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/127982
favorite Jim Chester, of Lenoir, North Carolina, started up front but was quickly jostled back to ninth. Palmer started outside the top 10 but turned up the wick and moved up to fourth by the fourth lap. Up front, Stephenson checked out and pulled away, but Antunez put together a late-race cl1arge that brought him to within striking distance of the leader. A last-turn, last-ditm effort nearly paid off for Antunez, but he came up short and finished second. Midway through the race, Palmer passed Rand for third, while Jeromy Buehl and Ty Wallace also got by Rand for the fourth- and fifth-place spots. Gibson, Chester, Neese and Willoh rounded out the top 10. In the 250cc main, heat winners An tunez, Palmer and Jones rocketed to the first turn side by side. Stephenson tried to squa re under them all and ended up tipping over. In the logjam that followed, Doug DeHaan was able to ride around the mess to grab a shortlived lead. However, Jones got him right away. Stephenson got back up and was arguably the fastest rider on the track, but he was a lap down. With usual front-runners Willoh and Stephenson mired in the pack after the pileup, Antunez and Palmer broke clear of the .pack and forged ahead, with Jones keeping pace. Antunez countered Palmer's every move until late in the race, when Palmer finally got his way. Antunez nearly bailed at the end of the treacherous whoop section but was far enough ahead of Jones to keep his second-place position. Jones finished third, followed by Buehl and DeHaan. Wallace, Jim Neese, Tom Hofmaster, Stephenson and WiUoh rounded the top 10. "The 250s is my strongest class, but 1 got a heat win in the 125s and)lad a good gate pick," said Stephenson. "1 knew Buddy was behind me and wouldn't do anything stupid, so I just rode my own race. It's great to start the weekend with a win." . "I'm happy to be on the podium," Jones said. "I'm riding injured, but I was happy to get third. I had a bad crash last week, and pretty mum half of my body is beat up. I just taped what I could and gritted my teeth." TELEVISION ON THE MOVE SATURDAY In the 125cc main, heat winners Chester, Stephenson and Buehl gated poorly, as Willoh, who could only net a pair of 10th-place finishes the night before, nailed the start and mecked out. He went on to score a seemingly easy win. Antunez gated in third, behind Rand, who would eventually drop back. Antunez slipped into second and was glad to see points leader Palmer running midpack after a bad start. From way back, Palmer buckled down and went to work but could only climb to as high as 11 th before it was all over. Buehl rode to a third-place finish over Rand and Stephenson. Neese and Chester finished sixth and seventh, respectively, followed by Wallace, Jim Povolny Jr. and DeHaan. "It went well," Antunez said. "1 got out in fourth or fifth and worked up to second. I was trying to get to Buehl up front, but when I saw Palmer on the ground, 1 figured it was best to finish rather than crash out. All in all, I'm pretty happy." Antunez, Stephenson and Palmer bunched up into the first turn in the 250cc final, with Antunez getting knocked over by another rider, causing What's at the leading edge of motorcycle news? Cycle News Online! Now you can access instant race results and the latest breaking stories in the world of motorcycling, with Cycle News' home page on the World Wide Web. Updated weekly (and often mid-week, as the latest news is developing), Cycle News Online provides: • Complete and current happenin~s Min the Wind w • • The 1999 Cycle News. Motorcycle Buyer's Guide • Current International and National Championship Calendar listings w • Instantly updated rahce hresults in MRalcewatch • Race Coverase Hig 1 ts, Motorcyc e Tests, and Interviews ig • The latest offerings from Cycle News Video Theater • Online motorcycle advertising From Jhe leading companies in the industry • Team Smitty Archives • Back Issue Archives of Cycle News Online • Real-Time Event Coverage in "Virtual Grandstand" Check it out, and tell your friends! Motorcycle news will never be the same - you can access Cycle News Online P;:;:;;:;~=;;ii=;=~=;:....:a;n~yti:·;m:e~,~d:a;y~o;r~n;i:g:li;t,~on World Wide Web at the I i !!Ii IIlii III :! y lii Q • 51! CS; ~