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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127821
make a pass," Palmer said. "I saw where
Buddy got around and thought I would
try the same spot. I gave it 100 percent
to get around but just couldn't do it,"
Palmer said.
Antunez was in total control over the
last half of the race, moving through
lapped riders well ahead of the field.
"Lapped riders were a little hard to
get around, but it turned out," Antunez
said. "Unfortunately for Denny, he has
been sick. I had it yesterday but got over
it quicker. This would have helped in
the points, but 1 hit the dirt twice in the
125 (main)."
The 50cc main was a dose affair as
Cody Gilmore held off Robert Loire and
Chad Blank for the win. All three were
Cobra-mounted.
SATURDAY
In Saturday's 12Scc main Palmer
proved the arenacross adage: holeshot,
holeshot, holeshot. Palmer took control
from the start and pulled to a commanding lead.
"It feIt great to get out front and run
away," Palmer said. "The start was
everything, then I just had to stay
smooth and not make any mistakes."
Jones held down second as Antunez
and Stephenson disputed third.
Stephenson got by Antunez on lap five
and quickly dosed on Jones. That confrontation lasted but a lap as Stephenson
made a mistake and dropped back
behind Antunez.
"1 made a mistake over the big double, and that really set me back,"
Stephenson said.
Back in the field Andy Bowyer and
Pederson carried a race-long battle for
fifth to the end. Bowyer withstood Pederson's best shots to take fifth. Stephenson was not done as he made a last-lap
pass work on Antunez.
"He left me room and 1 just got by:'
Stephenson aid. "I didn't stuff him or
anything. We race each other hard, but
we kind of nodded as 1 went by."
After Stephenson's brief challenge,
Jones rode fairly uncontested to second.
"I never look back, I don't know
what was going on back there:' Jones
said. "I'm just glad to be on the podium.
I've had a lot of dose races and falls this
weekend. Cliff is a nice guy. If I had to
finish second, I'd just as soon it was to
him."
. The 250cc main was much the same,
only it was Goodman on his RRP / Acerbis/Yamaha, who dominated the race.
Goodman got the holeshot and pulled to
a huge lead, but the racing was very
intense behind him.
''I'm ecstatic right now:' Goodman
said. "1 got a perfect start, I thought
maybe everybody else's gate didn't
drop. We've really got our program
together, and I've got a new mechanic,
Billy Bell, who wants me to win about as
bad as 1want to."
Stephenson broke out in second with
Jones, Pederson, Antunez, Palmer and
Bowyer dose behind.
Jones muscled his way into second
on lap five. As the tight pack hit the
horseshoe on the next lap, Jones and
Stephenson renewed acquaintances.
Both riders blamed each other, but it
was Jones who came away the big loser.
Jones scrambled back to finish the lap in
seventh place. Stephenson held a safe
second for a short time, but was soon
joined by Antunez. They were followed
by Pederson, Palmer and Bowyer. Jones
was holding DeHoop and Buehl off a
short distance back as the leaders started to run into lapped traffic.
On lap 13, Pederson made it a threerider battle over second. One lap later,
(Right) Cliff
Palmer (6)
used a
brilliant
holeshot to
take a lead
that he never
relinquished
in saturday's
125cc main
event.
(Below)
Former series
champion
Grayson
Goodman's
switch to
Yamaha
power paid off
as the Texan
grabbed his
first win of the
year in the
250cc feature
Saturday.
Grayson Goodman (Yam); 8. Nicholas Wey (Kaw); 9.
Brad Woolsey (Kaw); 10. Shawn Morgan (Kaw); 11.
Buddy Antunez (Han); 12. Jamie Bennett (Yam); 13.
Andy Bowyer (Kaw); 14. Ty Wallace (Suz); 1S. Eron
Ezerins (Kaw).
250: I. Buddy Antunez (Han); 2. Denny Stephenson
(Han); 3. Cliff Palmer (5uz); 4. Olad Pederson (Yam~ 5.
Grayson Goodman (Yam); 6. Brad Woolsey (Kaw); 7.
Jeromy Buehl (Yam); 8. Andy Bowyer (!