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National Arenacross Series Round S: Will Rogers Coliseum "When Rand got in my way it gave Denny a wheel on me and then we bumped in the last comer," Willoh said "But I was able to come out ahead. " Team Green/Carrollton Kawasaki/Pro Circuit/Thor's Josh Demuth grabbed the holeshot in the 250cc main but immediately ran into problems. "I came in a little too hot and Willoh and I collided, which resulted in a bunch of other riders running into the back of me," Demuth said. Demuth came out in sixth, but Willoh had the lead. Antunez entered the whoops in second with Stephenson in third as the race got underway. Antunez chased WHloh for two laps before he was able to take the lead away. "Jeff is a great starter and always has been," said Antunez. "I was able to make a pretty good charge on him early, and then Denny got behind and pushed me." "After I got passed by Buddy and Denny, I started making some ground back up on them," said Willoh. "After Buddy and I passed Jeff, I felt really comfortable," Stephenson (Left! Four-time and defending National Arenacross Champion Buddy Antunez never got a good start all weekend but stili won all four main events to extend his points lead to 82 over Jeff W1l1oh. Antunez said. "My Suzuki was really working good for me through the whoops and I was able to move into fourth." Stephenson stayed with Willoh for three laps. "I was saving a pass for Jeff in a particular turn, because I knew he was taking a different line than me in that last corner to the Catapult," Stephenson said. "Greg Rand [who was a lap down], however, got in the way, which threw a monkey wrench into my plans." Antunez got around Stephenson on lap four. "I was riding as hard as I could," Antunez said. Antunez spent the next two laps chasing down WiIloh, passing him for the lead coming out of the whoops. "I was riding my own race, but having some trouble in the whoops," Willoh said. "After Buddy got me, I clipped a hay bale in the sweeper and almost went down." Willoh's contact with the hay bale almost cost him second place, as Stephenson used the mistake to close in. Once out front, Antunez began to By KAT SPANN PHOTOS BY ROMAN PENA AND SPANN FORT WORTH, TX. JAN. 5-6 uddy Antunez, on his American Suzuki/ Axo/Bill's Pipes/RG3 Suzukis, swept all four Pro-class finals at the Will Rogers Arena in Fort Worth. It was obvious that the fiveweek break over the holidays gave Antunez renewed strength, as he claimed his 13th win of the National Arenacross Series. B FRIDAY The heat races had already fired up the crowd for the 125cc main event as fast-paced racing set the stage for the crowded coliseum. Jeff Willoh took the lead off the start with Pedro Gonzalez in close contention, until Denny Stephenson slipped by him in the whoops. Willoh and Stephenson continued a bar-to-bar battle as Antunez began to recover from a bad start. "I lucked out coming into the first turn, as I was really far back," 34 JANUARY 24,2001 • cue • e n e _ s (Above) Rusty Holland stands with Miss Arenacross Michelle Stephenson after winning Saturday's Dash For Cash. (Left) Jeff W1l1oh rode to two podium finishes, and second In points, after Denny Stephenson crashed out on Saturday with a broken rib and a concussion. extend his lead as Stephenson continued to hammer Willoh for second all the way into the final lap. In the final tum to the checkered flag, Stephenson went for the brass ring. "I dived in on Jeff and we made contact: Stephenson said. "I didn't want us to kill each other, so I made the save and it was all for not. I'm kind of disappointed." said. "I tried to reel Buddy in, and then he pulled away. I caught back up to him on about the eighth lap when I started having problems with arm pump." "It looked like Denny was getting tired: Willoh said. "So in the final lap I went for the inside of the last turn and went down and then had a hard time getting my bike back up." Antunez took the win with Stephenson in second, while Tommy Hofmaster filled in Willoh's vacated position, CIs Willoh finished fourth.