It didn’t take long for Dante Oliveira to learn how to race desert hare and hounds.
With three rounds of the AMA Hare & Hound National Championship Series, Presented by FMF, under his helmet and coming closer to defending series champ and race winner Zane Roberts each time, the FMF KTM Factory Off-Road Racing Team star made his own history at the Sugarloafers Motorcycle Club’s 64th annual Cherry Creek National in memory of Don Fuller after a hard-fought 93 miles in the Little Sahara Recreation Area.
Photos by Mark Kariya
Utah native Daemon Woolslayer proved to be Oliveira’s toughest competition throughout the duration of round four, the Norman Racing Husqvarna rider grabbing the holeshot with Oliveira glued to him, and those two establishing a gap over the field immediately.
Woolslayer and his Blud Lubricants/Kenda/Klim-backed FX 450 proved to be no pushover, leading Oliveira into the pits after the faster 45-mile first loop by 41 seconds, with Johnny Campbell Racing (JCR) Honda’s Preston Campbell a further 2:12 back on his Pro Circuit/JL Ray/Fly Racing CRF450RX.
“I knew it was his backyard, but it’s funny,” Oliveira said. “I was talking to [retired off-road star] Taylor Robert and he gave me a little advice. He said the seven times he’s been here, he’s led loop one, and every time, he’s been able to capitalize on loop two. He said, ‘As long as you’re able to see that dust [from the leader], you’ll be able to make something happen through the trees and get close.’ I kept that in my mind the whole time, and it paid off.”
With only a few miles left and after repeated attempts to get around his rival, Red Bull/Motorex/Alpinestars 450 XC-F-mounted Oliveira took advantage when Woolslayer blew a couple turns. He completed the 48-mile second loop and the race with a 31-second lead over Woolslayer, with Campbell third—his first podium of the season—4:31 farther back.
“Dante put the hammer down and reeled me in [later in the second loop]. No excuses—he just caught me and passed me,” Woolslayer said. “I just need to get my endurance up better, keep riding. This is my first year back chasing the series in about three or four years, so to be up here and riding with these factory guys and beating some of the factory guys, I’m honestly pretty happy with my riding.”
“Zane actually got me in the rocks on the second loop,” Campbell said. However, the Liqui Moly Beta racer ended up blowing a turn while running third, surrendering that spot to Campbell, who didn’t see that miscue and said, “I thought he gapped me down that fence line and pulled away!”
Roberts got back on course and finished 12 seconds behind Campbell but remains atop the overall standings with 108 points. Oliveira closed considerably and now has 105 points, while Woolslayer is third with 82.
Fifth overall belonged to Pro 250 winner Sam Pretscherer. The Precision Concepts/Golden Tyre/Troy Lee Designs FX 250 rider slipped slightly off the pace in the final miles, finishing almost three minutes behind Roberts but still good enough for the Pro 250-class win.
“I feel like I’ve picked up where I left off last year—a little bit stronger, I feel, and smarter almost, too!” he said. “I probably could’ve pushed a little harder in some sections, but on a day like today where it’s so dusty and it’s so easy to get caught out, it’s good to try and ride within your means but still go fast and keep it on two wheels.”
Jack Anderson returned to the series after a long layoff from injury and subsequent surgery to finish a strong sixth overall and fifth Pro on his Edge Powersports/Dallas Chidester (DC) Racing/Fast House KTM 450 XC-F.
DJ Weber on his DC Racing/Precision Concepts/FXR KX250 passed Ryder Thomaselli for second Pro 250 and sixth overall shortly before the finish when Thomaselli’s 395 Motorsports/MX Trophies/Fly Racing Husky FX 250 sputtered to a temporary stop in Cherry Creek. Thomaselli quickly restarted and claimed third in class and eighth overall, 10 seconds behind Weber.
Able to get another decent start, David Kamo repeated his round-two triumph in Pro Vet 35+ and finished ninth overall aboard his Kamo Realty/PCI Race Radios/Kurt Caselli Foundation KTM 450 SX-F. Pro Ethan Pacak rounded out the top 10 overall for the first time on his Pacak Racing/Race Tech FX 350.
Stung by two consecutive runner-up finishes, three-time and defending Pro Women champ Rachel Stout may not have fired off the line the fastest but immediately decided this was not the day she and her Full Factory Offroad/Dunlop/Moose Racing 250 XC-F would be mired in the pack.
“My bike didn’t fire at first,” she said. “Everyone was off the line, and I got kind of a late jump, and I just held it wide! ‘I’ve got to get to the front!’ because it was so dusty. I hit a jump in the middle [of the bomb run] and got a little sketchy, and I was, like, just sending it!”
Unofficially, shortly after the bomb, the 1L of Stout was in 12th overall, completing the first loop 17th overall and ultimately winning Pro Women at 21st overall.
“I feel like I kind of got into my own head a little bit after the last two rounds, and I came out here with something to prove, more to myself than anyone else, and I think I was able to do that,” she said.
GasGas-supported Ava Silvestri saw her win streak end at two in a row as she finished second in Pro Women (and 24th overall), so the two are now tied at the top in points with 110 each. Woolslayer Racing Yamaha’s Ty Woolslayer was third on the day and sits third in points with 84.
2025 AMA Hare & Hound Round 4 Results
OVERALL (Top 10)
- Dante Oliveira (KTM) 2:36:36
- Daemon Woolslayer (Hus) 2:37:078
- Preston Campbell (Hon) 2:41:38
- Zane Roberts (Bet) 2:41:50
- Sam Pretscherer (Hus) 2:46:12
- Jack Anderson (KTM) 2:51:03
- DJ Weber (Kaw) 2:53:38
- Ryder Thomaselli (Hus) 2:53:48
- David Kamo (KTM) 2:54:23
- Ethan Pacak (KTM) 2:55:52
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