Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

(Left) The Palmer family, Including newbom son Colt, celebrate on the podium at the Lazy E Arena. (Above) Charley Bogard (82) and Buddy Antunez (19) battled all weekend long In the 125ee class. (Below) Jeff Dement, who was fighting pneumonia, holeshot the 250s on Saturday night and held on for third. "When I got into second, Chad was gone," Palmer said. "He blistered the first tum and had a really good lead that I just couldn't chisel away at." Bogard passed Woolsey for third in the second lap with a hard-charging Antunez on his heels. Antunez raced up next to Bogard two laps later in the whoops and challenged for third, taking the position, but Bogard never let him loose with it as he kept Antunez in sight. At the halfway mark, Palmer had picked up some steam and shortened Pederson's five-second lead down to three. Bogard got his second wind and chased Antunez down, powering out of the finish-line sweeper to take over third at the top of lap 10 and began to pull away from Antunez immediately. Jeromy Buehl gated 11th off the start on the 17-rider gate and used the final lap of the race to pass Antunez for fourth. "1 got a really bad start," Buehl said, "and had to come from behind.. I knew the races were going to be a little bit longer than normal here at the Lazy E, so I hoped to use my second wind early and capitalize on the guys who might get tired." The 250cc main event had all 17 riders crowd into the first turn with RRP / Acerbis / Yamaha / Oakley / Dunlop's Grayson Goodman and privateer Jeff Hedden fighting over the the holeshot, chased by Pederson and Palmer. Palmer passed Pederson early and challenged Hedden at the end of the first lap. "1 got beside him (Hedden) on the double and I had the inside line into the next tum," Palmer said. "Jeff decided to go ahead and try to outrun me to the comer and kept his gas on. I didn't want to have to pass him again, so I kept my gas on and was going to push him out as far as I could SO he'd shut off. I tried to leave him a little bit of room, but he must have hit something as when we tangled up, he went down fast." "1 passed Grayson after the whoops," Palmer commented. "1 was right behind him, and then beside him. He' goofed up really bad and almost crashed, throwing him forward. He looked back at me after he goofed and let me go by." "I've got asthma, plus I've been sick," Goodman said. "1 had a hard time breathing and I knew Palmer was behind me. I made a mistake and it cost me, but I was out of breath." going to be tough as I was diagnosed earlier in the week with pneumonia." Antunez spoke from the podium, saxing: "Last night was no good, but tonight I came back and focused and rode real well. When Cliff got around Dement, he raced a little faster than I did and got away." '1 felt real good," said the victorious Palmer. "1 just wanted to get out and get in the groove. Jeff (Dement) was running real good, but was beginning to tire and make some mistakes and I was able to reel him in. I had the whoops dialed in and could make up some time, but when Jeff bobbled no e down, he could have whipped in my line and taken both of us out, but he didn't. '1 started the series out great, then had some bad races," Palmer continued. "But I've been picking away and I'm real happy with my performance this weekend." f"N Lazy E Arena Guthrie, Oklahoma Results: January 10-11, 1997 (Rounds 13 & 14 of 26) Friday 125 PRO: 1. Chad Pederson (Yam); 2. Qiff Palmer (Suz); 3. Charley Bogard (So2); 4. Jeromy Buehl (Yam); S. Buddy Antunez (Hon); 6. Denny Stephenson (Hon); 7. Brad Woolsey (](aw); 8. Grayson Goodman (Yam); 9. Jeff Hedden (Suz); 10. Shawn Morgan (Kl\w); ] 1. Jeff Goodman made tracks to the ambulance for oxygen to help correct his breathing after the race, having finished fifth for the night. Pederson raced in third, bu twas paSsed on lap three by Denny Stephenson, who held the position all the way to the finish. Pederson moved back another slot near the end of the race when Buehl challenged for the final podium spot at the top of lap 12. The big Lazy E crowd cheered on their own Palmer for the win, while Team Thor/Honda/Primal Impulse/ Tuf Racing's Stephenson finished second and Yamana/Sports Cycles/XTreme/Smith/ AXO's Buehl rounded out the top three. SATURDAY Bogard set the arena