A week after flying back from the 100th 6Days FIM Enduro of Nations in Portugal, FMF KTM Factory Racing Off-Road Team’s Dante Oliveira shook off the physical and mental fatigue to record his seventh win of the season in the Rocky Mountain ATV/MC AMA National Grand Prix Championship Series, presented by FMF. Coincidentally, the round-nine triumph over FMF RPM Racing KTM’s Mason Semmens and Cole Zeller, the Pro II winner who sped to third overall, also secured Dante Oliveira’s seventh straight series championship.
Photography by Mark Kariya
“The travel and time changes eat you up quite a bit,” Dante Oliveira said. “I’ve done eight [6Days], and I’ve never had jet lag or fatigue like this—not like muscle fatigue and all but overall feeling drained all week long, so resting was key.
“I’m pretty smoked now; that ate me up today. Taft is demanding. You pin it on hardpack and those square-edged holes about rip you off the bike every time.”
But getting out front off the start let Dante Oliveira control the pace around the always-challenging Honolulu Hills Raceway, with the hosting Dirt Diggers Motorcycle Club adding a few new twists and turns that seemed well received.
At first, round-eight winner Justin Hoeft proved to be the closest threat, but four laps in, his Pro Circuit Kawasaki Off-Road Team KX450SR suffered a terminal mechanical issue.
At that point, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Mateo Oliveira latched on, having come through the pack after a mediocre start. However, he couldn’t hold off the steady pressure from Semmens and his AEO Powersports/Precision Concepts/Moose Racing-backed 450 XC-F.
The Australian slipped past for second just after the one-hour mark of the 90-minute, $5000 feature race. He got to within a few seconds of the leader, who responded by upping the pace over the final 20 minutes. Dante Oliveira and his “Banjo”-prepped Red Bull/Dunlop/Alpinestars 450 XC-F took the checkered flag with a 20-second cushion.
Hatch Racing/McCarthy Electric Honda-mounted Colton Aeck was physically third in only the second race of his NGPC career on a 450. However, Zeller was faster on adjusted time, with the Pro II row starting second.
Zeller had to readjust his approach after a somewhat troubled first half that saw him chasing Simi Valley Cycles YZ250-mounted Cody Simpson for nearly 45 minutes.
“I kind of had a feeling this might happen today,” Zeller said. “With this really choppy style track, I feel like I hold on way too tight. I got into second place within the first lap…and I’m just eating dust, eating dust and getting more pumped up.
“I’m like, ‘Okay, I’ve got to try something different because me trying to push right now isn’t working.’ ”
Zeller backed off a bit, keeping just out of Simpson’s dust. When the two-stroke rider pitted, Zeller saw his chance and sprinted to the pits the next lap on his Gainslinger Human Performance/Motorex/Sidi 250 SX-F.
Feeling a bit looser, Zeller said with a chuckle, “I came out [of my pit] right in front of [Simpson] then it was like, ‘Now you get to eat my dust because I ate yours way too long!’ I was able to pull out a gap from there.”
Also coming through after an even worse start was Slam Life Racing (SLR) Honda’s Sam Pretscherer, the Pro II points leader.
Like Dante Oliveira, Pretscherer could wrap up his class championship with a decent finish, though he naturally wanted to clinch the crown by winning on his Monster Energy/Mother F Bars/Fly Racing CRF250R.
“I was pretty wound up with nerves and then I got cut off pretty hard in the first turn, so I was back there a ways,” Pretscherer said. “I had to make a lot of passes, yeah, I think the first 35 minutes [and] I really struggled to make passes. I got up to second and kept pushing but didn’t really do anything crazy. The main goal this weekend was to wrap up the championship.”
That’s because if the championship went to the final round next month, Pretscherer would need to travel a lot, which would affect his responsibilities in the SCORE Baja 1000 on the southernmost part of the Baja Peninsula.
The new champion finished 24 seconds behind Zeller and seven seconds ahead of Simpson, the three putting in fast enough adjusted times to finish third, fourth and fifth overall, respectively.
Aeck earned third in Pro and sixth overall, ahead of Zip-Ty Racing Husqvarna’s Pro II standout Dustyn Davis; Davis’ teammate Brennen Watson, who won 4-Stroke A (and the A overall); Mateo Oliveira; and GasGas-support rider Lane Lorenzo (fifth Pro II).
SLR Honda’s Mikayla Nielsen put in another winning ride in Pro Women to go into the final round with a 20-point cushion over Norman Racing Husqvarna rider Ava Silvestri.
Two losses to Silvestri this season prevented Nielsen from wrapping up her fourth consecutive number one plate with a round to go.
Mad Fast Racing KTM-mounted Maddy Weber held a solid third for all 90 minutes, matching her season-best finish to date.
Progressive/Lava Propane/Alpinestars CRF250RX-mounted Nielsen said, “I got that holeshot finally at the end of the year! I put in a couple good laps in the early stages. It was pretty slippery, and I ended up falling on that second lap, but it was good. I was just matching the pace [of the other girls at that point] because I knew if I matched it, it would be safer than trying to push the limit and be a superhero.
“I’m still looking for that undefeated season, so that’s what I’m coming for next year!”CN
2026 AMA NGPC Round 9 Results
OVERALL (Top 10)
- Dante Oliveira (KTM)
- Mason Semmens (KTM)
- Cole Zeller (KTM)
- Sam Pretscherer (Hon)
- Cody Simpson (Yam)
- Colton Aeck (Hon)
- Dustyn Davis (Hus)
- Brennen Watson (Hus)
- Mateo Oliveira (Hus)
- Lane Lorenzo (GG)
