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(.0 00 0') ...... Mike Bias leads JoJo Keller at the World Sports/AMA/·USHRA A_renacross Championship; Keller won two of the three 125cc finals while Bias maintained his points lead. David Hand was the other winner. Keller wins- New England Arenacross By Davey Coombs WORCESTER, MA, OCT. 25-2.6 JoJo Keller and David Hand each gathered final event wins at the World Sportsl AMA/USHRA Arenacross Championships in the Worcester Centrum. The three-race weekend saw Hand pull off the upset win in Saturday afternoon's opener then Keller SLOrm to the-evening win. In the Sunday" finale Hand and Keller went at it for the weekend title, and it was the hometown hero that stole the show on his AXO-backed Honda. The weekend also saw Boston sweep the weekend doubleheader against New .York in team racing in front of over 22,000 fans. Each show opened with qualifying rounds, and after Saturday afternoon's heat races it looked LO be a two-man show between Keller and Answer Products' Fred Andrews. Andrews was coming off a sweep of the Philadelphia Spectrum Arenacross two weeks prior and was hoping to move up this weekend in the series point standings from his 10th position. But when the gate dropped for the 15-lap final it was upstart consi winner Hand out front followed by another underdog, Kawasaki rider Brell Salander. The two surprised leaders pulled away from Arenacross regular Dickie Bellora, local talent Joe Waddington, and series point leader Mike Bias. Keller and Andrews were wedged in midpack after mediocre starts. Keller was on the go early, picking up two first lap spots, but a small rock found its way into the Honda's rear brake drum and kept Keller out of the hunt. Ou t front, Hand and Salander had a real battle for the lead going as they began picking up lapped traffic. With a lap to go Salander dove under the Honda in a: slow lefthander and lost his shot, missing Hand and gelting tangled. His gamble cost him the number two spot LO Waddington. while Andrews and Keller rounded out the LOp five after Bias went out with ignition trouble. Keller and Andrews again led the qualifyingon Saturday evening while Hand headed imo the final through the consi route. This time, though, the two veteran pros slammed into . turn one, followed by the extremely consistem Barry Carsten, the number four points man on the charts. Tim Coombs was four.th with Hand fifth. Andrews looked strong out· front after the halfway point, but Keller was always right there on his flank waiting for a slip. The crowd was waiting for a knock-down drag-out pass from Keller after an earlier practice session turned into a jam session for him and Andrews. Instead it was Keller with a safe', inside move on the leader through some Iappers. Andrews stayed close but in second as the two crossed the line three seconds apart. WaddingLOn was third with Salander an impressive fourth. O'Neal's latest Arenacross rage, Brian Stanley, was fifth. A new concept in learn racing was introduced in Saturday's Boston-New York showdown. Each fi ve-man team chose a captain to wear a red jersey rather than the team colors. Whichever points man crossed the line first would claim the victory for his team. New York tabbed Salander while Boston wisely gave the nod to Keller. In what could be described as the best display of defensive riding seen LO date in Arenacross action, Keller slipped and dodged his way through the New York blockers that focused entirely on him. Salander, meanwhile, was tackled from his bike by Boston tough guy Mike DeGaetano and lost sight of Keller, who took the win in from of the highly partisan crowd. Going into Sunday's finale, Hand and Keller were all even with a win apiece. Another first place finish by either would mean the weekend title. Hand drew first blood when he raced across the fallen bike and body of first lap leader Andrews and held on for the early lead. Keller was right there, though, with Stanley, Waddington, and Bellora following. With the crowd on his side Keller forced Hand into a mistake after an eight-lap chase. Hand held on LO Keller's shirttail for a few more laps, bu't Keller moved away as the race drew to a close for the win. A revamped New York team moved to the line for the team race rematch, and this time It was Hand in the points shirt. But Keller again carried . the colors for Boston and again thrilled the crowd with his misses and near-misses. As for Hand, he could do no beller than Salander against the.extremely physical Boston defense. In the end it was Boston agail1 on top, sweeping the weekend dou bleheader. Resuhs • 125 (SAT. AFTERNOON): 1. David Hand (Hon); 2. .loa Waddington (Han); 3. Brell Salander (Kaw); 4. Fred Andrews (Han); 5. JoJo Keller (Han); 6. Dickie Bellors (Kow); 7. Brian Stantey (Han); 8. Tim Coombs (Han); 9. Mike Bias (Hon); 10. JeH Gla.. (Han). 125 (SAT. NIGHT); 1. JoJo Kellar (Han); 2. Fred Andrews (Han); 3. .loa Waddington (Hon); 4. Brell Selender (Kaw); 5. Brien Stenley (Han); 6. David Hand (Han); 7. Barry carsten (Yam); 8. Tim Coombs (Han); 9. JeH Surwall (Kaw); 10. Kaith Johnson (Kaw).· 125 (SUN.): 1. JoJo Keller (Han); 2. Dickie Bellora (Kaw); 3. Joe Waddington (Han); 4. David Hand (Han); 5. Fred Andrews (Han); 6. J.eH Surwall (Kaw); 7. Tim Coombs (Han); 8. Mike 8ias (Han); 9. Brian Carroll (Kow); 10. Berry car.ten (Yam). POINT STANDINGS: 1. Mike Bias (84); 2. Jeff Gla.. (63); 3. (TIE) Davey Coombs/Fred Andrews (51); 4. Berry Carsten (48); 5. Dickie Bellora (46); 6. Tim Combs (45); 7. Brian Stanlley (43); 8. Brian Carroll (34); 9. JeH Surwan (31); 10. David Hand (30). 11 ~