P98
Interview
FLAT TRACK RACER DALTON GAUTHIER
now. I think it's only going to get
better from here. I think growing
up and racing on all them differ-
ent tracks definitely helped me
and how my riding style is and
how I ride in different tracks.
What were your amateur
career highlights?
I won a couple championships.
The last year I was an amateur I
tried to go for the Horizon Award.
I didn't get it, but I won two
championships that year. I won
the 85cc mod 7-11 championship;
65cc championship I won. That's
about it. My amateur career
wasn't that great. I didn't get to
go to the amateur nationals too
much, but I definitely went there a
couple of years. Not as much as
the other kids. It was pretty good.
Once I got on the big bikes, I feel
like I stepped up a lot. Definitely
getting on the big bikes helped
me a lot.
So your dad was the one
that got you into racing?
Yeah, he was my mechanic,
worked on all my stuff. Basically, it
made me who I am now. I appreci-
ate everything he's done for me.
What's your dad's name?
Marc Gauthier.
Did your dad race or how
did he get into it?
He was a former speedway
racer. He raced speedway. That's
how he got into flat track. I never
rode a speedway bike before, but
in the future, I plan on trying to
get on one and see how I do on
one. I think I'd be pretty good at
it, honestly. I grew up watching it
and stuff. My dad raced speed-
way. I just got on a little CRF50,
and he made it for a flat track
bike, so that's what I started on.
What's your dad do for a
living?
I don't really talk to my dad
anymore.
What was he doing coming
up?
He worked at a steel machining
place. He was a mechanic on all
the machines and everything.
So there's some friction
right now between you guys?
Yeah, kind of. I got to block it
out kind of and just do my own
thing. That's why I'm working with
Rob. I'm really happy working
with Rob.
They just got me. I'm not
going to lie. I was being dumb,
and I shouldn't have been
doing what I was doing. That's
just the past."
Gauthier says he's put the
past behind him and is ready
to move forward.
