Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

Rounds 7&8: Shelby Farms Arena time to get around Denny (Stephenson); he was riding real good tonight. I just tried to at least get a shot at Jones' before I ran out of time. I got my shot (laughing), he just happened to repass me." "I didn't khow he (Pederson) was coming," Jones commented. "I know I passed several Yamaha riders and with each lap I'd look over my shoulder to see what was going on. With about three laps left, I looked over and saw the 25 bike and thought to myself,. 'I don! t remember passing him.' That's when the crowd picked up on it. I was lapping Andy Bowyer when he crossed over into my line; that's when Chad got by and it was a race to the end. Chad's won his share of races this season. I really wanted thIs win for Kawasaki, my sponsors and the fans out there." RRP's ·Tim Pustelak, qualifying for his first 250cc main event, gated first from the outside when the feature left the starting line. Jones and Pederson took up where they left off in the 125cc main - side by side. Into turn one, PusteJak got pushed to the outside with Jones coming out first. By Lance Bryson Photos !?y Kinney Jones MEMPHIS, TN, NOV. 22-23 (7 awasaki Team Green/ Answer's Mike Jones tallied a 1-2 finish (125cc and 250cc, respectively) while series points leader Chad Pederson rode a Chaparral/ Axo/ FMF Yamaha to a 2-1 score (125<:c and 250cc, respectively) in the Shelby Farms Arena during the seventh and eighth rounds of the PJ1 National Arenacross Series by MSR/ Answer. FRIDAY ~ ~ \0 ~ ...... , :=: l-< Q) ..g I:< ~ Q) Cl 6 After returning from a successful week in Germany, Team Green got the shot in the arm it really needed with Jones setting the tempo right from his heat race, postbig 'a winning time t;hat was five secol'\ds faster than any other. While other noteworthy riders such as Cliff Palmer on the F&S Suzuki/Bieffe/Smith Suzuki, Team Thor/Honda/Primal Impulse's Denny Stephenson, Yamaha/Sports Cycles Racing's Jeromy Buehl and Yamaha of Troy's Todd DeHoop were impressive, Jones looked to be the man - and by the crowd reaction, their pick. Jones didn't disappoint as he gated first with Stephenson, Pederson, Buehl and Thor / Honda/ Primal Impulse's . BUddy Antunez nipping at his heels. . Third in the series points chase, Palmer had trouble getting off the gate in any decent position, then had troubles right away in the rocker section, going down and coming out last. Pederson was the first to make a move as 'he showed Stephenson his front wheel before the Kawasaki Catapult. Stephenson held his ground as he shut the Yamaha rider down. Down the . rocker section, Pederson again tried his move on the Honda rider to no avail. An~ez was the first to make a pass as he moved into the fourth position behind Pederson, moving Buehl to fifth. An impressive-looking Grayson (Above) Kawasaki Team Green's Mike Jones (10) picked up two mainevent wins whlle'Team ThorlHondalPrlmal Impulse's BUddy Antunez (19) and Chaparral's Chad Pederson (25) split up the other two m,ain events at rounds seven and eight 01 the AMAlPJ1 National Arenacross Series held In Memphis, TN. (Right) Jeromy Buehl (2), Cliff !,almer (6), Denny Stephenson (48), Buddy Antunez (19), Mike Jones (10) and Chad Pederson (25) lead the pack In Sunday's 250Cc main event. Goodman, who is now riding an RRP / Acerbis / Yamaha, fought the poorstart blues by working his way through the pack to follow Buehl in sixth. Jones, however, was in his zone as he had the right line not only down the gnarly rockers, but the rest of the track as well. While Jones was in control of his destiny, Pederson was all over Stephenson like a cheap suit. Pederson tried the lett, then the right, and each time Stephenson responded. It looked as if Stephenson had finally found that right mental toughness that has eluded him in past weeks. Coming into the fast left-hander, Pederson set Stephenson up with a squaring up and diving to the inside for the pass over the rhythm section. Backmarkers played a decisive role in the closing laps when Stephenson went to the outside and teammate Antunez made a bold move to the inside, the pair sandwiching a lapper in between them. Antunez got the better deal, third. With· three laps to go, Jones looked to be on cruise control, looking back to see all the backmarkers he had passed .• There was one lone Yamaha rider who he had not seen, and he was coming fast. The crowd picked up on it, as did Jones. With two laps left, Pederson brought the crowd to its feet with an attempted pass before the catapult. . Jones kept the better line with Pederson again making the attempt over the rockers. Only this time Pederson got by only to have Jones repass 20 feet later. The crowd went berserk. Around the back sweeper, Pederson made his move as he had done on Stephenson, but the KX rider hung on and claimed the win. "I almost had it," Pederson smiled. "But I think Jones had the better line down the rockers. I got tangled up a little in the first turn off the start; I hit someone's elbow and kinda got knocked around a little and next thing I know, Jones is gone. It took me a little Pederson got hung up, allowing DeHoop to foHow in the. bridesmaid's position along with Stephenson third, Pederson fourth., Antunez fifth and Bowyer sixth. Pederson knew he couldn't let Jones get away as he tried to displace Stephenson for the third spot, but again Stephenson wouldn't cooperate. Pederson's favorite passing line looked to be in the back fast-sweeping left-hander where he had gotten Pederson the main event prior. Sure enough, Pederson got his inside move, but this time Stephenson came right back for the repass. Antunez, feeling a little left out, tossed his Honda into the fray as he made a bid on· Pederson. But Pederson seized an opportunity that Stephenson left him and stepped into third position, leaving the two Honda riders to battle for the fourth spot. .Antunez made a square-up move into the rockers to get by Stephenson,

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