Digger Doug Gust's Trip to the Top
By Stephani McIntyre
Jul. 9, 2004 – What can you say about a guy who has to have a bowl of Lucky Charms before bed, breaks an $800 radio-controlled helicopter the day he gets it, and builds a dream house in the middle of an ATV practice track?
Systematic? Zealous? Ambitious? Maybe. But then again, Doug Gust isn't your average Joe Racer.
If you know anything about ATV motocross and you don't know the name "Digger" Doug Gust, then you might as well head on back to the planet you came from. The 37-year old, five-time Pro motocross champ has been a figure in ATV motocross almost as far back as the Grand National Championship (GNC) Series itself when factory involvement was the norm, three-wheelers were the hot machines, and ATV racing was extremely popular.
He slowly moved from dirt bikes to ATVs in the early 1980s with the purchase of his very first ATV: a Honda 110cc three-wheeler. When he realized his talent on an ATV outweighed his talent on bikes, he decided to focus more on ATVs and began racing soon after becoming 16.
At that time, the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission was digging deep into the three-wheeler controversy, raising questions about safety. Racing continued and Doug's longtime ambition to become a factory-backed rider was in full swing.
Almost as soon as the dream entered his mind though, the factories pulled out of ATV racing, and three-wheelers were banned, forcing him to move onto his first four-wheeler: a 1987 Suzuki Quadracer.
"It was depressing," Gust remembers. "I thought, `Oh, they'll get back into it; it was the three-wheelers that did it.' "
Gust notes that in the mid-'90s there were only 150 to 200 riders at the Nationals and no factory teams.
"I enjoyed doing it so much, that's what kept me going," he says.
Despite
those dark years, ATV racing continued, national titles were awarded and some of
the most competitive motocross racers of the day were making waves.
Gust claimed his first motocross title in 1990, another in 1993 and another in 1995.
The exuberance displayed by spectators toward Gust makes him chuckle as he tries to figure out why fans enjoy watching him compete.
"It's probably because I come from behind and because I'm the older guy, you know, because they're always rooting for the older guy," Gust says.
Gust decided to use a Suzuki Z400 as his ride for the 2003 season in the new Pro Production class.
"A
couple races into it I realized that, `Hey, this is going to be the class that
is going to help bring the manufacturers back into racing," Gust says. "Then I
started taking it more seriously and when I won it (the championship) I was
happy."
The year ended as one of the most exciting shifts to date for the ATV racing industry, with some of the big four stepping up to reopen the door they closed so long ago. Doug got a factory ride for 2004.
Now, Suzuki looks to Gust for his riding expertise to begin testing for future product.
As the lone Suzuki in the Pro line-up, Gust believes in the possibility of a teammate being added, but he's unsure at what level the support may be offered.
Gust credits a lot of his racing success to Wayne Hinson, who has been with him for nearly six years as a confidant and mentor.
On the personal side, Gust recently built his very first home in Salem, Wisconsin. It's a 4,000-square-foot house with details similar to a ski lodge, in the middle of his wooded practice track. This is his favorite place to be.
"You can look out my one bedroom and see the whoops section, look out the living room and see the double jump, look out the kitchen window and see the triple,” he says.
One jump even clears his entire driveway, where his Ford F250 with 40-inch wheels sits—proof it's definitely the home of someone who takes their racing very seriously.
Gust adheres to a strict diet. But even those with the most willpower have a weakness. Gust's is a double cheeseburger from the recently opened McDonald's in his blink-and-you'll-miss-it town.
Also a true-blue Packers fan, he makes a valiant effort to catch a game during the football season. He will holler into TV land at Brett Favre for throwing interceptions, even though he's a hero to Gust.
Retired professional dirt-bike Supercross and motocross Champ Jeremy McGrath also earns the honor of hero from Gust for everything McGrath has done for his sport.
On those rare opportunities when Doug finds himself with time on his hands, he enjoys water skiing, country line dancing (where he met his girlfriend, Cindi Hart, nearly two years ago), flying radio-controlled airplanes (and the rare unbroken helicopters) and running his successful business, Digger Doug's Excavating, hence the nickname "Digger."
Meanwhile, Gust also runs a riding school. Six Digger Doug's Riding Schools are planned for 2004, and they're by invitation only. The schools involve groups of only two to three riders. Prospective students submit resumes and explain why they want to attend his school. From those applications, the ones who have a keen interest in learning are then offered the invitation to sign up.