Dante Oliveira and FMF KTM Clinch 2022 WORCS Championship at Penultimate Round

Following his seventh win of the season in the 2022 World Off-Road Championship Series (WORCS), FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Dante Oliveira wrapped up his second-straight Pro 450 title at Round 9 in Mesquite, Nevada. His brother, FMF RPM KTM Racing Team’s Mateo Oliveira, extended his perfect season in the Pro 250 class with a championship-winning victory aboard his KTM.

Putting his KTM 450 XC-F into second by the end of the first lap, it wasn’t long before Dante was in the lead. From Lap 2 all the way to the checkers, Oliveira charged hard out in front. His race wasn’t pressure-free though. He had to continually keep the second-place rider at bay as the two of them ran ahead of the rest of the field. At the end of 15 laps, it was Oliveira who claimed his second-straight WORCS championship with one round remaining in the series.

Dante Oliveira said, “I got off to a mediocre start and I was running about third on the first lap, and then the leader tucked the front-end, so I snuck into second. I kind of pulled a sly one right up into the road section on lap three, getting into the lead, and it was me and [Austin] Walton kind of freight-training the rest of the race, just going at it. I’d get a little distance on him in the sand, and he’d catch me once we’d get to the moto track. It was a super good race. I got the championship a round early, so that’s awesome. It was a great year of racing, and I can’t thank my mechanic, Bobby, enough. He had my bike on point every race. Whatever I needed for it, he was on it. Matt Fox at WP Suspension had the bike working amazing every round, always listening, watching and helping improve the suspension. Everybody else on the team, I can’t thank them enough for just making the year go smooth.”

After nine rounds, Mateo Oliveira still holds onto a perfect season in the Pro 250 class as the newly crowned champion in the class.

Mateo Oliveira said, “Awesome day and awesome year in WORCS. Today, it was hot, rough and sandy, but I was able to get a mediocre start and then move into the lead fairly quick. Then, I just kind of paced with the second-place rider, Jack [Simpson], for the whole race. He was riding good. I’m stoked. It was a good year, and I finally got the championship.”

KTM-mounted rider Jace Allred scored the Pro Am win, while KTM-supported rider Brandy Richards took the runner-up spot. Richards also is running a perfect season in the Women’s Pro class.

Next Round: Primm, Nevada, Nov. 4-6, 2022