FMF KTM Factory Racing Off-Road Team’s Dante Oliveira proved to be a fast learner last year, winning the AMA Hare & Hound National Championship Series, presented by FMF, on his first try, and he’s apparently taking those lessons learned and applying them this year, which could spell trouble for the competition.
Case in point: Last year, at the season opener, 2024 series champ Zane Roberts of the Liqui Moly Beta factory team ran away from Oliveira and the rest of the field. Oliveira was eight minutes back.
This year, at the Desert Motorcycle Club’s 58th annual Winter Classic, Oliveira turned the tables and bested Roberts by about a minute, with three-time series champ Dalton Shirey making his series debut for the new Pro Circuit Kawasaki Team Green squad in a solid third place.
“Knowing a little more about the desert and how important the start is, I was able to plan for that a little better and put a lot of emphasis into the start,” the Red Bull/Motorex/Alpinestars 450 XC-F rider said. “On the start line, my heart rate was through the roof—I looked down at my watch, and my chest was pounding!”
Though Norman Racing Husqvarna’s Daemon Woolslayer appeared to have the best jump off the line, both Roberts and Oliveira’s wider, sweeping approach from the left at the end of the bomb run saw them carry more speed and drop into the following sand wash running 1-2, nose to tail.
But Oliveira quickly got the better of Roberts and spent the rest of the race out front.
“Once we hopped out onto the open desert, it was pretty much game over with how dusty it was,” Oliveira said. “I’ve been back there before, and it’s not fun to trail somebody in the dust, so I had to make that early pass, which I think was everything in the race and helped out huge. With a year of experience now, it’s helped out quite a bit.”
After loops of 40 then 50 miles through the Johnson Valley Off-Highway Vehicle Area, Oliveira had a 59-second gap over Roberts at the finish. Though disappointed that he was unable to repeat last year’s result, the FMF/Bridgestone/Moose Racing 480 RR rider adopted a philosophical attitude, noting his recent string of holeshots.
“I think the result overall was decent enough,” Roberts said. “If you can’t win, you need to get second [to contend for a championship]. I learned that last year, big-time!”
Fourth behind Oliveira, Roberts and Woolslayer at the end of the first loop, Shirey is still learning his Hatch Racing/Western Ag Insurance/Fasthouse KX450SR.
“There’s a little fine-tuning I’ve got to do, fitness-wise, but also a little more fine-tuning on the bike, but once we get those two figured out, we’re not far off!” Shirey said. “During the second loop, I caught Zane and could see Dante’s dust, and I was like, ‘All right, my speed’s not too far off; I know I can still go for it!’ ”
But mistakes like falling and breaking the clutch lever completely off during the very technical second loop proved his undoing, though he managed to maintain third to the finish.
Last year’s series Pro 250 runner-up, Husqvarna Factory Support rider Ryder Thomaselli, matched his best-to-date fourth overall and first in class from round seven last year aboard his 395 Motorsports/MX Trophies/Leatt FC 250.
About two minutes behind class leader Cody Simpson and a minute-plus behind Kayden Lynn after a somewhat lackluster first loop, Thomaselli sprinted past both in the gnarly rocks of loop two.
“I just rode super timid that first loop, and I gave everything I had on the second loop because I wanted to win,” Thomaselli said. “I’m not losing this race! I felt like I was reading ribbon super well today, especially on the second loop. Everything was clicking.”
Thomaselli set the day’s fastest time around loop two, bettering Oliveira’s time by 25 seconds.
Woolslayer held on for fourth Open Pro and fifth overall, followed by Norman Racing teammate and Pro 250 runner-up Kayden Lynn aboard his Precision Concepts KTM, with Simpson next in line on his Simi Valley Cycles/TBT Racing/O’Neal YZ250.
Canyon Excavation KX250-mounted Layton Smail was next in his Hare & Hound debut, followed by Beta-backed Nic Colangelli and Backyard Designs Yamaha rider James Thomas, both AMA District 37 locals.
NAB Consulting Husqvarna rider Logan Cleveland edged Darrin Tuckett’s FXR GasGas for the Pro Vet 35+ victory, with Justin Herman on his LPS Suspension Yamaha third in class.
The Pro Women’s race fell to the very busy Ava Silvestri, her third race in three weekends giving the Norman Racing Husqvarna rider and defending Pro Women champ a 1-2-1 score to start her year. Behind at the start, she quickly passed three-time champ Rachel Stout and Ashlee Gage early and triumphed by nearly three minutes.
“This weekend, I think, was the most stressful and the most important in my head to win,” Silvestri said. The Blud Lubricants/395 Motorsports/Troy Lee Designs FC 250 rider added, “I think where I’m at, at the moment, is pretty good all around, in regards to skill, speed, mindset. So I think it’s going to be a lot on my shoulders this year of how I want to ride at every round. I think I’m in a good spot.”
FMF/RPM Racing KTM’s Stout was just over three minutes back on her 350 XC-F with Gage and her Let’s Ride KX250 a strong third.CN
2026 AMA National Hare & Hound Results
- Dante Oliveira (KTM) 2:18:27
- Zane Roberts (Bet) 2:19:26
- Dalton Shirey (Kaw) 2:22:19
- Ryder Thomaselli (Hus) 2:22:42
- Daemon Woolslayer (Hus) 2:22:50
- Kayden Lynn (KTM) 2:23:12
- Cody Simpson (Yam) 2:23:27
- Layton Smail (Kaw) 2:30:40
- Nic Colangeli (Bet) 2:32:00
- James Thomas (Yam) 2:35:54
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