Rumors confirmed - Gust out for 2010

A Legend Retires

ATV motocross racing legend and multiple outdoor nationals champion "Digger" Doug Gust has finally confirmed what we all hoped was not true. The long-time Suzuki rider is calling it quits this year after more than 20 years of dominating the sport of ATV motocross.

ATVRiders.com ran an interview with Gust today mostly focusing on his 2009 season results and some changes to his home and riding complex in Wisconsin. But he does answer the most critical question: What are you doing for the 2010 season? Gust essentially said Suzuki couldn't afford to keep him on now that they're going for younger blood with Josh Creamer joining defending champ Dustin Wimmer, so Gust opted to retire.

We had a feeling that news was coming, as back in January word was starting to spread about Doug's fate for 2010. Doug also told ATVRiders he'll likely focus more on running some riding schools this year, which we reported here in January when we took a look at which ATV pro class riders would be changing teams this season. Be sure to check out the ATVRiders videos with the interview. They've got some really cool behind the scenes footage of Doug's playground and some track time with the champ.

Gust's impact on the sport of ATV motocross is undeniable. To say, as a racer, he helped create a new future for the sport would be an understatement.

The 43-year-old who made a living as an excavator turned pro in 1988, and he's helped bring the sport a long way since then. He promoted ATV racing with early starring roles in the first few Huevos quad videos from Wes Miller. Those vids are classic and feature some truly iconic shots of Gust jumping over the extended lift bed of one of his massive dump trucks at his private track.

Doug took home championships in 2003 and 2004 in the ATV nationals and he won the inaugural WPSA Super Quad Pro 450 title in 2006. In 2004 he claimed the title on a Suzuki Z400, beating out a pro class full of 450cc quads. In 2006, Suzuki unveiled arguably the first factory built, race-ready ATV in the LTR450, which Gust had a huge hand in developing. Today, it's one of the most popular and best performing quads on the race track. Just ask back-to-back champ Dustin Wimmer.

I never thought watching Doug rip around Unadilla last year that it would be the last time I watched him in person contend in the pro class.

In the second pro moto, he stayed behind eventual winner, Chad Wienen, and fought off John Natalie until a last-corner pass on the last lap by John moved Doug to a hard-fought third place finish.

Doug and John have had some epic battles through the years, and the clean racing they put on during that moto is the kind of racing that makes the big show enjoyable for the fans. It was one hell of a race, and it proved that even at 42 Gust could still school guys half his age.

Check out this profile of Doug at Yoshimura. A link to his Web site is posted at the right of our site under the pro atv racer banner.

Doug remains a fan favorite, and I think many of us will be saddened not to see him line up when the 2010 season kicks off in Alabama later this month. I think I can speak for a lot of people when I say thanks for the memories and all you've done for the sport throughout the years. At least we can rest assured knowing Doug will be jumping off into the sunset. Good luck in the permanent off-season!

Support those who made the sport possible. Sign up for a riding school hosted by Doug Gust this season and learn what it takes to be a champion. Click on the link to his Web site at the right of this page to learn more about Doug's riding school.