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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127982
Action Sports Arenacross Series, Finale
By David and Lora Patton
LOUISVILLE, KY, JAN. 29-31
avey Yezek and Mike Katin have
ruled the 125cc and 250cc Pro classes throughou t the 1998-99 Action
Sports Arenacross Series. Yezek came to
the serie finale leading the 125cc Pro
class while Mike Katin had control of the
250cc class. Ka tin sewed up the 250cc
clas on Friday night, then left to honor a
sponsorship commitment. Yezek was
clearly the fastest rider all weekend, and
he took three wins out of six mains.
Katin scored Friday's 125cc win, Yamaha
rider Mark Burkhart won Sunday's
125cc event, and Jimmy Wilson snatched
the 250cc race on Saturday.
Mike Katin trailed Davey Yezek by
seven points as the 125cc Pro class lined
up for the weekend's first Pro main. The
Kames Sports/ Andrews Suzuki/Pro
!:ircuit/Sinisalo-backed RM of Katin
flashed to the first turn ahead of the
field. Mark Burkhart and Matt Shue
were jamming after Katin, and Yezek
was back in the field. Katin, Burkhart
and Shue puJled clear of a four-rider battle for fourth. 'Oark Stiles, Scott Graves,
Thomas Barron and Joe Oehlhof were
banging bars, and Yezek caught them by
the fifth lap. KTM-mounted Joe Oehlhof
worked his way into fourth by the
halfway point, but Yezek was on the gas.
Yezek passed Barron in the whoops.,
then Stiles in the right-hander after the
triple, and then Graves in the whoops.
He then outran Oehlhof down the short
chute before a double to take over fourth
with two laps remaining. Katin had a
solid lead up front, but Burkhart had
problems as the moto wound down.
Shue was able to get a wheel under
Burkhart's Yamaha, but Shue could not
get enough of a run at him to take second.
As Katin took the win, Yezek's great
ride coun ted for nothing, as he went
down hard and feJl back to eighth - his
worst finish of the series - due to a run-in
with a I~pped rider. Meanwhile, Katin
took his 15th win out of 25 mains.
Burkhart edged out Sbue by two bike
lengths. Oehlhof claimed fourth, and
Scott Graves rounded out the top five.
Davey Yezek was fired up after his
tough luck in Friday's 125cc main, and
he timed the starting gate perfectly on
his RM250. Katin, Jimmy Wilson and
Oehlhof scrambled for second but Yezek
puJled away. Shue was in the mix early
but he had bike problems and had to
drop out. Burkhart got a horrible start
and had a tough time working his way
up.
. Yezek rode flawlessly to the win,
ahead of Katin, Wilson and Oehlhof.
Clark tiles held off Mark Musselman
and Burkhart for fifth overall.
When Saturday's 125cc main event
came to the line, Katin was absent. Yezek
was still the rider to beat, and he was
ready to wra pup the 125cc Pro series
champion hip. Yezek and Burkhart went
through the first tum side by side, ahead
of Shue and Wilson. Yezek took control
and sprinted away, and Burkhart tried to
puJl ahead of Shue.
Burkhart was putting in a good ride
until the fourth lap, when he stalled his
Yamaha in tlle turn before the triple.
"I was in too high of a gear and dido't
puJl in the clutch in time and staJled. my
bike like a squid," admitted Burkhart.
Shue was able to take advantage of
Burkhart's miscue to clainl second overall. Burkhart and Wilson were right
behind Shue, but Shue was solid in second place.
Yezek took his second win, with Shue
in econd. Burkhart took third, with Wilson and Stiles in fourth and fifth.
D
65: 1. Mike Bender (Kaw); 2. Robert White (Kaw); 3.
Jason Henninger (Kaw); 4. Kyle Wolfe (KTM); 5. Kyle
Corman (KTM).
MINI JR: 1. Nick Benu (Kaw); 2. John Benu
(!(aw); 3. Adam Lester (5=); 4. Corey Arthur (!