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/127826
ARENACROSS AIIA/PJ1 NATIONAL ARENACROSS SERIES (Above) Buddy Antunez (19) put together good starts and hard-charging rides to grab three of a possible four rnaln-event wins during the AMAlPJ1 National Arenacross rounds at the Niagara Falls Convention Center. (Left) Welcome home: Series champion Jimmy Gaddis finally put a win on the board. The Kawasaki Team Green rider cruised to Friday's 125cc main event victory. By Lance Bryson PhotQs by Andy Lueth NIAGARA FALLS, NY,JAN. 24-25 ear-blizzard-like conditions didn't stop the sold-out show as the AMA/ PJl National Arenacross Series by MSR/ Answer visited the Niagara Falls Convention center, and they didn't stop Buddy Antunez's midseason podium assault either. The Thor /Primal Impulse Hondamounted Antunez picked up right where he left off last week, grabbing both main-event wins in the 250cc class to emulate his 12Scc sweep in ew Haven, Connecticut, and posting a 12Scc win to further pump up his points lead. After 18 rounds, Antunez now leads the series by 12 points over his nearest competitor, F&S Suzuki's Cliff Palmer. 20 FRIDAY Thor/Primal Impulse/Honda teammates Denny Stephenson and Antunez jumped to a quick lead in the 12Scc main, with Chaparral Yamaha's Chad Pederson and defending series champion Jimmy Gaddis. Antunez displaced Stephenson on only the second lap and was never seriously challenged again as he bumped his 125cc win streak to three in a row. Pederson came after Stephenson during the early going and again in the closing stages of the race, but the Fort Dodge, Iowa, rider never quite had enough steam to derail the Thor / Primal/Honda rider. Pederson did hold on to finish third. War was waged over the fourth spot as Gaddis and Palmer fought for precious series points. Palmer, who started the night only two points behind and one victory ahead of series leader Antunez, gave it his all in an attempt to pass Gaddis, but Gaddis was able to ward off each pass a ttempt to claim fourth place. wasn't to be, however, as he went down one lap later, ending his chances for a good finish. Pederson then took up the slack and passed Palmer for the third spot. Meanwhile, up front, Crine was building a noticeable lead, and it looked like Antunez would have his work cut out for him. But then Crine's early-season bad Iuck resurfaced as his engine died, handing1he lead and the race win to Antunez. Pederson made a bid for the (Right) Both Chad Pederson (25) and Cliff Palmer (6) struggled to find the top of the podium at Niagara. Pederson managed a third and a second on Friday while Palmer only carded a third-place finish on Saturday. Kevin Crine once again proved to the competition that he is back from his season-shortening knee injury by grabbing the holeshot in the 2S0cc main with Antunez, Palmer, Pederson, Stephenson and SCR Yamaha's Jeromy Buehl rounding the first turn be'hind him. Buehl was the man on the move early. After posting the fastest 2S0cc heat race win of the night by over two seconds, he was looking for a podium spot. But it