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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127825
ARENACROSS AMAlPJ1 NATIONAL ARENACROSS SERIES Coliseum (Left) Buddy Antunez racked up two crucial wins In the •125cc division during rounds 15 and 16 of the AMAlPJ1 Arenacross Series at the New Haven Coliseum. By Michael Frisch NEW HAYEN, cr, JAN. 17-19 reezing cold temperatures did not stop record crowds from making their way into the New Haven Coli· seum to see some of the nation's top high flyers battle it out during rounds 15 and 16 of the AMA/PJl National Arenacross Series by MSR/ Answer where Thor/Primal Impulse's Buddy Antunez stepped up and scored his first double win of the year in the 125cc class. Antunez's teammate, Denny Stephen· son, also picked up the pace, scoring a win in the 250cc main on Friday while F&S Suzuki's Cliff Palmer captured top 250cc honors on Saturday. SATURDAY (Right) Antunez's ThorlPrimal Impulse Honda teammate Denny Stephenson finally scored his first maln-event win of the series, capturing the 250Cc main-event victory on Friday. FRIDAY 26 The track was on the moist side for Friday's racing, making for slower than usual lap times. The 125cc main event seemed to get off to an intense start and continued with hard-core racing from the drop of the gate until the wave of the checkered flag. Antunez was on the gas and seemed to have the win to win after dis- . appointing finishes last week. Antunez was hoping to do well as he had his entire family at the race, including the newest member his family, his baby girl, Baily. Stephenson also was definitely on the gas. Kawasaki of Carrollton/Team Green's Jeff Dement was as smooth as glass and not making any mistakes, which gave him that extra edge to get by Stephenson early in the race and challenge Antunez. The two riders then began a race of their own up front while Stephenson and the rest of the pack were left battling for a top-10 position. The battle for the win would come down to Antunez and Dement, but Ajax Kawasaki/ Xtreme rider Trey "Big Daddy" Owens gave fans something else to watch as he overcame a bad start and charged through the pack to fifth place, just behind SCR Yamaha / Xtreme's Jeromy Buehl. If Owens had moved up a few laps earlier, perhaps there would have been more of a battle with Buehl. F&S Suzuki/ RRP nT's Kevin Crine finished a noteworthy 10th in the main event. The race marked only his second appearance all season long after he broke his kneecap in the jump contest during the season opener in Des Moines, Iowa. After finishing third in the 125cc main, Stephenson was on the gas again in the 250cc main event, and he nailed the holeshot at the drop of the gate. Dement flew into second place and then decided to see how the New Haven soil tasted. Crine was there to take advantage of Dement's mistake and move into second. Crine then continued his hard charge, putting his front wheel underneath Stephenson. Having Crine between Antunez and Stephenson held up Antunez, and Stephenson used this to his advantage, putting distance between himself and the rest of the pack. Stephenson held his position to the checkered flag to claim his first win of the series while Crine completed his comeback by holding onto second. Antunez finished third ahead of Palmer, Thor/Team Kawasaki's Shawn Morgan and defending series champion Jimmy Gaddis. (Right) Antunez now holds a two-point lead over Palmer, 504-502, as the series heads to Niagara Falls, New York. (Below) Cliff Palmer spoiled Stephenson's chances for a second 250Cc victory on Saturday by passing him less than two laps from the finish to grab an Important victory and gain points on Antunez, who finished 13th after a mechanical failure. Saturday's action was played out before another near-capacity crowd, and many of the fans who came on Friday returned on Saturday to see more of the intense racing action. The track conditions were the same as Friday. Even with Mike Kidd's attempt to dry out the track, it still remained on the tacky side. It took a lot of work to keep up with the ruts that kept forming. Many of the riders could not jump the big doubles to the fullest extent because of the many different lines that had formed. Nonetheless, Saturday's 125cc main event got off to a great start, with "Captain" Shawn Morgan and Owens fightirlg for the holeshot. Trailing the pair were