R450: Your support through the team is amazing. Is there anything that they are doing for you that everyone should take notice of?
Doug: They are just giving me 100% backing. Whatever I need and how I want the bike, they listen and support me 100%. It’s a full factory deal you know. It’s great.

R450: Suzuki has definitely stepped up to the plate and ran big this year. Do you think that Honda and Yamaha will come back with big sponsorships next year to compete with Suzuki?
Doug: I think that they will now knowing that they got their butts kicked. They probably thought they had the best bikes and didn’t have to give 100% sponsorship, but we proved them wrong.

R450: You definitely proved a point. If they follow in the footsteps of Suzuki next year and come back at full force, are you looking forward to some good, strong competition next year?
Doug: Yeah, even if they don’t do it, I know that there is going to be some really strong competition. We’ve got riders like Dustin Wimmer who came up this year and next year more will come up. Joe Byrd just turned his program around and won this race. He’ll be really strong next year. There are ten guys on any given day that can win. It was a really tough season that we had this year. It’s going to be even tougher next year.

R450: Are you looking forward to the break?
Doug: Yes I am. I’m going to go home and relax for awhile and finish my house up. I am ready for a break and let my body take a rest. When you get old like this your body takes a beating and it needs the break.

R450: I can definitely understand; you guys run 12 races in 7 months. That definitely has to take its toll on your body.
Doug: Yeah, it’s a tough sport and people tend to think that quads are nothing. It is just as tough as the bike motocross.

R450: Do you have any advice for anyone coming up in the sport?
Doug: Just be safe and be smart. As I proved, 37 years old, and you can still go out and win, so you don’t want to go getting yourself hurt. I learned my lesson. My advice is that you don’t want to go through what I’ve been through. Just be smart and be safe.

/ Doug thanks for talking to us; we appreciate the time that you take to allow us to let our readers get to know what goes on with Digger Doug Gust. Good luck next year and enjoy your break. /

Doug is proudly sponsored by:
Suzuki, Quad Tech, Denton Racing, Yoshimura, Weekend Warrior Trailers, Nielson Enterprises, Motul, Tag Metals, ITP, NGK Spark Plugs, Roll Design, IMS, NAC’s Racing, AC Racing, VP Race Fuels, Draper Tool Company, Regina Chain, BMC Air Filters, Douglass Wheel, Elka Suspension, Motion Pro Products, Braking, Hinson Clutch Components, Smith Sport Optics, Shift, Alpinestars, M2R Helmets, Sprocket Specialists, Streamline Performance Braking