Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

(Above) Chad Pederson (2) .. back on the track after recovering from a hand injury - and Palmer mix It up during Saturday night's 250cc main. (Left) Current series points leader Cliff Palmer again had a consistent weekend, finishing no less than fifth. He did win the 250cc main Friday night. who was on the charge. When the checkers came out, it was Willoh taking his seventh win of the year, in front of Antunez and Buehl, who had made his pass on Palmer a few laps earlier. "I got a good start and just took off," Willoh said. "The dirt kind of tricks you sometimes - one time you won't hook up, the next time you'll get more than you expect - but actually it's a good track. My hand came off the bars one time when I got too much traction!" "It was a battle of lappers out there," Antunez said of the race. "It's rutty and tacky, and once I got by Rand, Willoh was gone." Rand took the holeshot of the 250cc final, followed by Thor IHonda/Tuf Racing-backed Denny Stephenson, Palmer and Pederson. Antunez and Willoh were mired back in the pack. Rand, Stephenson and Palmer battled for the first five la ps un til Palmer motored by Stephenson and Rand on lap six over the big finish-line double. Buehl was the next to strike. The Honda rider first moved by his teammate Stephenson for third, then by Rand through the rockers for second. Willoh and Pederson were moving through the field well and were up to fourth and fifth by lap 10. WiIloh attacked Stephenson first, moving into third. Pederson then passed Stephenson for fourth on lap 15. . Then, while pressuring Buehl for second, Willoh went down on lap 1.6, losing many positions. Pederson and Stephenson moved into third and fourth as a result, and Antunez was now up to fifth.. At the finish, it was Palmer taking his seventh win of the year, followed by Buehl and Pederson. 'The 250cc is working awesome, and I'm just going after as many wins! as possible," Palmer said. "The 125cc is not my best bike, so I'm focusing on consistency." SATURDAY Pederson was the man in the early going, as he took both of his 125cc and 250cc heat-race wins. Stephenson won the four-lap, $850-plus Dash, while ·Willoh once again took the jump-off win. Willoh and Rand were once again at the head of the pack of the 125cc final. Antunez, Pederson and Buehl were also up front and were chasing the leaders. At the end of the first lap, Willoh had already established a small lead over Rand. Antunez made quick work of Rand, as he moved into second on lap two. Pederson passed Rand a lap later and was now in third, behind Antunez. While running third on lap four, Pederson went down in a corner, reinjuring his hand, breaking his front-brake lever and dropping to the back of the pack. At the halfway point of the race, Willoh had several seconds over secondplaced Antunez. Willoh's lead would grow even more when Antunez bobbled and los.! a few positions a lap later. Buehl was now up to second by lap 10. Palmer also made his way past Antunez. The race for second heated up soon thereafter, as Antunez had his groove back. Antunez first repassed Palmer for third and then took advantage of a cross-rutted Buehl for second. Protel/Pirelli/Oakley-sponsored Jim Neese, who started mid pack, had worked his way through the pa~ quite well, and he motored by Palmer for fourth with one lap remaining. At tile finish, WiIloh had his second 125cc main-event win of the weekend, and his eighth win of the year. Antunez crossed the line second, followed by Buehl and Neese. "I just got another great start," Willoh said. "I didn't have too many problems in the ruts, and I think some of tile other guys did." "I just fell while running second," a disappointed Antunez said. "You can't fall down and expect to win them." "I was riding the ragged edge there a couple of times," Buehl said of his ride. "I was thinking about jumping off a few times, but somehow it all worked out." Pederson gated best at the start of the 250cc final, followed by Willoh and Antunez. The three battled for several laps until Antunez block-passed his way by Willoh into second on lap five. Antunez moved up to the tail of Pederson and pressured his teamma te for a couple of laps until he made his move in the long, sweeping turn before the finish. Meanwhile, Palmer was making his way by Willoh for third and Stephenson was working through the field after a midpack start. Palmer saw how Antunez had passed Pederson a few laps earlier and decided to use the same move to advance himself to second. WilJoh then stuffed Pederson in a turn, and Stephenson did the same shortly thereafter. While Pederson was falling backward, Antunez was stretching his lead up front. Palmer had settled into second, and Willoh and Stephenson settled into third _and fourth. With only five, laps to go, Stephenson was looking to advance, and he block-passed his teammate, Willoh, for 'third after the finish-line double. While holding