Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
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first couple laps being up there with the top guys. I was just hav- ing fun." Slam Life Racing (SLR) Hon- da's Tallon LaFountaine worked his way up to fourth with a few laps to go followed by Liqui- Moly Beta rider Dare DeMartile, Chaparral Motorsport/Precision Concepts Kawasaki's Tyler Lynn, Purvines Racing Yamaha-mount- ed Trevor Stewart, new AMA West Hare Scrambles champ Giacomo Redondi on his 3 Bros./Kilmartin Racing GasGas, and Johnny Campbell Racing (JCR) Honda's Ryan Surratt. After spending all year rac- ing GNCCs, FMF RPM Racing KTM's Gus Riordan returned and picked up his first Pro II victory at 10th overall followed by SLR Honda rider Parker Ross and Gainslinger Factory Racing/MX Coach Kawasaki-mounted Cole Zeller. Despite a second pit stop and a mid-race lagoon jump clo- sure that let Walton and Mateo Oliveira erase his lead, Dante used outside lines to maintain speed, eased away again and prevailed in the end. Then there was Mateo Oliveira. Having raced his 450 for the first time last week at the WORCS finale and finishing sixth, he had a better idea of what to expect and adjusted his 250-honed style a bit to good effect. A good start saw him run fourth in the early going, then second behind Walton for sever- al laps when Dante hit the deck briefly, though he was unhurt. "Last weekend at the WORCS race was exactly what I needed on the 450," Mateo said, and he managed to join his brother on the podium in third overall. "Today, I felt just right at home. I didn't feel nervous up there the downed rider and plowed into his back. Understandably frustrated, Hoeft picked his Jet World/Blud Lubricants/Fast- house FX 450 and gutted out several more laps before call- ing it a day just before the hour mark. That wasn't the only challenge Oliveira faced. In a replay of two weeks ago, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna's Austin Walton put up a strong fight and even had a turn at the front for a few laps. Though the champ passed him with some 30-plus minutes to go, Walton didn't give up and stayed within a couple seconds the rest of the race. "Oh my god, it was so much fun—I was stoked to get out there [on the 300]!" Oliveira said. "I was definitely nervous go- ing out there and sprinting with everybody because we all go so fast right off the start. I was like, '[Shoot], I don't know how I'm going to honestly be on the two- stroke,' but I got the holeshot and just started sending it out front." Walton said, "I felt really good on the bike; I feel like we had a really good setting for the sus- pension and just the bike was really good this weekend. The track was brutal. "I didn't know what to expect [facing Dante on his 300]. With a two-stroke, it can either be good or bad, but I was focused on myself." Walton sewed up second in final points with 196 to Oliveira's 270. ROUND 10 / NOVEMBER 12-13, 2022 HAVASU ISLAND MX PARK / LAKE HAVASU CITY, ARIZONA P76 OFF-ROAD I FMF AMA NATIONAL GRAND PRIX CHAMPIONSHIP (NGPC) SERIES Having locked up the NGPC 65cc Junior (7-9) Championship earlier, Ryan Stice sailed to his sixth victory of the season at Havasu.