Cycle News Staff | November 15, 2022
With the three Pro-class Championships secured at the penultimate round two weeks ago, the pressure was off for Dante Oliveira, Mateo Oliveira and Brandy Richards at the Vikings Motorcycle Club’s Havasu Grand Prix.
So, each of them decided to change things up for the 10th and final round of the FMF AMA National Grand Prix Championship (NGPC) Series, held at the always tough Havasu Island MX Park. For three-time consecutive champ Dante Oliveira, that meant switching to a two-stroke. Having seen the 300 SX that Ivan Ramirez rode at the recent Red Bull Straight Rhythm just sitting in a corner of the KTM race shop, the FMF KTM Factory Off-Road Racing Team star got permission to use that at Havasu—his first time racing a two-stroke in maybe a half-dozen years. Mechanic Bobby Dawson threw different triple clamps on, swapped to modified suspension from Oliveira’s 450 XC-F and the Red Bull/Dunlop/Thor-backed machine was ready.
Dante Oliveira (1) rode a two-stroke and capped off his season by winning for the seventh time, followed by Austin Walton (50) and Mateo Oliveira (831). Photos: Mark Kariya
FMF RPM Racing KTM’s Mateo Oliveira used the final race of the season to join his brother in the Open Pro class—a preview of things to come next year—and rode an RPM Racing Team 450 XC-F. Having run the table for three straight seasons in Pro Women, Richards parked her usual CST Tires/Hinson/Fly Racing 350 SX-F and broke out a brand-new 2023 125 SX. Despite the switches, all three won their classes to cap off storybook seasons.
Off the start of the 90-minute $8000 feature race, Dante Oliveira got the best jump down the short straight and led the early going, though perennial fast starter Justin Hoeft grabbed the lead and led a few laps with Oliveira latched to his rear fender.
Unfortunately for 3 Bros./Kilmartin Racing Husqvarna’s Hoeft, he went down exiting the hot pit right in front of a lapped rider who had no chance of avoiding the downed rider and plowed into his back. Understandably frustrated, Hoeft picked his Jet World/Blud Lubricants/Fasthouse FX 450 and gutted out several more laps before calling it a day just before the hour mark.
After moving back east to contest the GNCCs this year, Gus Riordan scored his first NGPC Pro II victory.
That wasn’t the only challenge Oliveira faced. In a replay of two weeks ago, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Austin Walton put up a strong fight and even had a turn at the front for a few laps. Though the champ passed him with some 30-plus minutes to go, Walton didn’t give up and stayed within a couple seconds the rest of the race.
“Oh my god, it was so much fun—I was stoked to get out there [on the 300]!” Oliveira said. “I was definitely nervous going out there and sprinting with everybody because we all go so fast right off the start. I was like, ‘[Shoot], I don’t know how I’m going to honestly be on the two-stroke,’ but I got the holeshot and just started sending it out front.”
Walton said, “I felt really good on the bike; I feel like we had a really good setting for the suspension and just the bike was really good this weekend. The track was brutal. I didn’t know what to expect [facing Dante on his 300]. With a two-stroke, it can either be good or bad, but I was focused on myself.” Walton sewed up second in final points with 196 to Oliveira’s 270.
Brandy Richards raced a 125 for the first time in years, but the transition from her 350 to the little two-stroke was seamless. She chalked up another win to go undefeated for a third straight season.
Despite a second pit stop and a mid-race lagoon jump closure that let Walton and Mateo Oliveira erase his lead, Dante used outside lines to maintain speed, eased away again and prevailed in the end.
Then there was Mateo Oliveira. Having raced his 450 for the first time last week at the WORCS finale and finishing sixth, he had a better idea of what to expect and adjusted his 250-honed style a bit to good effect. A good start saw him run fourth in the early going, then second behind Walton for several laps when Dante hit the deck briefly, though he was unhurt.
“Last weekend at the WORCS race was exactly what I needed on the 450,” Mateo said, and he managed to join his brother on the podium in third overall. “Today, I felt just right at home. I didn’t feel nervous up there the first couple laps being up there with the top guys. I was just having fun.”
Mike Burkeen from the AMA was on hand to present the AMA NGPC Pro-class Champions with their number-one plates. From left, Pro II champ Mateo Oliveira, Pro Women champ Brandy Richards and overall Pro champ Dante Oliveira.
Slam Life Racing (SLR) Honda’s Tallon LaFountaine worked his way up to fourth with a few laps to go followed by LiquiMoly Beta rider Dare DeMartile, Chaparral Motorsport/Precision Concepts Kawasaki’s Tyler Lynn, Purvines Racing Yamaha-mounted Trevor Stewart, new AMA West Hare Scrambles champ Giacomo Redondi on his 3 Bros./Kilmartin Racing GasGas, and Johnny Campbell Racing (JCR) Honda’s Ryan Surratt.
After spending all year racing GNCCs, FMF RPM Racing KTM’s Gus Riordan returned and picked up his first Pro II victory at 10th overall followed by SLR Honda rider Parker Ross and Gainslinger Factory Racing/MX Coach Kawasaki-mounted Cole Zeller.
“I knew what to expect—I did the whole [NGPC] series last year—it just took me a few [laps] to get back into the groove of square edges and all that sort of real fast stuff, but it’s good,” Riordan said.
For the fourth round in a row, Jessica Daniel (W1) and Laci Olivas were never more than a few seconds apart with Daniel prevailing once again to defend her Women A title over Olivas, 225-201.
And to no one’s surprise, riding a little 125 didn’t seem to slow Brandy Richards as she dominated Pro Women and finished 20th overall. JCR Honda’s Tarah Gieger earned second in her final race as a full-time pro with FMF RPM Racing KTM’s Kaitlyn Jacobs third for her third podium of a rough season.
“This track is just perfect for a two-stroke,” the NGPC queen said. “It’s the tightest one of the year, so I was like, ‘A 125, let’s send it!’ I haven’t raced a 125 in, like, over 10 years! It’s difficult because you’ve got to ride it on the pipe the whole time—there’s no taking a break. I had a good time out there—I had a blast!”
She and everyone else now has a brief break before the 10-round 2023 season kicks off in Delano, California, on January 13-15.
CN
OVERALL RESULTS
1. Dante Oliveira (KTM)
2. Austin Walton (Hus)
3. Mateo Oliveira (KTM)
4. Tallon LaFountaine (Hon)
5. Dare Demartile (Bet)
6. Tyler Lynn (Kaw)
7. Trevor Stewart (Yam)
8. Giacomo Redondi (GG)
9. Ryan Surratt (Hon)
10. Angus Riordan (KTM)
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