Dustin Nelson Links QuadX Season Opener Race Report 2007 Dustin Nelson Interview

Dustin Nelson WORCS & QuadX Pro Racer

Glamis, CA (3/7/2014) - Dustin Nelson is a familiar face on the Pro podium, wither its at the WORCS Racing Series or Quad X Motocross. Nelson has excelled in both series and is a multi-champion in the Quad X Series.

We recently had a chance to talk with Dustin Nelson at Yamaha's YFZ 450R & Raptor 700R Special Edition Intro at the legendary Glamis Sand Dunes.

ATVriders.com: Dustin, you had a great start to the season in the Yamaha Quad X series, and pulled out a win.
Dustin Nelson: Yeah, it was good to get a win and we did a lot of preparing for it. We have a couple changes to the program with the engine and exhaust. A few other things changed on the quad, and we came into this season feeling like we were ready to battle and take back the championship. We won the first round and that was a great start do, which is what we wanted to do, but we were definitely disappointed that Davey (Haagsma) and Beau (Baron) didn’t show up. I figured that were going to do some Nationals, but I hoped they would come to every Quad X that didn’t conflict just to hone their skills and race against me. Hopefully they’ll come out to some this year and the class will grow throughout the year, but for the first round the turnout was a bit low. It was good to see guys like Robbie Mitchell come back too, so that was nice.

ATVriders.com: This year at the WORCS, you’ve had some great runs, but just haven’t been able to finish it.
Dustin Nelson: Yeah, two rounds in and we’ve had quite a bit of a bad luck already so hopefully that’s over with. I grabbed the holeshot both rounds so we’re feeling good about our engine program. The first round we just had a weird issue with the seat popping off and I was able to ride hard and fast and come back to a fourth, but that’s not where we expect to be. The second race I was in third and I felt really good and was trying to catch Beau (Baron) back but had a cracked piston in the engine which I didn’t foresee that happening, but we had a lot of experience on the bike that weekend and we are just going to learn from our mistakes and keep going. I honestly feel like I belong on the podium and I’m riding as good as I ever hav,e and the Yamaha is better than it’s ever been, and we’re just looking to move forward.

Dustin Nelson has grabbed round 1 & 2 holeshots in the WORCS Pro Class with his Moto-Xperts powered Yamaha YFZ 450R

ATVriders.com: Out here in Glamis and riding the new Special Edition Yamahas, how’s the new 2014 working for you in the sand?
Dustin Nelson: This is an awesome event here in Glamis and we all get to come out and ride and have some fun for a few days playing in the sand. The 2014 Yamaha YFZ 450R is pretty awesome! I really enjoy the little bit of extra room on the quad now with the foot wells and fenders moved around a little bit, and the suspension settings are definitely an improvement for the dune riding with it being so choppy and it’s probably as rough as its ever been when we’ve been out here. There’s just a ton of ruts from everyone out here and the quad is going across them pretty comfortably so I’m pretty stoked about the suspension settings.

Dustin Nelson kicks up a roost on a Yamaha YFZ450R Special Edition in Glamis

ATVriders.com: You mentioned as well, being a former motorcycle racer, you’ve been putting in some laps at the WORCS races on the Yamaha motoorcycle as well.
Dustin Nelson: Yeah! Last year when the WORCS series went to the format of running everything together in one weekend I decided to throw my motorcycle in the trailer and make my Saturday a little more interesting. We usually get a one-hour practice on Saturday and the rest of the time we are just sitting around, so I’ve been riding my bike and have been having a lot of fun. I’ve been running the 30A class and we start third or fourth row in the morning race against the 450A and 250A kids and I’ve been having some really good rides. I got a win in the 30A class for the first two rounds, but I got fourth overall at the first round and I actually won the overall at the last round so it’s a lot of fun. I still do all of the test riding for Yamaha and the YZ’s, so it’s fun to go out to the races and make sure my skills stay sharp.

Dustin Nelson races his motorcycle on Saturday's at the WORCS Series

ATVriders.com: I wanted to ask about your race program for this year. Is there any major changes or new sponsors?
Dustin Nelson: Yeah new to my program is Moto-Xperts who are taking care of the engine mods and DR.D is taking care of my exhaust and we’re happy to have them and we feel like it’s a really good combo. They’ve been working really hard and I feel like the bike is faster than I’ve ever ridden before so I’m stoked with that! I also have D’Cor Visuals who is my new graphics sponsor. They are new to the game and it’s a guy who’s been around for a long time but he’s back with a new company and taking care of both the Kawasaki and Honda Supercross teams and me right now so I’m in good company and I have good support. To be honest it’s the best seat cover I’ve ridden on a Yamaha so I’m stoked with the few new ones we have added. I’m excited; it’s going to be a good year.

With two rounds complete, Dustin Nelson has set his sights on his first podium finish of the season at the Lake Havasu WORCS

ATVriders.com: What is your thoughts on heading to Lake Havasu for WORCS Racing Round 3?
Dustin Nelson: Havasu is always a rough track and I’ve never had that great of luck there, but I’m hoping that I’ve pitched all of my bad luck for the year at the first two rounds. It’s another dead engine start and I have another new sponsor; Antigravity Batteries that I’m running a 24-volt setup on my YFZ450R and it helped me get the dead-engine start at Primm, so I’m looking to get another holeshot at Havasu and see what I can do with the lead.