who led at one point, Rockstar
Energy Husqvarna's Austin
Walton ended up second with
his Motorex/FMF/Fly Racing FX
450.
He said, "I knew he was
definitely back there, and I know
Dante—he's going to charge to
the front—so I just said, 'All right,
let's just focus on [me]. I know
where the field's at and I know
what I can do.' So, I just focused
on myself and just made a bad
line selection in the Pro section."
While Oliveira has the title
sewed up with his 222 points,
Walton has a chance at second
since Martinez has 172 with Wal-
ton sitting in third at 168.
a little off pace, but my fitness
was there, and I worked my way
up. By round three I was charg-
ing and riding up front where I
should be and how I should be
every weekend."
Oliveira's closest rival in
points—Slam Life Racing (SLR)
Honda's Cole Martinez—sat this
one out due to injury, but several
others tried to keep Oliveira from
the top step, a poor start by
Oliveira giving them extra hope.
Among the early front-runners
Not to be outdone, FMF RPM
Racing KTM's Mateo Oliveira
won the Pro II class for the
eighth time this season to wrap
up that class championship after
coming agonizingly close for two
years, making it a banner day for
KTM.
"It feels great!" Dante said
after his sixth triumph of the sea-
son aboard his Red Bull/Dun-
lop/Thor-sponsored 450 XC-F.
"I got the WORCS championship
[locked up a couple weeks ago]
so now I'm a two-time WORCS
champion and three-time Na-
tional Grand Prix champion. I
had an awesome season this
year. I started off a little slow,
ROUND 9 / OCTOBER 29-30, 2022
SHORTY'S SPORTS PARK / BLYTHE, CALIFORNIA
P56
OFF-ROAD I FMF AMA NATIONAL GRAND PRIX CHAMPIONSHIP (NGPC) SERIES
Mechanic Bobby Dawson gives
Dante Oliveira a champagne
shower as soon as he finished, the
race winner now NGPC champ for
the third year in a row.
