos.

Klatt and Facciotti were this close for 30 minutes

Obviously, now that you've won you're expecting to be winning more. What's your plan now for the rest of the series to stay up front?

I mean, like I said, I just have to keep plugging away during the week. We're going to work hard with this new program and try to keep things going with it. Obviously, like I said it's going to be tough. I'm just going to be consistent and I think this year it's going to come down to, every thing's going to come into play; you've got to get a good start, be consistent and make no mistakes. That's what it's going to take to win the race and the championship. I've never doubted myself right from the beginning that I can't win a race, I know I can. I just have to work away and build it up bit by bit.

OK, one last thing. How are the pugs doing?

The pugs are doing awesome. The pugs made it out this weekend so that's maybe why I won the moto.

Yeah, maybe you need to have them out more often.

No kidding.

OK, thanks Dusty

Thanks.