Dean Wilson, one of Scotland’s most successful motocross athletes is returning home to race at Aberdeen’s incredible P&J Live for the first time ever.
With round five of the Arenacross Tour calling in at the magnificent P&J Live arena, Aberdeen, on Saturday February 8, it will be a fantastic homecoming for the Scottish legend in front of a packed out, partisan crowd.
Wilson, who is affectionately simply known as ‘Deano’ due to his status in the world of motocross, is fiercely passionate about his Scottish roots and nationality and is one of the sport’s most popular and approachable athletes due to his fun and laid-back personality which is evident on his YouTube channel.
In particular, this is evident with his ‘Grandpa Earl’ series of videos where he’s disguised himself with a prosthetic mask as an old man riding regional motocross tracks in Southern California much to the astonishment of unknowing fellow riders and spectators, some of whom are his close friends.
Dean started riding a motorcycle at the age of three in East Kilbride before attending his first motocross race at Drumclog Moto Parc, Strathaven.
In 1999, aged nine, Dean and his family emigrated to Canada where his career really started to blossom taking him and his family onward to California, the mecca of motocross in the United States.
From there on, Dean’s career really accelerated and in 2011 he became the 250cc national motocross champion of America, one of the most prestigious championships in the sport, and the first and only British rider to win a national motocross title in the United States.
After an illustrious career Stateside and racing all around the globe over the past 15 years as one of the sports best, 32-year-old Wilson is returning home to Scotland to race again for the first time since his departure 26 years ago.
Although he has a home in Scotland and comes back as much as his schedule will allow, he’s never had the opportunity to race in his beloved homeland since his journey in the sport began.
It will be a welcome homecoming both for Dean and his many British fans.
During his career he has represented Team Great Britain on six occasions at the ‘Motocross of Nations’, which is effectively the sport’s ‘World Cup’ and has built a brilliant rapport with fans in the U.K who have been starved of seeing him race over the years.
“I’m excited to be coming back to the UK to race the Arenacross World Tour and British championship and in particular going back home to Scotland to race,” says the likeable and popular 'Deano'.
“I’ve never raced a national championship in Britain and it’s something I’ve wanted to do before hanging up my boots and helmet.
"Of course, I want to win the British and AX World Tour championships. Once the show and racing starts, I’ll be focusing on the win, but I also want to embrace the experience.
"From what I’ve seen it’s one hell of a show and I’m looking forward to catching up with all the British fans and a lot of my friends in the UK.
"I’m genuinely pumped about racing Arenacross and coming back home for a while. I’m even getting to sleep in my own bed and not in a hotel!”
2025 Arenacross Tour Schedule
*Round 1 – January 4, BP Pulse Arena, Birmingham, England*
Round 2 – January 18, OVO Arena, London, England
Round 3 – January 31, SSE Arena, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Round 4 – February 1, SEE Arena, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Round 5 – February 8, P&J Live, Aberdeen, Scotland
*Round 6 – February 22, AO Arena, Manchester, England (British Championship Tour Finals)
*Round 7 – April – TBA (Middle East/ International)
*Round 8 – April 26, Etihad Arena, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi (World Tour Championship Finals)
For more information on Arenacross, check out https://www.axworldtour.com or https://www.pandjlive.com
For more information on P&J Live’s Arenacross event or to purchase tickets, visit: https://www.pandjlive.com/events/the-arenacross-tour-2025/