second, Palmer went down with two laps remaining and lost two positions to Stephenson and Willoh. At the finish, Antunez took his fourth win of the year, followed by a happy Stephenson and then Willoh. . "I finally put it together in that one," Antunez said, "Last night we had a lot of lappers (and) tonight I fell in that 125cc final, so me and my mechanic, Ed Longacre, are pumped." "I started about sixth and worked and rode hard in that one, so I'll take it:' Stephenson said. "This crowd rocks, and that helped, too." eN Hampton Coliseum Hampton, Virginia Results: January 15-16, 1999 (Rounds 15 and 16 of 34) Friday 125 PRO (15 riders, 16 laps): 1. Jeff Willoh (Hon); 2, Buddy Antunez (5uz); 3. Jeromy Buehl Oion); 4. Cliff Palmer (Kaw); 5. Greg Rand (Kaw); 6. Chad Pederson (5uz); 7. Tom Hofmaster (5uz); 8. Jim Neese (Yam); 9. Denny Stephenson (Hon); 10. Tom Welch (Suz); 11. Jim Chester (Suz); 12. Jason Conlon (Hon); 13. Jeff Gibson (Kaw); 14. David Kratz (Hon); 15. Ty Wallace (Yam). 250 PRO (15 ,riders, 20 laps): 1. Cliff Palmer (Kaw); 2. Jeromy Buehl (Han); 3. Chad Pederson (Suz); 4. Denny Stephenson (Hon); 5. Buddy Antunez (5uz); 6. Ty Wallace (Yam); 7. Greg Rand (Kaw); 8. Jim Neese (Yam); 9. Tom Hofmaster (5uz); 10. Jeff Willoh (H.on); 11. Jim Chester (5u2); 12. Jason Conlon (Han); 13. Tom Welch (5uz); 14. Jeff Gibson (Kaw); 15. Billy Schlag (Yam). DFC: 1. Buddy Antunez (5uz); 2. Greg Rand (Kaw); 3. Cliff Palmer (Kaw); 4. Denny Stephenson (Hon). JUMP-OFF,!. Jeff Willoh, (Hon); 2. Greg Rand (Kaw); 3. Tom Hofmaster (5uz). Saturday 125 PRO (15 riders, 16 laps): 1. jeff Willoh (Hon); 2. Buddy Antunez (5uz); 3. Jeromy Buehl (Han); 4. jim Neese (Yam); 5. Cliff Palmer (Kaw); 6. Greg Rand (Kaw); 7. Denny Stephenson (Hon); 8. Tom Welch (5uz); 9. jim Chester (5uz); 10. Ty Wallace (Yam); 11. Tom Hofmaster (5uz); 12. Jason Conlon (Han); 13. Chad Pederson (5uz); 14. Kevin Brodsky (Yam); 15. Billy Schlag (Yam). 250 PRO (15 riders, 20 laps): 1. Buddy Antunez (5u1.); 2. Denny Stephenson (Hon); 3. Jeff WilJoh (Hon); 4. Cliff Palmer (Kaw); 5. Chad Pederson (5uz); 6.jeromy Buehl (Hou); 7. Ty Wallace (Yam); 8. Jim N(.'eSe (Yam); 9. Tom Hofmaster (5u1.); 10. Ji.m Chester (5u1.); 11. Greg Rand (Kaw); 12. Tom Welch (Su1.); 13. Jason Conlon (Hon); 14. Mike MaTtin (Yam); 15. Billy Schlag (Yam). DFC: 1. Denny Stephenson (Hon); 2. Greg Rand (Kaw); 3. Buddy Antunez (Suz); 4. Ty Wallace (Yam). JUMP-OFF: 1. Jeff WilJoh (Hon); 2. Tom Hofmaster (Suz); 3. G'eg Rand (](aw). AMAlPJI NATIONAL ARENACROSS SERIES POINT STANDINGS (After 16 of 34 rounds): 1. Cliff Palmer (495/7 wins); 2. Buddy Antunez (4761.4); 3. Jeff Willoh (464/8); 4. Je'omy Buehl (430/2); 5. Denny Stephenson (405/1); 6. Greg Rand (352/1); 7. O1ad Pederson (331/4); 8. Ty Wallace (298); 9. Jim Chester (272); 10. Tom Hofmaster (265); 11. (TIE) Brad Woolsey/Heath Voss (l241; 13. Chadey Bogard (l14); 14, Mike Jones (l06/1); 15. Jeff Gibson (l00/2); 16. Tom Welch (79); 17. Barry Carsten (75); 18. Jason Thomas (65); 19. Brian Swink (64); 20. Keith Johnson (60). Upcoming Rounds: Rounds 17-18· Baltimore, Maryland, January 22-23 Rounds 19-20· Niagara Falls, New YorK, January 29-30 Returning to race action. at Hampton was Team Green Kawasaki's Jeff Gibson. The 16·yearold. who won two 125cc finals earlier in the year. maole his return after being injured in a nasty fall at lhe Jacksonville; Florida, round back in November.. "II's my first big race since Jacksonville. arid I felt a nttle rusty in practice. but-we'll·see," Gibson said before the event. The Ohio native did not look like his old self Friday night: and although. he easily qualified for both finals. he was nowhere to be found on Saturday. The Hampton track wes a·little differeni than usuel when the riders arrived on Friday. The ley· out and direction .of'lhe track had been changed from the usual left·turn format to more of a right- . turn direction. "We are going to try to change it up more every week," Arenacross operations president Mike' Kidd said. "We'want to keep it fresh arid.ne"'; instead oHhe same old tracK." On Saturd~y. Cljff Palmer's father and mechanic: John .Palme~, Wiped Soft Scrub all over the sides of Cliff's bikes. Although this was considered a big joke in the 'pits, 'Palmer says that it.actually adds traction to the plas,tic. . The Elizabeth City Motocross Club was a big donor io the SBS qash for Cash .on Friday-. and Saturday riights. kicking in $250 per night. Donations. are accepted from the crowd in any denomination for a chence. to talk 'on the microphone. and local businesses usually t~ke advantage of the opportunity. These were two of tbe !.a(gest donations. The TV crews from Speedvision and.Fox Sports were on hand at Hampton to begin taping a series of six PJ1 Arenacross races in a row to be shown on the two cable cbannels. This marks the third consecutive year that arenacross has been broadcast nationally on t~,e networks.

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