Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

(Left) Jeromy Buehl (5) leads Antunez. Buehl ended Antunez's win streak in Friday night's 250cc main. (Above) Tom Hofmaster found his way onto the podium for the first time all season with a third-place finish in Saturday night's 125cc main. Stephenson and made a late-race charge. The Suzuki rid er set up the pass by moving next to Stephenson in the whoops and then diving under him in the following turn. Then the white flag came out. Despite the late-race charge by the series champ, Buehl had too much of a lead to be stopped and took the win over Antunez and Stephenson, with Rand staying in the race right to the end. "My hat's off to Jeromy Buehl for winning," Antunez said. "Denny (Stephenson) and I gave a hard charge toward the end of the race, but there was no catching Buehl. I'm happy with everything. We look good for the championship, and that's the main point." '1t was good to break the streak here in San Jose," said Buehl. "Buddy has a good points lead on me, and he's been riding good all year, but I want to come out and try to win the last few races." When the evening's points were tallied, Buehl's victory only postponed the inevitable, with Antunez sitting a scant two points away from the title. SATURDAY After finishing fourth in both main events the previous night, Rand would end up si tting ou t Sa turday' s racing action after injuring himself in a crash during practice. "I landed with my foot out in front of the handlebars," Rand said. "When I hit the ground, [ bounced about three feet in the air, like a rag doll. They were worried about possible internal injuries, so I saw one of the San Jose Sharks' doctors. They told me it's just a really deep bruise," The celebra tions started before the main event got under way, when Antunez clinched the series championship after qualifying for both feature races. "It's for sure now, it's official," said Antunez during a brief celebration held at the conclusion of the heats. "But there is still big money up for grabs, and I want to show my fans I always give 150 percent when I'm out on the motorcycle. Suzuki and Bill's Pipes pay me to race, and that's just what I'm gonna do." And that's just what Antunez did, getting out ahead of Hofmaster, Buehl, Smail, Chester, Davis, Stephenson, DeHaan, Jones, Pestana and the rest of the riders in the 12Scc main. Antunez tried to run off and hide, but he couldn't build a lead, as Hofmaster and Buehl stayed right with him. Meanwhile, Stephenson was trying to make up time after a slow start, and he passed Davis and Chester while closing the gap on the leaders. Buehl kept the pressure on Hofmaster, forcing a bobble by Hofmaster that let Buehl slide into second. From there, the Honda racer promptly closed in on Antunez and was looking for a way around him. Buehl soon dived to the inside and contact was made, but not enough to cause a crash. Antunez railed the following comer to once again take command of the lead position. From there, Antunez went on to take the win. Hofmaster, meanwhile, stayed close to the Antunez-Buehl struggle while holding down third. By rnidrace, it was dear that the top three positions were set. Behind them, however, Stephenson was still trying to get around Smail, and he finally succeeded two laps from the end. Further back in the pack, Jones was holding his own in the top 10 when he lost his grip - again - in the whoops and was separated from his Kawasaki. As Davis and others roosted by him, a battered Jones slowly remounted and rode one-handed to the finish line. "I just can't hang on; I just can't hang on," said Jones, while holding his taped and swollen hand in the air. It appeared that Jones' weekend was over; his mechanic knew otherwise. "He (Jones) is gonna keep riding anyway," said tuner Chris Kibby. "Unless it Oones' injured arm) is amputated, he's gonna ride, even if we have to tape it to the bars. He never quits." Back on the track, Stephenson, once dear of Smail, put it into overdrive and .went on a mad dash to catch the leader. He dosed tlle gap and started knocking on Hofmaster's door. Then the white flag flew. It was close as they headed for the checkered flag, but Hofmaste-r stayed aggressive to the last second and earned a spot on the podium with winner Antunez and rurmer-up Buehl. "I was definitely riding aggressive tonight," said Hofmaster. "I told myself I was going to race hard tonight and get on the podium, and that's what I did. Dermy was catclting me toward tlle end, but 1 just rode from the heart and gave it all I had." "I got held up at the start," said Stephenson, "so by the time 1 caught Tommy (Hofmaster), the race was over. I'll get' em next time." Northern Californians Davis, Pestana and Blair rounded out the top 1O. Amazingly, Jones came out and won the evening's Jump-Off contest, and then took the holeshot in.the 2S0cc main ahead of Antunez, Buehl, Stephenson, DeHaan, Hofmaster, Smail and Pestana close behind. Pestana, however, was an early casualty, crashing out of contention on the second lap. Buehl hounded Antunez and then took second place in the whoops