COMING TO AMERICA
Wilson’s journey to the professional ranks of motocross racing is without
question one of the most intriguing stories in the sport. He didn’t hone his
skills on a farm or spin countless laps on a Southern California track like
most. Life for Wilson began in Scotland, but at the age of eight his family
moved to Canada. “It’s funny because when I moved to Canada, everybody
knew that I moved from Scotland because I used to run a little Scottish flag
on my helmet,” Wilson said. Scotland was not only Wilson’s birthplace, but
the birthplace of his love for dirt bikes as well. “I used to race when I was
in Scotland. My dad bought me an LEM 50 when I was four years old, and
I started racing at about six years old,” Wilson said. “It was always pretty
muddy at most of the races, and even to this day I’m not a great mud rider. It
rains a lot. That’s what I remember the most when I raced there.
“After a while, people who’d see me race didn’t really know my story or know
that I was from Scotland. That’s when they started claiming that I was Canadian. I
really love both countries, but I do call Scotland my home. It’s where I was born
and where my mom and dad and sister were born. That’s home for me, but
Canada is my second home, and America is my third home [laughs],” Wilson
said. Despite his international roots, Wilson still raced in America as an ama-
teur. He even claimed two AMA Amateur
National titles before turning pro in 2009.
RISE AND FALL
It wasn’t long before Wilson would find
success as a professional, as he would
contend for and collect a handful of
250 class wins during his first few years
under Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawa-
saki. Then in 2011, he claimed the 250
Championship in Lucas Oil Pro Motocross.
Unfortunately, a year later he would crash
and injure his shoulder in Supercross,
sidelining him for the 2012 outdoor sea-
son. Although injured, Wilson still planned
to make the move up to the 450 class the
following year, where more issues would
soon arise. “Back in 2013 I was committing
to the 450 class with the Jeff Ward Racing
team, and when that collapsed I had noth-
ing. Mitch Payton was nice enough to give
me another opportunity to ride the 250s,
and I did that for two more years. I still got
injured both years, though,” Wilson said.
Even while struggling with injuries in
his final years on a 250, Wilson continued
to show speed and determination. His
cheerful personality also made him a fan
favorite, adding to his value as a racer. In 2015, Red Bull KTM saw Wilson’s
potential and signed him to a two-year deal. “My first year with them, I did two
races and then I blew my knee out. I came back midway through the season
and had some average results. The next year I raced two races and blew my
knee out for the second time, same knee and all,” Wilson said. “It was tough
because I had to fly to Belgium to get surgery on my knee. I came back to
America and got a staph infection, so I had to fly back to Belgium to get it
cleaned out and get an antibiotic IV drip. It’s been really tough.” Following two
difficult years that kept him off the track, Dean faced an uncertain future as his
contract with Red Bull KTM was coming to an end.
PRIVATEER LIFE
After five years of injuries and only a handful of races under his belt, Wilson
found himself in a tough spot. His deal with Red Bull KTM had expired,
and with the off-season already proving difficult for many, he watched his
options narrow. “I never got any calls from any factory teams before this
season, and I went out and spoke with them,” Wilson said. “Speaking with
teams is tough, and it’s not something that I enjoy doing, but I knew it had to
be done. I went into a lot of offices and asked them to give me a chance, but
nobody ever did. I figured that I would have to go out and do it on my own.”
And he went on to do just that. With nothing but a van, a lightly modi-
fied Yamaha YZ450F, and his dad spinning wrenches on his bike, Wilson set
out to prove his worth at the opening rounds of the 2017 Monster Energy
Supercross season. “Obviously, it wasn’t an ideal situation to be in, but I
sure learned a lot and it gave me a new perspective on what I do for a living
and how much I really loved it,” Wilson said. “It was definitely tough being
a privateer and it was a lot of stress, but I had a lot of good people helping
me. I have to give a shout out to all of the privateers because they do a ton
of work and it’s tough.”PARENTAL GUIDANCE
Throughout Wilson’s career, both as a factory rider and a privateer, his re-
lationship with his parents has remained strong. As mentioned earlier, his
father even stepped up to wrench on Wilson’s bike during the opening
rounds of Supercross. “My dad enjoyed that for the first four rounds, but
I’m glad that it’s over because it put a lot of stress on him,” Wilson said. “We
only had a van and a pop-up tent. Our pits were pretty hectic, the fans were
right in our pit. He was kind of stressed and it was a lot of work. He enjoyed
it, but I’m glad that we’re not taking that route anymore.”
Like motocross, Wilson’s dedication
and loyalty to his family is a key factor in
his successes as a professional. “I have a
really good relationship with them, and
they’re my number-one support,” Wilson
said. “They’ve always had my back, even
when I had nothing, and they’re always
there to pick me up off the ground. The
least that I can do is treat them with re-
spect and love. They still enjoy coming
to the races. I have a good family.”A SECOND CHANCE
Some would say that opportunity is
earned, while others would argue
they’re a matter of luck. In the case of
Dean Wilson, however, his chance at rac-
ing for a factory team once again was
certainly earned. During the first four
rounds of the 2017 Monster Energy Su-
percross season, he fought hard to earn
results just outside of the top 10. Rock-
star Energy Racing Husqvarna noticed
the impressive results he was putting
in and decided to give Wilson a shot.
“Bobby Hewitt at Rockstar Energy Racing
Husqvarna picked me up after the fourth
round and it was a really good feeling.
I’ve jelled with the team so well and I have a great mechanic. Everything’s
going really good,” Wilson said. “The transition has been really good. KTM
was awesome and they’ve helped Husqvarna set up my bike similarly to the
way I had my KTM set up last year. It’s not quite the same bike, but they’re
similar. I get along with everyone on the team and we all jell really well. We
have a good laugh together and we keep the mood light. We’re all putting
in the time, but why not enjoy it? We’d rather do that than be miserable. It’s
been a really fun experience being on this team.”
Wilson has since gone on to earn top-five finishes in both Supercross and
motocross, proving that despite the races he’s missed, he’s still as capable
as ever. More importantly perhaps is the fact that he’s managed to avoid
injury thus far. “Right now I’ve got momentum going for me,” he said. “I’ve
been hurt every year. I’ve been trying to come back to the races, even if
I’m not at 100 percent, and when you don’t do so well it knocks down your
confidence. Then you get going again, only to get injured again. It’s hard to
pick yourself back up and then get knocked down again. I’ve never gotten
to build any momentum for myself. I told myself at the beginning of the
year, ‘If I just finish every race this year, that will be huge for myself and that
will really help me out.’ I’m starting to build that momentum and confidence
and get strong again.”“I WENT INTO
A LOT OF OFFICES
AND ASKED THEM
TO GIVE ME A
CHANCE, BUT
NOBODY EVER DID.
I HAD TO GO
OUT AND DO IT
ON MY OWN.”