Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127823
ARENACROSS PJ1 NATIONAL ARENACROSS SERIES Rogers Memorial Coliseum Out front, Antunez caught Pederson on lap 13, the same lap on which Palmer passed DeHoop for third. Antunez took the win, his fifth for the series, followed by Pederson and Palmer. SATURDAY '(Left) Cliff Palmer won both nights in the 125cc class at the PJ1 National Arenacross In Fort Worth, Texas. (Below) Jeff Dement (SO) and Chad Pederson (25) battle In the 250Cc class. Dement won on Saturday night. By Kat Spann Photos by Kinney Jones FORT WORTH, TX, JAN. 3-4 he new year started off with fireworks for Suzuki rider Cliff Palmer as the countdown contin- ued in the PJ1 National Arenacross Series, cosponsored by MSR and Answer. The F&S Suzuki/JT / Shoei / Bill's Pipes/ Factory Connection-backed Palmer added two more wins to his record and closed to within 11 points of second-place contender Buddy Antunez after taking top honors in both Friday and Saturday night's 125cc main events. "I've been training 'more," Palmer said. "] started off the series with three wins the first weekend, but] slipped on my training and it really showed in the next few rounds." Series leader Chad Pederson still has a substantial 43-point cushion on Antunez, but with the series not quite at the halfway point, the top money is still up for grabs. Antunez won Friday's 250cc main, but Saturday's podium highlight went to the crowd favorite, Texan Jeff Dement. He topped Saturday's race class by coming from behind on his Team Green/Kawasaki of Carroll ton / Xtreme / Pro Circuit-sponsored KX250. FRIDAY 14 Pederson appeared to be the shoo-in for the 125cc main event win after. grabbing the holeshot in front of Kawasaki rider Mike Jones and raced out front" for 13 laps. A crash off the PJ1 Step-Up saw Pederson hit the ground, which opened the door for Palmer, who had passed Jones earlier in the race. Palmer led the last three laps to the checkers, while Jones and Jimmy Gaddis rounded out the podium spots. "I just had surgery on my knee three weeks ago," Jones said from the winner's circle. "I haven't had a chance to practice before coming to Fort Worth." ';1 didn't get the start I wanted," Palmer said. "But I knew if I couJd get off in the top three or four spots 1 could win with my endurance." The 250cc main started out the same way as did the 125s with Pederson taking the holeshot. A battle for second involving Todd DeHoop, Dement and Antunez lasted for more than half a lap as they battled for positions. Antunez passed Dement over the Miller Lite Catapult to take third be:hind DeHoop, while Gaddis raced in fifth. By lap six, Antunez had reeled in DeHoop enough for a side-byside battle, passing into second over the PJ1 Step-Up. The short laps held the attention of the crowd as positions continued to change. DeHoop landed wrong off one of the rockers, opening the door for Dement for third, while Antunez began to work on Pederson. . Elsewhere, a raging war was ensuing for fourth involving DeHoop, Palmer and Denny Step.henson. Palmer eventually broke free after rna'king a pass on DeHoop. Stephenson followed suit and focused in on Palmer, using him as a berm up the catapult and forcing Palmer into the hay bales. Palmer shook it off and went after Stephenson, but Stephenson took himself out in the whoops. Palmer then chased down DeHoop, who had regained third. (Right) Buddy Antunez topped the 250Cc class on the opening night. Gaddis and Pederson both wanted the holeshot, but the inside line advantage went to Pederson, as Gaddis slid up into the berm. Palmer came out of the crowded first turn in second with DeHoop and Gaddis in the hunt, while Grayson Goodman and Antunez fell victim to a first-turn crash. DeHoop reeled in Palmer with Pederson a yard out front. Gaddis wicked it up on lap four as he raced up behind DeHoop to challenge for third. When no One was looking, Suzuki support rider Charley Bogard carne from midpack to sixth and began knocking on Gaddis' back door, passing him in the rhythm section for fourth and then setting his sightji on DeHoop. Bogard 'used the whoops as a secret weapon to race neck and neck with DeHoop into the next comer. Bogard pushed DeHoop up the berm into the bales and took over third place. Pederson and Palmer raced out front, five seconds in front of Bogard. With only four laps left, Palmer made his move on Pederson and put the spin on him in the turn to the 'step-up to take over the lead. Bogard kicked in his afterburners and began to reel in Pederson, closing to within two seconds of the Yamaha rider by the end of the race, but Pederson