20-year old Ricky Dietrich had already made his mark in
Off-Road racing. In 2003 the Californian captured the World Off
Road Championship Series (WORCS) 125A Class Championship, following it
up with three more WORCS Championships (125A, 250A, and Semi-Pro) in
2004. Ricky continued to improve and in 2006 he took the WORCS Pro
Championship and earned a Gold Medal at the International Six Day Enduro
(ISDE) in New Zealand.
Coming back from a broken arm in 2007, Dietrich also raced several
rounds of the AMA Toyota Motocross Championships Presented by FMF
series.
Currently, the Monster Energy Kawasaki rider is leading both the WORCS
Championship and the Endurocross Championship. He just won another
Gold Medal at the ISDE in Greece, where he took second place in the E1
class, as well as second overall in the event, I caught up with Ricky to
hear his story.
Ricky, congratulations on your excellent ride at the
recent ISDE in Greece; what was going through your mind as you flew over
there?
Well Jim, on the way to Greece I wasn't really thinking much about my
personal finish - it was more for the team's finish. This year we
really wanted to put the team on the podium; that was the main goal that
everyone wanted. Where I finished in my class and overall was just
an added bonus to what the team does - I was in it for the team!
How do you now feel about Greece upon reflecting on it?
Actually the race in Greece went so well that it has not really sunk
in yet, but I can say that I blew my personal expectations out of the
water. I was hoping to get a top three in E1, and that was the
really only personal goal that I had set for myself. After Day 1 I
was right there in the running for E1, and just outside the top ten
overall. Day after day I kept getting better and better results
and found myself gaining overall positions. In the end I met my E1
goal of top three with my second place, but much more surprising was
that I took second overall! I think that my results not only
showed myself, but also the whole world that in the states we have some
of the fastest off-road racers on the planet!
Did any of the other riders surprise you?
No, I cannot really think of anyone that really surprised me. I
had actually met many of the riders two years ago at the ISDE in New
Zealand, so I knew who would be fast and who would ride well. I
thought that Greece had much more of a South America vibe to it rather
than a European vibe if that makes sense. It was a lot of fun; we
also met a lot of new people and saw some pretty cool places that I will
remember forever.
How was it to be teamed up with other American's that are
typically your competition?
Honestly, that was my favorite part of the Six Days; at home everyone
is racing for each others paychecks! While we are friends at home,
we are not "best friends" when we have a lot of money on the
line. When we come to the ISDE we are working as a team, and for
that one week we are racing together for one goal - then it's as if we
have been best friends for life. Everyone on the team got along
very well, and the friendship that we shared that week is something that
we only experience at that one race once a year - those are the fondest
memories of the Six Days that will last forever.
You mentioned New Zealand a few minutes ago; how does
your second ISDE in Greece compare to the New Zealand ISDE two years
ago?
I think that the level of intensity and competition has stepped up
some. Two years ago we were only on a four man Junior Team; the
competition was not quite as tough, and in the end we had the strongest
team by far dominating that class - but it was still an awesome win.
This year we had two more members on the team, and now were going for
the big show in the world Trophy Team. I think that we were a lot
more serious this year, and much more organized. Ever year that we
do this we will get better and better at it. This year we put a
team together that got on the podium; in the next couple years we will
put together a team that is going to win the overall!
Moving away from the recent ISDE; you are doing very well
racing here.
Yeah, besides my success overseas my racing here at home has been
going very well too. I am currently leading both the WORCS and
Endurocross series with only a few races left. My results this
year have been better than ever, and I credit much of my success to my
trainer Ryan Hughes; I picked him up at the beginning of the season and
my results have gone up ever since.
Didn't you race some AMA Motocross last year as
well?
Yes, you're right; last year I did get out to a few nationals which
were great. Unfortunately I didn't make it to any this year as my
schedule was a bit fuller, but the four that I did last summer were a
lot of fun for me. I don't feel that my results were as good as I
hoped, but I was just coming off a broken arm and was not riding to my
potential. I hope to do some nationals next year if I have some
off-weekends. I know that I am in way better shape this year; Ryno
has also improved my speed on the track. Next year I would like to
race a national and take a top ten!
With the different types of motorcycle racing that you
do, what do you find is the toughest?
The toughest racing; that's a hard call, but ISDE is probably harder
than all the racing that I do just because it's a week long competition.
I don't think that everyone knows that at the Six Days we ride our bikes
for about 150 miles a day; then at the end of the day we have to work on
them - I change both front and rear tires, and an air filter in less
than 15 minutes. Come about day 3 or 4 and there are times that I
am so over it that I just want to go back to bed! But you have to
keep a positive attitude about everything and just keep going - in the
end its all worth it.
Of these different types of racing, which do you enjoy
most?
Actually Jim, there is not one type of racing that I like better than
the others. I truly enjoy every event that I do; maybe that's why
I race off-road, because I get in every aspect of motorcycle racing.
About 80% of my practice riding is done on a motocross track; I like the
speed and competition that you find on a track. But the very next
day I can go ride in the hills trail riding and have just as much fun.
So being an off-road rider I have the luxury of being able to ride
anything and everything, and not be stuck on a track doing lap after lap
like most moto guys do.
Moving to Endurocross; is that the future of off-road
racing?
Endurocross is the future for sure! I like it a lot as it gives
us off-road guys our indoor series like Supercross does. But with
some riders I think it's a bit hit and miss; it's very tough, the
obstacles are not easy, and it's small and tight - but for the fans I
don't think that it gets any better. It's still a pretty new
series so not every race has been sold out, but I definitely believe
that every fan leaves happy. For myself, I enjoy the convenience
of Endurocross; I fly out Friday, sleep until noon on Saturday, and show
up at the arena, race that night and I'm home on Sunday afternoon.
Plus with Endurcross I am not so sore after the race; after a WORCS
event I don't ride for 2 or 3 days!
What do you have going on into 2009?
My plans for 2009 are the same as this year. I'm signed with
Monster Energy Kawasaki to do WORCS and Endurocross. Hopefully
things will work out to do the ISDE again, and as I mentioned I also
want to do some more outdoor nationals. I feel that I am very
accomplished in off-road, and would like to give motocross more of a
shot down the road.
Anything that I missed Ricky?
Not really, but I would like to add a thanks to my parents for making
this all possible.