Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

ARENACROSS AMAlPJl NAnONAL ARENACRO SSER S IES Pepsi Arena: Rounds 3 & 4 "I think this Kawasaki fits me good: ' winner Palmer sa id. "It's real s moo th, and I feel real comfortable and relaxed when I ride it." "I'm glad I got second, bu t I'd rather get first:' Goodman said of his finish. '1 was uncomfortable with the ru ts and was riding stiff, an d I felt held back, like [ was goi ng slo w." "I mad e some mistakes and got nervo us , but tha t' s how it goes," Bogard said of his thi rd-place finish . An tu ne z g ra b be d th e s tar t of the 250cc final on his Answ ered-backed Primal Im pulse / Bill' s Pipe s-backed Suzuki, but Pederson moved by on the next straig ht through the whoo p section. On lap three, Ant unez in ad e the pass on Pederso n at the end of the rockers and took back the lead . By lap seve n , the Neilsen /Thor / Smith-backed Jos h Demu th wa s up to third after getting around Palmer, who tipped ove r in th e whoops. Dem u th , w ho has already made a nam e for himself this season, was looking very strong (Left) Reigning PJ1 National Arenacross Champion BUddy Antunez rebounded from his less-than-stellar perfonnances at Des Moines by capturing both 250cc Pro main events at the Albany . New York. rounds of the series. (Below) CliffPatmer (2) dices with Brad Woolsey (10). Palmer won the 125cc Pro main event on Friday. Woolsey was 12th. By Dave Deringer Photos by Karl Ocker! ALBA."IY, NY, NO 21-23 V. he PJ1 National Arenacross Series , presented by Thor a nd Parts Unli mited , made its second stop on the circuit at Pepsi Arena in Albany, New York, for rounds three and fOUT, and reigning Arenacross Charnpiun Bud dy An tu nez mad e a big come ba ck a fte r a so mew ha t d isappointin g ride at the series opener in Des Moines, Iowa . In Al ba ny, An tu nez wo n both 250cc finals , pu tting himself right back r;;--r:'J'1 I in the se ries hun t. r-, 0'\ _0'\ ,..... 0,..... ... OJ ..0 E OJ u OJ o 6 Neilse n Kawasak i's Chad Ped erson mov ed to wit hin o ne p oin t of series leader Cliff Palm er wi th a wi n in Satu rda y's 125cc final and two seconds in the ' 25Os. Palme r, meanwhile, wo n Friday's 125cc main and came home second in the 250cc final, bu t he had on e of his more d isappo in ting nights Sa tu rday with a seventh an d a 12th. The clay-based soil that was trucked in was wet from the early w inter that hits New York every year, and rutted up very qu ickly, causing troubles for many riders. FRIDAY Primal Impulse Suzuki's Char ley Bogard grabbed the first holeshot of the night in the 125cc fina l, followed closely by Carrollton Ka wa sak i teamma tes Cli ff Palm er and Grayson Goodman . Palm er moved aro und Bogard on the first lap and set sail for the wi n. Bogard rode well in the second spo t for eight laps until the hard-cha rging Yamaha of Troy rid er, Todd Del-loop, moved by at the end of the whoops. Bogard and Goodman settled into the third - and fourth-place position s fo r two laps; then those sa me w hoo ps cam e back to hau nt DeHoo p, and he we nt over the b a rs. Wh ile DeHoop was picking up his bike, Goodman moved by Bogard and into the sec- a nd-place position. About three seconds ahead was leader Palmer, who was ridin g smooth and fas t and wa s pulli ng away. Bogard once again battled with Goodman bu t lost all mom entum when he came up short on the d ouble on lap 14. Palmer crossed the line for his second win of the yu u ng sea son , w ith Goodma n a n d Bogard second and third, respectively. un til he made a big mistake on the 17th of 20 laps, when he cased the big double. Del-loop, who was once again looking like the fas tes t rider on the ragged course, was righ t on the tail of Demut h, and he eventually pummeled the young Suz u ki rider - and himself - upon land ing o ff a jum p . Both rid e rs sl owly

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