Oliveira Storms Glen Helen
S
torms walloped the 32nd
annual Dog Gone It Grand
Prix hosted by the Prairie Dogs
Motorcycle Club at Glen Helen
Raceway Park, though four-time
and reigning series champ Dante
Oliveira took it in stride. Despite
the horrendous conditions that
had the potential to wreak havoc
on more than just the carefully
planned course (which had to
be rerouted Saturday morning),
the FMF KTM Factory Off-Road
Racing Team star drew on his
formidable hare scrambles skills
and took a narrow win over
hard-charging Rockstar Energy
Husqvarna Factory Racing Off-
Road Team's Austin Walton with
Slam Life Racing (SLR) Honda's
Cole Martinez third.
That makes it three in a row
for Oliveira in the Parts Unlimited
AMA National Grand Prix Cham
-
pionship (NGPC) Series, present-
ed by FMF, as he aims for a fifth
consecutive series crown.
Oliveira also credited his
recent emphasis on training for
GNCCs, saying, "At home, I've
been riding more technical and
off-roady tracks rather than the
fast tracks. I think that probably
helped quite a bit. I know I can
go fast, but I just need to sharp
-
en up some more technical skills
for the East Coast, and I'm sure
that'll end up helping over here
as well."
Recapping his race, the Red
Bull/Motorex/Alpinestars 450
XC-F rider added, "Holeshot,
clean air—I just had a couple
of different people catch me
throughout the race. One time
it was my brother [Mateo], then
it was Walton, then even Cole
at one time. I think being smart
panned out pretty well for me."
While rain was a nearly
constant presence all weekend,
the clouds retreated just as the
$8000, 90-minute feature race
began, though the modified
WIND
IN THE
P38
Dante Oliveira made
it three in a row
after a holding off
Austin Walton on
the final lap with
Cole Martinez third.
PHOTOS: MARK KARIYA
