Cycle News Staff | September 20, 2022
Summer break is over for the racers of the Rocky Mountain ATV-MC WORCS Championship, as the season ramped back up on September 17-18 at Cache Valley MX in Idaho for a doubleheader weekend (rounds seven and eight) in the corn fields. The course was just under six miles (per lap), as it wrapped through cornfields and hay fields before funneling into the main MX track area.
The Pros raced each day for 90 minutes instead of the usual single 120-minute moto. On Saturday, the Oliveira brothers took first place in the 250 and 450cc Pro classes, while Collier Martinez topped the Pro-Am division, continuing his perfect season in the class. Brandy Richards won the Women’s Pro class.
In the 450cc Pro class, Dante Oliveira and Austin Walton traded wins over the weekend. Saturday’s first race was a thriller with Oliveira, on the FMF KTM, taking the early lead followed by SLR Honda’s Cole Martinez. The two battled fiercely throughout the race with Oliveira making the decisive move on the final lap, passing Martinez for the win.
Walton never figured into the lead battle due to a bad start that had him fighting for position. He got near the front fairly quickly, but Oliveira and Walton were already gone, and the Husky rider had to settle for third. Dare Demartile (Beta) was fourth.
Sunday’s race was a completely different story with Walton jumping into the early lead and Oliveira crashing and having to start at the back of the pack. Walton led it the whole way, while Oliveira played catch up. Oliveira passed Demartile for second early in the race and ended up finishing in that position approximately 20 seconds behind Walton and approximately 15 seconds ahead of Demartile. Tyler Lynn was fourth, while Martinez rounded out the top five.
In the 250cc Pro class, RPM KTM’s Mateo Oliveira won both days. Oliveira had to make some passes in race one before running off with the victory over Jack Simpson and early leader Kai Aiello, who had to fight off Cole Zeller at the end.
Oliveira had it a little easier en route to the race-two win. Once he got around early leader Thomas Dunn, it was clear sailing for Oliveira. The race for second place was between Aiello and Zeller. The two again battled hard, this time for second place. Aiello held on to take the position, while Zeller took third for his first-ever trip to the podium.
KTM rider Brandy Richards took the win in the Pro Women’s class, keeping her winning streak alive in the championship.
SLR Honda Collier Martinez was perfect in the Pro-Am class, cruising to victory with more than two minutes to spare over Jace Allred and Noah Gordon and winning again in Sunday’s race two. It was a repeat Martinez/Allred/Gordon podium on Sunday.
Connor Moore
RESULTS 450 PRO
SATURDAY
- Dante Oliveira (KTM)
- Cole Martinez (Hon)
- Austin Walton (Hus)
- Dare Demartile (Bet)
SUNDAY
- Austin Walton (Hus)
- Dante Oliveira (KTM)
- Dare Demartile (Bet)
- Tyler Lynn (Kaw)
- Cole Martinez (Hon)
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