Cobram Estate/DA8 Training/
Klim 250 XC-F. By the end of the
90-minute, $8000 feature race,
he'd done an admirable job, fin-
ishing seventh overall over SLR
Honda teammates Jack Simp-
son and Parker Ross to lock up
his first NGPC Pro II crown.
After two years of being de-
nied, he said, "This year, every-
thing fell into place super-well.
The whole program I was on, the
bikes, all the mechanics helping
me out—it was meant to be, hon-
estly. I was fit and I was strong
and just ready from the begin-
ning; I knew I could fight for this
championship. I didn't want to
it feels really good to get on the
podium!"
Early leader Justin Hoeft of
the 3 Bros./Kilmartin Racing
Husqvarna team battled hard
with LaFountaine for much of the
race and ended up fourth, just
ahead of 3 Bros./Hatch Racing
Husqvarna rider Dalton Shirey
while Purvines Racing Yamaha's
Trevor Stewart rode a solitary
pace to sixth.
Mateo Oliveira got a better
start than his brother when the
Pro II line took off and he quickly
worked his way into the class
lead, his new goal to pass as
many 450s as possible with his
After getting the holeshot
and then forfeiting it by hitting a
false neutral in the second turn,
SLR Honda's Tallon LaFoun-
taine ran in the lead pack all
afternoon and earned his first
Open Pro podium with his third-
place finish.
"It hasn't even been a year
since I've been in the class," the
Monster Energy/Skechers/Lava
Propane CRF450RX rider and
2020 and 2021 Pro II champ
said. "I came in behind the eight
ball with an injury on a new bike
in a new class so there was a lot
going on—and I missed half the
year [with injury]. It feels good;
ROUND 9 / OCTOBER 29-30, 2022
SHORTY'S SPORTS PARK / BLYTHE, CALIFORNIA
P58
OFF-ROAD I FMF AMA NATIONAL GRAND PRIX CHAMPIONSHIP (NGPC) SERIES
Two-time Pro II champ Tallon
LaFountaine's first year
racing 450s full-time has
been trying—mostly due to
injury—but he had a good ride
in Blythe with a holeshot and
eventual third place for his
first big-bike podium.
