Dean will use that good finish along with fresh machinery as a springboard into the new 2001 season, and if all goes well, will no doubt be doing his own screaming.....................

   Dean, for those who are not familiar with your background, tell us a bit about your introduction to speedway and your progression through to the senior ranks? :

... After competing in junior dirt track for 5 yrs, I was introduced to junior speedway after Geoff Watson (father of Craig ) saw me race in the 80cc dirt track class at an indoor speedway meeting. Geoff contacted a friend of a friend, organized and paid for me to do a junior speedway license test and then lent me the riding gear to race. Over the 3 years that I competed as a junior, he also built and supplied me with two bikes. The Watson families help and generosity is what helped me enjoy the sport and carry onto senior racing.

  How do you personally feel your '99-2000 season went compared to previous seasons? :

...I had a shocker !. I suffered my first ever injury that kept me off my bike for over 5 months. A lousy broken wrist was the result from a horror crash at the Labrador track which not only saw me a bit broken, but included my bike, my helmet and of course my suit had to be cut off me...so it proved to be an expensive crash.

     It then took me ages to get my racing head back on...I really only felt like my old self again on the bike at this years Australian U/21 championships in Tamworth. I blew up my Jawa engine a couple of meetings later and then tried out a borrowed GM that just wanted to let me down all the time. So yeah, the 99/2000 season hasn't been real kind to me.




  In what areas do you feel you could improve?:

...Well if I have to be honest, I must admit my race preparation could do with some work. I have a bad habit of leaving things to the last minute and then stressing a lot on race day. My starts are also pretty lousy and I really need to improve in that area as well.

  What would be your speedway goals for the coming 2000-01 season:

...I just want to get out there, steer clear of injuries and keep my bike running smooth. If I can do that I should have a good season.

 

    I'm licensed through the Hunter Motorcycle club and they’ve not long put a speedway track in at Barleigh Ranch where they run a couple of meetings which is good, but in the past I've only had Gosford ten or eleven times a season to ride at, or sometimes I would make the trek up to the Gold Coast to ride.

   What future aspirations would you like to aim for in the sport?

...I’d like to do a lot better than I have in the past. At our own Ozzie U/21 titles this year, there was some really strong competition and I seemed to meet every top rider and sometimes two in each event. I just couldn’t get a shoe in all night. Four second’s and a third placing kept me just outside the top four qualifying places for the Final. I know I can do better.

  You recently scooped more awards at the Gosford Speedway presentation night, as you have a long association with the track as a rider, do you have any thoughts on the new direction of Gosford under the new promoters?.

...Yeah over the years the promoter Terry Poole did a top job, but now that has been taken over by David Tapp. I think the meetings will be a lot bigger and sometimes better than ever. I've heard Tappy is bringing over a lot of international riders and that can only be good for the sport if riders like myself can get the chance to race with them.

  
  
   Are you, as a top flight senior rider, excited by the way Speedway has really taken off in Europe and the U.K. since the inception of the Speedway G.P.’s, and also the television coverage of the International and Domestic Leagues overseas?.

...I'm lucky my mum loves the sport too so she got pay TV put on at home and I've been able to catch a lot of the series. It's good to see other Australians competing, knowing that if they can do it, then someday I might have the chance as well.

 

  Who would you like to thank for your Speedway career thus far?

...Well I would very much like to thank the Watson family for getting me involved in the first place, my mechanic since turning senior Pat Kelly, Dad for keeping the money coming in, my Mum who has driven me to almost every meeting I've ever ridden at (whether I wanted her too or not ), my mates who take it in turns to come along and give me my push starts, and a lot of the older riders who have been there...done that, and don't mind giving advice and a helping hand.

Interview conducted by Peter Henderson and Anthony McGuire.