Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

shot off the double jump side by side. Stephenson, Rand, Keith Johnson, DeHaan, Jans en, Hofmaster and Hodges followed. Antunez then tripled inside Willoh and wrested away second place - and started gaining on Buehl. Antunez then shot by Buehl down the start straight, but Buehl returned the favor through the whoops. Antunez wasn't finished. He made a move in a comer, got a good drive and doubled past Buehl for the lead. The crowd's focus was on the top three as Antunez, Buehl and Willoh were running in together and leaving the pack in their wake. At the halfway mark, Antunez drilled Kevin Johnson while lapping him in the whoops, allowing Buehl and Willoh to slip by. By the time Antunez was free from Johnson's bike, he'd already dragged it up to the big double. Willoh saw this as his big chance and he attacked his teammate Buehl, taking out Buehl's front wheel. Antunez, though, didn't give up, and he was close as the race drew to a close. On the last lap, Antunez was so close that Willoh went down the start straight looking over his shoulder in an effort to block him. Antunez then squar&:t off the corner a bit early and Willoh banged into him, and both riders went over the stepup before the whoops with their handlebars locked. Willoh broke free on the inside, and the pa ir raced down the whoops side by side, with Willoh taking the narrow victory. Stephenson, Buehl, Rand, Hofmaster, Hodges, Chester, DeHaan and Hale rounded out the top 10. "I don't respect it (the blocking)," an upset Antunez said. "It wasn't racing. I'll just bang into him harder tomorrow." ''I'm battling for a championship," Willow countered. '1 hate to take out a teammate. Me and Buddy - it was the last lap and I was trying to keep him behind me for the win. That's racing." SATURDAY The sellout crowd was till buzzing from Friday night's 250cc main when the first USee heat race got under way on Saturday. Antunez leaped out front, with Hodges, Chester, Willoh, Shaffer, Hale and Gio Tedesco giving chase. Antunez kept up the pace to take the heat-race victory. Chester blazed by Hodge for second, with Willoh taking third and Hodges fourth. [vjln Tedesco of ew Mexico charged to the lead in the second heat and ripped off perfect laps all the way to the fInish. Buehl got close at the end for second, with Stephenson, DeHaan, Papsworth and Keith Johnson fIlling the top ix. Tedesco then crashed while doing a front-wheel wheelie on his victory lap. Rand forged to the front in heat three, with Smith, Hofmaster, Fitch and Clark Janssen all packed up tightly for second. Fitch passed Hofmaster for third prior to putting a pass on Smith for second place. Hofmaster then stuffed Fitch and whipped the double to take back second. Fitch looked good, but he stumbled in the whoops, allowing Clark to get even and then slip by for the third-place transfer. Antunez was first to the first comer in the first 250cc heat, but WilJoh and Chester got by him in the whoops. Antunez regained some ground on Chester and passed him, pushing Willoh to the finish. Willoh, Antunez and Chester transferred. Buehl stuffed Keith Johnson in the first corner in the second heat as Stephenson, Johnson, Hodges, Lacey and Rocky Johnson gave pursuit. Keith Jolmson then crashed in the whoops, giving Hodges third place. Lacey was . next to go, as he also threw it down in the whoops. Stephenson kept Buehl in sight and almost made the pass, but Buehl held on for the win. Hodges and Keith Johnson filled the top five. Rand's hot hand continued in heat three, as he led the way. DeHaan fought with Hofmaster, Ivan Tedesco, Hale, Janssen and Chris Blankenship for second place, with Hofmaster throwing down such an impressive block-pass that Tedesco was al 0 able to move by DeHaan. DeHaan tried everything he could, but he finished fourth behind Rand, Hofmaster and Tedesco. Thje 16-lap USee main event began with Antunez leading Hodges, Buehl, Hofmaster, Willoh, Rand, Tedesco and Clark. Willoh quickly passed Hofmaster Denver Coliseum Denver, Colorado Results: February 19-20, 1999 (Rounds 25 & 26 of 34) (Above) Jeromy Buehl had a lock on second place. He took runner-up honors three times, but he did win Saturday night's Dash For Cash. (Left) Greg Rand won Friday night's DFC. for fourth, and two laps later Hodges blew a berm and lost five places. Antunez was ripping out front, with Buehl and Willoh trying to keep pace. Tedesco outjumped Rand to take over fourth while Hodges worked back by Keith Johnson and Chester Meanwhile, up front, teammates Buehl and Willoh pushed each other close to Antunez with tile race winding down. They couldn't match the master in traffic, however, and Antunez took the win. Willoh tried an inside move on Buehl, but his teammate refused to be taken for the fool two nights in a row and he held on to second. Willoh was third, with Tesesco a smooth fourth. Rand, Hofmaster, DeHaan, Hodges, Chester and Keith Johnson rounded out the top 10. The 250cc main event finally saw Willoh grabbing a main-event holeshot. Antunez, Hofmaster and Rand formed a tight group right behind him as Hofmaster managed to crash off the big triple. Buehl quickly passed Rand and then used his speed through the whoops to catch Antunez, whom he passed for second place. That made the running order Willoh, Buehl, Antunez, Rand, DeHaan, Stephenson, Kevin Johnson, Hodges and Todd Robertson. Once again, Stephen on put on a march through traffic as Keith Johnson Friday US PRO (15 riders, 16 laps): 1. Buddy Antunez (Suz); 2. Jeromy Buehl (Han); 3. Jeff Willoh (Hon); 4. Denny Stephenson (Hon); 5. Travis Hodges (Kaw); 6. Jim Chester (Sux); 7. Greg Rand (Kaw); 8. Tom Hofmaster (Suz); 9. Chris Papworlh (Suz); 10. Bobby Fitch (Yam); 11. Mat Smith (Kw); 12. Doug DeHaan (Kaw); 13. Keith Johnson (Yam); 14. Kenny Sen (Yam); 15 Erik Janssen (Suz). 250 PRO 115 rid~rs. 20 laps); 1. Jeff Willoh (Hon); 2. Buddy Antunez (Suz); 3. Denny Stephenson (Hon); 4. Jeromy Buehl (Hon); 5. Greg Rand (Kaw); 6. Tommy Hofmster (Suz); 7. Travis Hodgos (Kaw); 8. Jim Choster (So2); 9. Dou!l DeHaan (Kaw); 10. Wos Hale (502); 11. Mat Smith (Kaw); 12. Brandon Lacey (Yam); 13. Erik Jenssen (Suz); 14 Keith Johnson (Yam); 15. Allan AngeJopuJos (Yam). OFC (4 laps); 1. Greg Rand; 2. Buddy Antunez; 3. Denny Stephenson; 4. leff WiJloh; 5. Jeromy Buehl. JUMP-OFF: 1. Tom Hofmaster; 2. Bobby Fitc.h. Saturday 125 PRO (15 riders, 16 laps); 1. Buddy Antunez (Suz); 2. Jeromy Buehl (Hon); 3. Jeff Willoh (Hon); Ivan Tedesco (Yam); 5. Greg Rand (Kaw); 6. Tom Hofmasler (5uz); 7. Doug DeHaan (!

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