when Antunez lost his momentum. Once around Antunez, Buehl set his sights on Jones. Jones led the race for several more laps, as Buehl hovered in second. Buehl finally found an opening, outjumped Jones over the Catapult Jump and bounced by him in the following turn. Shortly thereafter, Antunez also slipped by Jones to move into second place. A few laps later, Stephenson also charged past Jones. A hot battle for fifth between DeHaan and Hofmaster erupted, as they traded paint around the race track. After several laps, Hofmaster worked free and bought himself some breathing room. Then DeHaan had Smail breathing down his back. DeHaan's defense held up, however, as he managed to keep Smail at bay. Up front, Buehl held a two-second lead on Antunez, with Stephenson another couple of seconds back in third. Suddenly, trouble began for Buehl when he had a rough landing off one of ilie jumps. "I got by everyone finally and started to pull a little bit of a lead," Buehl said. "Then I made a mistake over the big double - I was messing with my clutch, trying to adjust it in the air. I didn't get my hands back situated in time and went way up almost over the berm. Buddy was right on me then and I tensed up. I was riding tense, went sideways in the whoops and went off the track. I didn't fall, but the bike just shot to the left and that's all it took." According to Antunez, it was "all strategy." "I'd like to say I was putting some pressure on him, and iliat's what caused him to bobble a bit," Antunez said. "I was right there to capitalize on it." "Buehl was leading but bounced out in the whoops and shot off llie track," said Stephenson. "I got into second, but the leader (Antunez) was quite a bit allead of me. I reeled him in and got a little second life in me." As ilie race wound down, Hofmaster slipped and dropped several posi tions, and Smail also slid out while trying to make a last-minute charge. Seconds later, Stephenson nearly crashed when he slid out in a turn while trying to squeeze past Antunez. "Once I was behind Buddy, I was right 'on him, but he just didn't make any mistakes where [ could pass him," Stephenson said. "The last lap, I tried running in there inside on him, but [ just couldn't quite get by him. [ ju t had a tough time dealing willi that last corner." In a final push, Stephenson pulled beside Antunez as they sped through . the whoops. Antunez's Suzuki took a bad hop, throwing Antunez high in the air. Somehow, Antunez returned to earth just in time to jam around the corner and slam the door on Stephenson. Buehl also tried to return to the front in the final moments but was held to fourth by a very determined Jones. After a dash to ilie finish line, ilie final order read Antunez, Stephenson and Jones. 'Tm happy with the podium," said Jones. '1 never give up. 1 just went out and rode the best I could. I feel I deserve the third-place finish after all the dirt cookies I've been eating." As the champagne flowed, Mike Kidd presented Antunez wiili his third National Champion number-one plate. '1' d like to iliank Mike Kidd, all ilie workers, and the fans for making this really fun racing possible," Antunez said. "It's been a fantastic three years." _ san Jose Arena san Jose, California Results: March 19-20 (Rounds 31 & 32 of 34) Friday 125 EX: 1. Buddy Antunez (Suz); 2. Jeromy Buehl (Han); 3. Denny Stephenson (Hon); 4. Greg Rand (Kaw); 5. Tom Hofmaster (So2); 6, Lance Smail (KTM); 7. Jjm Chester (Suz); 8. Doug DeHaan (Kaw); 9. Jeffrey Pestana (Suz); 10. Harold Hageman (Suz); 11. Scott Davis (Kaw); 12. Carter Gurnee (So2); 13, Mike Jones (Kaw); 14. Ch."\d Pederson (Suz); 15. Daniel Blair (Yam); 250 EX: 1. Jeromy Buehl (Hon); 2. Buddy Antunez (Suz); 3. Denny Stephenson (Hon); 4. Greg Rand (l(aw); 5. Lance Smail (KTM); 6. Jeffrey Pestana (Suz); 7. Tom Hofmaster (Suz); 8. Doug ~aan (Kaw); 9. Jim Chester (502); 10. Chad Pederson (Suz); 11. Harold Hageman (Suz); 12. Zeb Armstrong (Yam); 13. Erik Jansen (Suz); 14. Mike Jones (J(aw); 15. jason Strong (Han). DFC, 1. Mike Jones (J(aw); 2. Greg Rand (Kaw); 3. Buddy Antunez (Suz); 4. Jeromy Buehl (Hon); 5. Denny Stephenson (Han); 6. Chad Pederson (502). JUMP-OFF: 1. Mike Jones (Kaw); 2. Harold Hageman (Suz); 3. Greg Rand (Kaw); 4. Kenny Bell (Yam). Saturday • 125 EX: 1. Buddy Antunez (Suz); 2. Jeromy Buehl (Hon); 3. Tom Hofmaster (Suz); 4. Denny Stephenson (Han); 5. Lance Smail (KTM); 6. Jim Chester (Suz); 7. Doug DeHaan (Kaw); 8. Scott Davis (Kaw); 9. Jeffrey Pestana (Suz); 10. Daniel Blair (Yam); 11. Hawk White (Suz); 12. Harold Hageman (Suz); 13. Mike jones (J(aw); 14. Dean Matson (SU2); 15. Kenny Bell (Yam). 250 EX: 1. Buddy Antunez (Suz); 2. Denny Stephenson (Hon); 3. Mike Jones (I<."\w); 4. Jeromy Buehl (Hon); 5. Doug DeHaan (Kaw); 6. Jim Chester (So2); 7. Harold Hageman (Suz); 8. Erik Jansen (Suz); 9. Tom Hofmaster (Suz): 10. Zeb Armstrong (Yam); 11. Lance Smail (KTM); 12. Jeffrey Pestana (Suz); 13. David Lodermeier (Yam). DFC: 1. Denny Stephenson (Hon); 2. Buddy Antunez (Suz); 3. Jeromy Buehl (Han); 4. Harold Hageman (Suz); 5. Zeb Annstrong

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