Mateo Oliveira Wins Chaney Ranch WHS
D
espite breaking his clutch
hand while practicing at
home a few days before, FMF
KTM Factory Racing Off-Road
Team's Mateo Oliveira managed
to race the Cupid Classic Hare
Scrambles hosted by the Na-
tional Hare & Hound Association
(NHHA), which was round two of
the AMA West Hare Scrambles
(WHS) Regional Championship
Series, Presented by MojoMo-
toSport. With teammate and
older brother Dante switching to
the AMA Hare & Hound Na-
tional Championship from WHS,
where he's the two-time and
reigning series champ, he had
large boots to fill, but he accom
-
plished what he'd set out to do.
With the original venue for
round two pulled due to environ-
mental challenges and the second
option a late no-go, the private
Chaney Ranch opened its gates
for its first-ever off-road race,
treating all comers to stellar con-
ditions after several days of rain.
But it was no cakewalk.
Former series champ Jacob
Argubright laid out what many
considered one of the most chal-
lenging courses ever, with its
mix of single-track through the
brush, rocky off-cambers, sand
and Chaney's MX track keeping
riders on their toes.
As evidence, note the results.
Seven of the top 10 overall were
on 250s! In fact, Pro 250 winner
(his first Pro win, by the way) Ry
-
der Thomaselli's total race time
of two hours, 36 minutes and
15 seconds was second-fastest
overall behind Oliveira's 2:34:42.
FMF RPM Racing KTM's Jaden
Dahners was third overall and
second Pro 250 on his Ameri
-
cool/TBT Suspension/Sidi 250
XC-F, 10 seconds behind Thoma-
selli, while Pro Circuit/Precision
Coating Kawasaki rider Giacomo
Redondi took fourth overall and
second Open Pro after having to
repair a broken chain guide—a
somewhat frustrating result for
the early leader.
WIND
IN THE
P50
Despite breaking his clutch
hand while practicing
during the week, Mateo
Oliveira dealt with the pain
to win the inaugural Cupid
Classic and take over
the points lead after two
rounds.
PHOTOS: MARK KARIYA
