TwoTwo Motorsports team manager Dave Osterman is one of the most experienced men in Monster Energy AMA Supercross, heading the team of Australia’s Chad Reed since its inception and working closely with our greatest ever dirt bike export.

MotoOnline.com.au cornered Osterman recently on our trip to the US to speak about his role in the team, Chad’s drive as a team owner and a little about the future of team TwoTwo.

Dave Osterman is the team manager of TwoTwo Motorsports. Image: Simon Cudby.

You’ve been with TwoTwo since it was launched in 2011, so first of all Dave, just give our readers some information about your role in the team.

Yeah, I’ve been here since it started and, first of all I’m the team manager. Chad’s the owner/operator, even with Ellie as well. So that’s my role, but I wear many hats, interface with the guys building the bikes, testing the bikes, work with the Reeds, our sponsors – there are two dozen hats I wear. But it’s smooth and it roles along pretty good.

How much involvement does Chad have in the operation of the team? Obviously he’s the owner and rider as well, but he seems really hands on in everything he does – especially in the pre-season.

Well I’ve got a wife and two kids, been married 20-something years, and I don’t know how he does it, myself. Outside of being a husband, a father, a team owner, he’s one of the fastest guys in the world still. He’s not done by any sense of the word.

I’m just in awe that the guy can wear all those hats and still line up with the likes of Stewart, Villopoto, Dungey and mix it up with those guys. Regardless of what the internet says, you’ve got to have lovers and haters, but it’s amazing that some other top name guys have tried to do this and they’ve had the infrastructure, they’ve had the financing, but they bombed out for whatever reason.

I think Chad’s got a good organisation behind him and he’s just a bulldog with getting stuff done. Again, there are people that love him or hate him, but it’s been pleasant for me the whole time and we have a great crew behind us. You know, he’s involved in the look from what I’m sitting here wearing, to the way the truck looks, how the bike handles and performs.

There’s a lot of people that can say a lot of things, but there’s not one guy I can think of in the modern era that’s worn as many hats as him, even in four wheel racing, and still is a sharp shooter that’s competitive. I mean, that alone is pretty amazing.

When Chad first approached you, when the team first began, did you think the team would become so hugely popular? It’s a huge brand and you guys have a ton of fans lined up out front every single weekend.

Yeah, the brand grew really fast. I think he’s got good partners between his agency, Shift, Fox, and a lot of the other sponsors. It takes a lot of spokes to make the wheel go around, but Chad is just so driven. He’s an accomplished guy around the world, came from nothing, so I think he has a vision for the team.

I get asked all the time, what about a second rider? Why not a second rider? What if? And there were things that happened that went across the grain and cut us pretty deep, but we’ll get through it and move on. There are politics in everything, even here, so we’ll get above and beyond it. Chad has big plans.

TwoTwo has an ever-evolving all-star team for the 2013 season. Image: Simon Cudby.

Chad calls it an all-star team, so what’s it like for you as team manager to have guys like Lars, Goose, Oscar and so many incredibly talented guys under the tent?

I love it, because I don’t feel like I ever have to babysit any of these guys. They’re all professional and I was actually a pro mechanic myself from another time, but I love working with Lars, Goose and all of them. A lot of people thought I’d feel threatened when Goose came on board, but he was like icing on the cake for me. He’s hands on, I love what he does, he kind of came up like me kinda old school, he’s a racer himself.

I trust him, I think he trusts me, and all of the guys have been that way – they’ve all been in championship situations before. Eveybody has their good and bad hair days like in everything, we’re all in this together, and sure there are those days. For the most part though we’ve got a really good squad of guys, so it’s onwards and upwards, as they say.

Just to finish this up, we saw Chad in Australia late last year, plus Lars and Goose… where were you? Didn’t make it!

No, I was back taking orders from Chad and his management staff, getting the truck handled with my driver. From the couch you’re sitting in with me now to the tent we’re sitting in, I was doing all of that stuff.

It’s awesome that some of my guys are halfway around the world doing their thing, trying to keep Chad sharp, while I’m several thousand miles away with the other guys trying to get everything handles for Anaheim 1. When the curtain goes up at A1, you’ve got to be ready and that’s my job.

Awesome, well thank you and keep up the great work.

Thanks, I definitely hope to get down there one of these days.