Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128355
AMA National Hare & Hound Cham ion Destr Abbott f you sit down with people who don't race desert and ask them what they think of this particular dusty subculture o f motorcycle racing, they will pro bably tell you that they think it's crazy. After all, it's fast, unpredictable and downright dangerous. But if you sit down and ask those who race in the desert why they do it, they will probably tell you, "Yeah it's crazy, but I love it." Simply put, it's more than just racing - it's a lifestyle. Th is year, Destry Abbott became champion of this "crazy " form of off-road racing, on ce again. And he did it by never giving up. Even when he DN Fed two of the eight rounds of the series, he never conceded. It wasn't until after the final round of the series was ove r that he actually knew the title was his. Making this championsh ip eve n swee te r was the fact that he had to fight for it. With his previous titles, he sewed them up with races still left o n the menu . So, need less to say, the challe nge of this year's ser ies made earning the numbe r-on e plate that much bett er. As with any form of off-road racing, being versati le is always a must, and Abbott does n't want to just be known as a desert guy - he wants to do it all. And he' s se rious about it. He's now training with motocross star Ryan Clark and is worki ng on improving his motoc ross skills for 2005 . When we sat down to talk to the new cham p, he was getting ready for the Elsinore Grand Prix. He to ld us how he got started , about his plans for the future and how he wants to be reme mbe red when he finally hangs up his boots. I o eraarssa.nce Give us a q uick history on how you got started in off-road racing? I got started when I was I I, I guess it was 1983, my dad was racing desert and I just kind of got going there. I started out in the little 80cc class and just got going there and really dug it . A few yea rs ago when you raced t he ISOE fo r KTM. it kind of seemed like t he ti me when everyone starte d to take no tice of you , Do you think that this was when you really sta rted to break out? I would agree with that. You know, I was with KTM a lot of peo ple don't remember me being with KTM. T hat was the year I was over in Italy and won a grasstrack, I overa lled it. I knew I was riding well, and the n next year I signed with Kawasaki. Ever since then that was the best decision I ever made, being with a manufacturer like this. So. I've been happy. Hopefully I'll e nd my career here, too. But yeah, I think that would probably be the case. it's [signing wit h Kawasaki] just bro ught me to this next level. Dcs,f;ry A1bl101[,f; rnay havc won Jthc liiarc lbul1t Hound ationall h&nlln])nonshiJP~ hc ~ S JIJl1torc tnlan ]uurt a Id!.C SC Jl",f; raccr By BRENDAN LUTES PHOTOS BY DOUG KARCHER AND luTES ~. ~~ 54 JANUARY 5 .2005 ~ --. CYCLE NE~ ~ :- ~'. . ~I r : _~ . "':'~ ~ ~ ,.. - Last year you struggled with injuries the entire season, Did you do anything different this ye ar to prepare for the '04 season? Yeah. I was struggling with injuries. The year before that, I tore my ACL and my shou lder and had to have surgery on both of them. And then last year I was kind of struggling to get going. This year, Ryan Clark, he's a motocross and supercross guy from Team Solitaire. and he moved in right by me like six months ago. Tha t's just brought me to another level. hooking up with him. He's a great guy, and he pushes me and we push each other in motocross and off-road . We have the same trainer, James Perez, and we work out five or six days a week together. His results and my results have gotten really good this year.