Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

·ARENACROSS· Round1 New Haven Veterans Memorial Coliseum 1: PJ1Super Arenacross series (Left and above) Team Green's Je romy Buehl (2) won both 125cc main events dur ing the MSRlAnswer/KBC Arenacross at the New Haven Veterans Memorial Coliseum to bring his se ries win tota l to 13. By Pam Lambert Photo s by J eff Co x NEW HAVEN, CT, FEB. 23-24 he wi nners at round 11 of the PJ1 Super Arenacross Series in the N ew H aven Veteran 's Memorial Coliseum may come as no m ore of su rp rise than he aring that Jerem y McGrath w on another AMA Supercross, and yet ther e are always a few wonders. For instance, promoter Mike Kidd knew it would be an unusual weekend for several reasons. Connecticut state law prohibits anyone under the age of 13 from racing, w hich eliminated five youth classes from the normal program. Ano ther state law prohibited racing motors from starting befo re noon, cause ing the amateur program to ru n u ntil 8 p.m . And as if these mand ates weren' t enough, w he n Kidd arrived in Connecticut on Thursday, he found another surprise - mud. The contractor in cha rge of prov iding d irt di d not take adequa te precau tion s for th e se vere weather conditions th e East Coast received prior to our event. "The on ly th ing th at sa lvaged th e event was th e long hours of work m y d edi cated staff put in trying to dry the mud," Kidd sai d . But the fans were treated to surprises in th e ra ci n g ac t io n as T eam Gree n /Thor /Tuf's [er om y Bue hl dominated bo th nig hts of racing in the 125cc Pro class - m uch as he did last week w hile Mo rga n Ra ci n g / Fe ro ce' s Mike Jones stepped it up a notch to claim not one bu t both 250cc main eve nts. T FRIDAY NIGHT As w ith an outdoor race, the mu d dy track co n d itio ns s till m ad e for some interes ting raci ng . Buehl grabbed th e holes ho t, fo llowed . by Oklahoma Ho nda's Clifford Adoptante. Jones was cl os e behind with H SN Ra cin g ' s Grayson Goodman applying pressure as well. Ad optante hu ng on Bue hl's rear fender through th e mud, w hile Good man chan ced clearing th e bi g infield double to ov ertake Jones' th ir d-place p osition . F&S Su zuki ' s DeH o op go t caugh t in a first-turn p ileu p and w as stuc k in last place. Points lead er Jimmy Gaddis also go t off to a poor start but p ick ed hi s w a y a ro u n d d ow n ed o r stuck riders to work up to fifth by the end of the fir st lap. While Buehl and Adoptante eas ed their w ay around in the front of the field , Goodman continued to hold off Jon es , pulling a good ad vantage afte r clearing th e d ouble a few more times Goodman picked good lines for severa l laps, inching up on Adoptante and then doubli ng past for se co n d jus t before the halfway flags came ou t. The mu d proved to be the gr eat equa lizer as Buehl took the w in, Goodman was second and Adoptante third . Jones maintaine d to finish fourth while Gaddis had to set tle for fifth . DeHoop worked his way up from la st to a respectable eighth. . The band popped for the 250cc main and it was Buehl wit h the holesh ot, followed by Jones, DeHoop, Adop tante a nd Good ma n. Gaddis had a se condrow star t d ue to a crash in his hea t race, which forced him to qu alify through the semi. Adoptante had to try to hold off Goodman again and was d oing so for several laps u n til Goodman sa ile d by th rou gh th e doubl e sec t io n . Jone s applied p ressure to Buehl time af te r tim e, but Bue h l held fast w hile Jones bobb led but recovered without losing his seco nd -p lace spot. DeH oop wo rk ed h is way p a st T rey O w ens a n d Kur t McMillen to move into fourth. . Th en in the double-d ouble sec tio n, Bue h l got comp le te ly ou t o f control shoo ting his bike off the sid e of a jump (Above) Des pite failing to score a win in Connect icut, series points leader J immy Gaddis (1) did enough to keep his points lead se cure. Mike Jones (16) made another big move in the points by claiming both 250cc wins. (Right) Styles and sm iles: A Jubilant Clifford Adoptante (38) s cored his first podium appearance with a third-place finish in Friday night's 125cc main, and right into the starter's bo x, allowing Jones to sn ea k by for th e lead on th e white-fl ag lap and go on fo r the wi n. Buehl qu ickly remounted and held on to fin ish secon d be hind Jones . Good ma n mad e the p odiurri again, followed by DeHoop and McMillen. SATURDAY NIGHT After hours of track work, the course was some wha t improved for Sa turday night. Mo st ot th e riders were ab le to clear the big double jump, and tho ugh

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