on fire in the 125cc main event when he sliced and diced his way into the hoIeshot. Hedden followed young Bogard onto the course, with Antunez and Palmer in hot pursuit. Hedden took a dive in the whoops and crashed his way out of the race whi Ie Bogard set the pace for the remaining 16 riders. For nine laps, the front three never changed positions, in spite of attempts from Stephenson, who could not get the whoops timed out for a decent pass on Palmer on lap five. The best action came in the final two laps when Antunez went short and inside of Bogard in the last tum to barely squeeze by, only to have Bogard pass him back in the following quad section. Antunez chased Bogard through the next jumps and then used the whoops as his lethal weapon to take the lead for the final lap. Palmer raced consistently and held out for the third-place spot on the podium, followed by Pederson and Stephenson. The 250cc main had Team Green/ Kawasaki of Carrolton / XTreme / Pro Circuit-sponsored Jeff Dement written all over the start. The previous week's Saturday night 250cc winner led onto the course with Hedden once again in second. Palmer gated third in the first tum and passed Hedden in the whoops on the first lap. Antunez, having passed Morgan in the whoops on lap two, chased after Palmer and Dement for seven more laps before changes began to occur. Palmer began to reel in Dement and when Dement cased a jump, Palmer saw his chance and took it, along with the lead. Once out front, Palmer began to immediately pull away from Dement. Antunez rode up on Dement and tried to pass in the whoops, but lappers got in the way and prevented a safe passage. Antunez tried again on the next lap to pass Dement, but he couldn't get his timing down and failed. Antunez did, however, find his mark on lap 11 and powered by Dement for second. "I was trying to ride as hard as I could," Dement said at the end of the race. "1 gave it my all and I knew it was Baker Jr. (Kaw); 12. Todd DeHoop (Yam); 13. Trey Owens (Kaw); 1.4. Andr Bowyer (Kaw); 15. Cliff Adoptante (Suz); 16. Ear Kephart (Yam); 17. Kenny Bartram (So2). 250 PRO: 1. Cliff Palmer (Suz); 2. Denny Stephenson (Hon); 3. Jeromy Buehl (Yam); 4. Chad PedeTSon (Yam); 5. Grayson Goodman (Yam); 6. Charley Bogard (Suz); 7. 'eff Dement (Kaw); 8. Buddy Antunez (Hon); 9. Shawn Morgan (Xaw); 10. Brad Woolsey (Kaw~ 11. Trey Owens (Kaw); 12. Jeff Baker Jr. (Kaw); 13. Todd DeHoop (Yam); 14. Jeff Hedden (Suz~ 15. Tim Pustelak (Suz); 16. O;H Adoptante (Suz); 17. Andy Bowyer (Kaw~ Saturday 125 PRO: 1. Buddy Antunez (Hon); 2. Charley Bogard (Suz): 3. Cliff Palmer (Suz); 4. Chad Pederson (Yam); S. Denny Stephenson (Hon); 6. Jeromy Buehl (Yam); 7. Brad Woolsey (Kaw); 8. Grayson Goodman (Yam~ 9. Andy Bowyer (Kaw); 10. Trey Owens (Kaw); 11. Shawn Morgan (Kaw~ 12 Todd OeHoop (Yarn~ 13, C1iff Adoptante (Suz); 14. Jeff Baker Jr. (Kaw~ 15. Kenny Bartram (Suz~ 16. Tim Pustelak (Suz~ 17. Jeff Hedden (Suz~ 250 PRO: 1. Oill Palmer (Suz~ 2. Buddy Antunez (Hon~ 3. Jeff Dement (Kaw~ 4. Jeremy Buehl (Yam); 5. Shawn Morgan (Kaw); 6. Brad Woolsey (Kaw); 7. Grayson Goodman (Yam); 8. Andy Bowyer (Kaw); 9. Todd DeHoop (Yam); 10. Trey Owens (Kaw); 11. Kenny Bartram (Suz); 12. Chad Pederson (Yam); 13. Tim Pustelak (Suz); 14. Jeff Baker Jr. ('Kaw); 15. Denny Stephenson' (Han); 16. Jeff Hedden (Suz~ AMAIPJ1 NATIONAL ARENACROSS SERIES POINT STANDINGS (After 14 of 26 rouncIJI): I. Chad Ped"""" (479/9 wins); 2. piff Palmer (442/B); 3. Buddy Antunez (442/6~ 4. Denny Stephenson (359); S. Grayson Goodm.n (304/1); 6. Jeromy Buehl (279); 7. Todd DeHoop (271/1~ 8. Andy Bowyer (24.2); 9. Mike Jones (214/2); 10. Brad Woolsey (211); 11. Shawn Morgan (210); 12, Ty Wallace (145); 13. Trey Owens (123); 14. Barry Carsten (98); IS. Charley Bogard (90): 16. Jimmy G.ddis (65): 17. Mike Katin (60); 18. Jeff Dement (71/1); 19. Brock Sellllrds (58); 2Q. Jim Chester (53). SBS DASH FOR CASH SERIES POINT STANDINGS (.fter 14 of 26 round,): 1. (TIE) Buddy Antunezl Denny Stephenson (20); 3. Chad Pederson (IB); 4. Cliff Palmer (11); 5. Mike Jones (8); 6. Grayson Goodman (2~ 7. Jeff Dement (2): 8. Brad Woolsey (1); 9. Davey Yezek (1); 10. Doug DeHaan (1). Upcoming Rounds: Rounds 15 & 16 - New Haven, Connecticut, January 17-19 Rounds 16 & 17 - Niagara Falls, New York, 35

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