Mark Kariya | February 3, 2025
Dante and Mateo Oliveira are teammates on the FMF KTM Factory Off-Road Racing Team, and being brothers, they train and practice together during the week most of the time. Therefore, Dante can readily gauge his younger brother’s improvements as Mateo continues to adjust to life on a 450.
Dante Oliveira (1) and Mateo Oliveira (831) weren’t much farther apart than this throughout the Gold Rush GP. Dante edged out Mateo for the win; Tyler Lynn (24) was third.
Photography by Mark Kariya
And judging by the results of the 40th annual Gold Rush Grand Prix hosted by the Prospectors Motorcycle Club, Mateo is one of the few who can give Dante a run for his money as Dante seeks a sixth-consecutive title in the Rocky Mountain ATV/MC AMA National Grand Prix Championship (NGPC) Series, Presented by FMF.
But that breakthrough victory will have to wait for another day, though Mateo did lead a substantial portion of round two’s 90-minute, $8000 feature race and finished a scant four seconds short, while Slam Life Racing (SLR) Honda’s Tyler Lynn claimed third after an afternoon riding alone.
From the outset, the Oliveiras made the super-rough sand track of Shorty’s Sports Park their own, with Dante getting the holeshot aboard his Red Bull/Motorex/Alpinestars 450 XC-F, and Mateo a close second on his Dunlop/Renthal/100% 450 XC-F.
Pro podium – Oliveira, Oliveira, Lynn.
“It’s cool to have a battle like that with Mateo,” said Dante. “It’s about time he was out here pressuring me other than during the week. He rode awesome; hats off to him. It made it fun. I was telling the REVd [Productions video interviewer] it reminded me of when I was a new Pro and used to battle with Taylor Robert. I knew with just how fast we were going that we were both going to get worn out sooner or later, so I tried to ride smart and stay smooth.”
After following Mateo for most of the first hour, Dante made the decisive pass when they pitted at the hour mark, with mechanic Bobby Dawson fueling Dante’s bike just a hair quicker, allowing him to leave the pit a wheel ahead.
But on the brutal sandy lower section of the course, he couldn’t really shake Mateo.
Full of confidence after his WORCS win here the week before, Tyler Lynn came in with updated suspension settings and got a great start, but a lonely third place is where he stayed all afternoon.
“The rougher the track, I think I perform better,” Mateo said. “The slower the track, I know I perform better. The slower and rougher the track, the more relaxed I think I can be. I almost get confidence coming in, knowing it’s going to be a nasty track.”
SLR Honda’s Lynn came into the race confident after his win here the week before at the WORCS opener on his Monster Energy/Lava Propane/Fly Racing CRF450RX.
Third off the start is where he found himself the rest of the day.
“I raced here last weekend and won,” Lynn said. “And we went and made some changes to the bike to make the bike better and we came here feeling good!
Defending Pro II champ Mason Semmens met his goal of riding strong throughout the 90 minutes to win the class and a laudable fourth overall.
“Dante and Mateo, they were pinning it! I kind of got a little pumped up there before my pit. I was just off the pace of those guys and lost about 30 seconds. I pitted and pretty much stayed there ’til the end of the race. I expected a bit more out of myself, but I’m still proud of the effort and proud to make it on the podium.”
Defending Pro II champ Mason Semmens rebounded from his runner-up finish at round one to dominate the class and end up fourth overall aboard his Precision Concepts/Trail Jesters/Moose Racing 250 XC-F.
“My goal was to push for 90 minutes regardless,” said the FMF/RPM Racing KTM team rider. “I really wanted to try to get up in the overall as much as possible, that was a little goal of mine today, and I’m pretty sure I did that.
“I’m a little tired right now; I’m not going to lie! Overall, a solid day—holeshot, led every lap and finished with a win.”
Sam Pretscherer was second in the 250 Pro class via a seventh overall.
Semmens enjoyed a decent gap on Liqui Moly Beta’s Dare DeMartile, who seemed unable to get comfortable in the sandy, rough lower section. Pro Circuit/Precision Coatings/Team Green rider Giacomo Redondi added a sixth-place finish to his dominating performance in Saturday’s 30+ race, extending his impressive win streak that goes back a couple of years.
Cole Zeller held second Pro II for most of the race on his GHP/LE Casino/O’Neal Racing Husky FC 250, but a mistake on the final lap relegated him to third in class and eighth overall, 12 seconds behind 2024 AMA Pro 250 Hare & Hound National champ Sam Pretscherer’s 3Bros/Hatch Racing Husqvarna FC 250.
Pro 2 Podium – Semmens, Pretscherer, Zeller.
SLR Honda’s Ryan Surratt finished sixth in Pro and ninth overall with 3Bros/Hatch Racing Husqvarna rider Kai Aiello fourth in Pro II to round out the top 10 overall.
In Pro Women, a late spill almost cost SLR Honda’s Mikayla Nielsen the win. The Monster Energy/Sketchers/Alpinestars CRF250RX rider was subdued after the race.
Though a late crash rang her bell, Mikayla Nielsen managed to hold on to the lead and pick up her second Pro Women triumph of the season over an improving Ava Silvestri.
“The second-to-last lap, I came through one high-speed section and kind of hopped over a pothole, and the next thing you know, my head was just ringing!” Nielsen said. “I think I rung my bell a little bit, but then I thought that was the last lap, but I got a white flag. I couldn’t really think straight, and my bike was kind of mangled, so I’m pretty bummed that I made that mistake but still happy that I could put it on the box.”
Women’s podium – Nielsen, Silvestri, Woolslayer.
That fall allowed 395 Motorsports/Racer Decal/Troy Lee Designs GasGas-mounted Ava Silvestri to claim second with perhaps her strongest ride yet, finishing nine seconds back. Desert specialist Ty Woolslayer rounded out the podium on her Woolslayer Racing YZ250FX.
Konner Wolfe powered through the motocross portion of the course to take the NGPC 85cc Senior win and finish third overall in NGPC Super Mini.
OVERALL (Top 10)
- Dante Oliveira (KTM)
- Mateo Oliveira (KTM)
- Tyler Lynn (Hon)
- Mason Semmens (KTM)
- Dare DeMartile (Bet)
- Giacomo Redondi (Kaw)
- Sam Pretscherer (Hus)
- Cole Zeller (Hus)
- Ryan Surratt (Hon)
- Kai Aiello (Hus)