14.11.2022
HAVASU, Ariz. – Named the 2022 Champion of the AMA National Grand Prix Championship at the prior round, FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Dante Oliveira raced aboard the KTM 300 XC at the season finale, adding another win to his season in Havasu, Arizona. His brother and fellow KTM-mounted rider, Mateo Oliveira, rounded out the podium with an impressive third in his 450 debut in the series.
Grabbing the holeshot, Oliveira put down a fast lap with the top-five riders practically on his rear wheel. Facing pressure from his nearest competitor, he dropped back to second for a few laps before regaining the lead. About 30 minutes into the race, he lost a few positions after he went down, and an early pit stop put him a bit further behind his competitors, but by Lap 10, the two-time champion was leading again. He continued to showcase the speed and stamina he’s had all season, fighting to maintain the lead all the way to the checkers. With seven wins, Oliveira ends the year 74 points ahead of the second-place finisher.
Dante Oliveira: “I cranked the holeshot and led the first lap, but dropped back to second and started battling with everybody. The track was pretty good, not like the last two races where it's just absolutely grueling and everybody throws out the anchor after the third lap, but I stuck in there. I ended up going down early on and fell back to like fourth or fifth. I started hammering again and I had to pit before everybody as well - it made for a super fun battle. So to get it done, I ended up passing everybody when they pitted for their stop. I’m stoked with the bike!”
FMF RPM KTM Racing Team’s Mateo Oliveira, who earned the Pro 2 class championship at Round 9, stepped up to the 450 class for the final race of the year. He got off to a mid-pack start, but was able to position himself in third early on. He would trail the leaders for the rest of the race before finishing on the podium in third.
Mateo Oliveira: “My first 450 race at the last round of the Grand Prix and it was a super good day. I had a mid-pack start, and then made some quick moves to get myself into third. I just kind of stayed there for the rest of the race. I had to shift up a gear, because I was using way too much energy in the first half, almost going backwards in a way and losing Austin [Walton]. I shifted up a gear, stood up and kind of found my flow. I just tried to latch on to Austin and follow him around for the rest of the race. It was super hard to pass. I'm super stoked to finish third.”
After securing her third-straight Pro Womens title at the last round, KTM rider Brandy Richards ended the year with her ninth class-win. KTM-mounted rider, Kaitlyn Jacobs, rounded out the Womens podium in third.
Results: Round 10
Pro Results
1. Dante Oliveira, KTM
2. Austin Walton, HQV
3. Mateo Oliveira, KTM
Pro Women Results
1. Brandy Richards, KTM
2. Tarah Gieger, HON
3. Kaitlyn Jacobs, KTM
Pro Championship Standings
1. Dante Oliveira, 270 points
2. Austin Walton, 196
3. Cole Martinez, 172
Pro 2 Championship Standings
1. Mateo Oliveira, 240 points
2. Jack Simpson, 205
3. Kai Aiello, 195
Pro Women Championship Standings
1. Brandy Richards, 270 points
2. Ava Silvestri, 201
3. Tarah Gieger, 181