Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

Rounds 19 &20: Niagara Falls Convention Center AMAlPJl NA TJONAL ARENA CROSS SERIES By Dave Deringer Photos by Karl Ockert NIAGARA FALLS, NY, JAN. 29-30 0, Jeromy Buehl did not take a ride over the massive Niagara waterfall, but the Thor /Honda/ Tuf Racing-backed rider did dominate the racing at rounds 19 and 20 of the PP National Arenacross Series. Buehl looked like a man possessed as he won three out of four main events over the course of two nights of barbanging on the rutted-out, wet, tacky ew York soil. Earlier in the week, the native of London, Ohio, toJd his mechanic, Chris Hunter, and Tuf Racing owner Dave Antolak that he was going to improve his results and refocus on racing - and he did not disappoint. Buehl won both the 125 and 250cc finals on Friday - the second time this year he has ·done so - and then came back to take the win in the 250cc final on Saturday. "I like this track a lot," Buehl said. "My (practice) track is like this, too: rutted-up and gnarled-up - and that's the way I ride it. I'm not out of it yet, and I'm just doing my best for myself, my team and my sponsors, and 1 just hope I don't go into a dry spell like 1 did after Jacksonville." Finishing second best on the weekend was Primal Impulse Suzuki/Bill's Pipes/Dunlop-supported Buddy Antunez. The defending PJl Arenacross champion finished on the podium three times: two second-place finishes in both of the 125cc finals and a third in Saturday's 250cc main. Carrollton KawasakLcom/Tucker Rocky / Reynard Modification's Cliff Palmer is the consistency king, though, finishing in the top £i ve in all four rna in ~ (Above) Jeromy Buehl had a good weekend at the Niagara Falls Arenacross, winning three out of four races. (Left) Denny Stephenson (4) and Jeff Willoh (48) mix it up in Saturday night's 250cc main. Stephenson ended up second, but Willoh won the 125cc main. . '" '" '" ~ ~ 18 events for the fourth week in a row. Although Palmer did not win a final this weekend, his spirited rides kept him atop the leaderboard once again. ''I'm glad to be up here and gain points; that's what I aim to do," Palmer said. "My 250cc is my strong bike and 1 just focus on being consistent." Buehl's teammate Jeff Willoh was the other weekend winner, capturing Saturday's 125cc final. A huge crash on Friday left the rider from Glendale, California, battered and bruised, but the ea ygoing Willoh did not let that stop him, as he also cruised to four top-five finishes. With Palmer's further consistent finishes, Antunez only gained two points on the points leader; now Palmer leads by 22 points, 627-605. Willoh's good rides have him solidly place in third with 585, 30 points ahead of his teammate Buehl, who now has 555 points and is not out of the championship hunt yet. FRIDAY Buehl started the winning early, as he took both of his 125 and 250cc heatrace wins. Willoh started the weekend off on a bad note, as he piled himself into the soil on the first lap of the first 125cc heat race over the big finish-line double. The Californian's ribs were in serious pain, but he qualified for both main events via the semis. SMP /Barr's Competition/Klotz-supported "Mad" Mike Jones won more than $500 in the SBS Dash For Cash and followed that up with a win in the jump-off contest. Buehl nailed the 125cc main-event holes hot, followed by Carroll ton Kawasaki/MSR/Pro Circuit's Greg Rand and Antunez. The injured Willoh was also up there, as were Palmer; Team Green's Jeff Gibson and Jones. Buehl tripled on the first lap and gained an early advantage, as he was one of only a chosen few to do so in the ruts. Rand closed in on Buehl by lap three, but it did not last long, as Antunez got by the Kawasaki-mounted Rand for ecand on lap six. On lap seven, Jones went down in the rockers when hi hand slipped off the bars, and he lost several positions. With the \;>attle for second heating up, Buehl began to pull away from the pack at the halfway point of the 16-lap race, and he had the race win locked up. Antunez held second for the remainder of the race, and Rand, Willoh and Palmer rounded out the top five. "I got a great start, and that helps tremendously," said Buehl of his ride. "This track is skinny and hard to pass on, but 1 like it." "Everyone is fighting for the same rut, because there is only one good one out there," Antunez said. "1 ju t did what 1 could and tried hard." "It's alway good to get up here on the podium and get a little exposure," said third-place finisher Rand said. Willoh, Antunez and Buehl were at the head of the pack at the start of the 250cc final. Jones, Palmer and Denny Stephenson trailed. Jones got by Buehl before the end of the first Jap and then went after Antunez. Jones blitzed by Antunez two corners later through the rockers and into second. While running third on lap three,

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