ROUND 1 / JANUARY 15-16, 2022
AMERICAN MX / DELANO, CALIFORNIA
P66
OFF-ROAD I FMF AMA NATIONAL GRAND PRIX CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Martinez managed to make
a pass stick soon after and
sprinted for a couple laps to
build a slight gap, keeping it to
the checkers to start the sea-
son on the right foot.
"When he passed me that
last time, it was really hard to
get back in the groove because
I was riding different lines when
he got close," Walton revealed.
Though unable to pass for the
lead again, he pronounced
himself satisfied with his effort
and speed.
Martinez was likewise happy
with how much better things are
at this stage compared to a year
ago, declaring, "I think we're
definitely in a better place than
we were at the start of last year."
After getting into second
behind Walton early on, Oliveira
uncharacteristically had a slight
tip-over on his Red Bull/Dun-
lop/THOR-backed 450 XC-F
and lost a few spots but just as
quickly recovered to third.
However, he found himself un-
able to advance any further and
confided, "I struggled a little bit,
just with flowing—just trying to be
too precise, I'm guessing—not
flowing like I know how to ride.
"I'll learn from this and push
the rest of the year."
3 Bros./Hatch Racing
Husqvarna's Dalton Shirey had
a start similar to Martinez and
made it to fourth by the halfway
point, finishing there a minute
and 45 seconds behind Oliveira.
Trevor Stewart made his
Purvines Racing Yamaha de-
but good for fifth followed by
Beta's Dare Demartile, Jet
World Husqvarna's Justin Hoeft,
Mateo Oliveira followed
early Pro II leader Jack
Simpson for a couple
laps before making the
decisive move on lap two
and going on to win.
Much of the afternoon looked like this
with early leader Austin Walton not letting
Martinez get away, though he had to settle
for the runner-up spot about three seconds
behind at the end of 90 minutes.
