In professional motocross there is one thing that is a given: at some point, a rider’s racing days will come to an end. While it’s sad for most riders to think about, it really just falls under the category of real life. No matter how good you are, at some point in your life racing will end. What separates motocross from a few other sports is that it ends so early in a rider’s life. While some pro riders can stretch their careers into their thirties, for most it’s all over by the time you turn the big 30 and you have to find something else to do for the next thirty or so years.
Unless you’re forced into retirement by an injury or some other circumstance, knowing when to hang it up is one of the hardest decisions a pro rider will probably have to make in their life because there is a lot at stake. Once you quit racing and take a year or two off, it’s so hard to come back in this sport and be as competitive as you once were. In fact, it’s almost impossible. So when a pro rider does decide that it’s time to move on, they’d better be 100% sure that it’s the correct decision.
In Dusty Klatt’s mind, it sounds like right now feels like the right time to move on with the rest of his life. Not only has he had a tough time recently with injuries, but he is at that point in his life where he has found a few other interests outside of motocross to fill that void that not racing leaves inside you. It also sounds like he’s come to the big decision that ultimately makes up a rider’s mind once and for all: the risks of racing motocross finally have outweighed the rewards. Once a rider comes to this conclusion, and we all have at some point, his mind is made up and it’s time to move on. Motocross is a tough sport. It doesn’t matter if you make a million dollars or five dollars doing it, at some point the risk outweighs the reward. This is called reality!
In my opinion, Dusty Klatt has quietly become one of Canada’s best riders in history, not only because of his results over the years but with the innovative style that he brought to the track. He really did change the way Canadians approached their riding. If we think back to 2006 when Dusty finally dethroned five-time champ JSR in the MX1 class, the way Dusty stayed low off the jumps and attacked the track that year, it was something that we’d never seen before in Canada. I remember sitting in the stands at the Montreal Supercross in 2006 watching Dusty just destroy everyone in the main event. There was a really tough rhythm section made up of nine jumps that year. You had to triple in right out of a corner and then triple two more times to complete the section. Dusty was the only rider who did it every lap as he pulled away from the field. He was miles better than everyone that night and it was one of the most dominating wins in Montreal Supercross history.
Although Dusty would go on to race the next few years in the USA, it became clear that racing on Canadian soil brought out the absolute best in him. Maybe it was the inferior equipment he rode down south, maybe it was a little homesickness, or maybe it was just the Canadian pride he felt every time he lined up here. Whatever it was, Canadian race fans were lucky enough to see the best Dusty had to offer on a motorcycle and it was a pleasure to watch. Although he had many great moments in his career, I think one of the photos of him scrubbing a jump in Ste-Julie, Quebec definitely encapsulates Dusty’s career. It shows the speed and style that everyone had come to love about him. I know I speak for everyone in Canada when I wish Dusty Klatt the best in whatever the future holds for him and his family. All the best Dusty on a career well done!!
In closing I’d also like to pay tribute to another two wheeled Canadian hero. Superbike rider John Ross MacRae lost his life yesterday during qualifying in Mont Tremblant. Our condolences go out to the MacRae Family on this tough day. Here is a message from his teammate Darren James:
“Heavy hearts we have at Ruthless Racing have lost a team member. RIP JR MacRae Godspeed my friend. I loved you like a little brother; the last 8 years of having you a part of my life was amazing. JR you are an amazing human being. The last words JR said to me in the trailer before qualifying. “Dude when we walk out the door, check the horizon, blue bird day, beautiful mountains, and remember what we get to do….and have fun”. I love you JR Godspeed brother. I will never forget. “
Darren James #29