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/128094
SFX Motor Sports National Arenacross Series • Round 1 2: Denver Coliseum By JOHN CLIFFORD PHOTOS BY RAYMOND GUNDY DENVER, CO, FEB. 16-17 ust because Buddy Antunez ~ reached a milestone last week in Milwaukee, when he collected his 100th Arenacross win, didn't mean that the Suzuki/Axo/Bill's Pipes team rider would back off one bit when the circuit rolled into the Mile-High City. No way. Instead, Antunez actually picked it up a notch, recording wins number 101 and 102, and increasing his already solid series points lead. Antunez scored his first win of the weekend on Friday in the 250cc final and his second win on Saturday in the 125cc final. When Antunez wasn't winning, his teammate Jeff Gibson and Carrolton Kawasaki/Team Green's Josh Demuth were. Gibson captured his seventh win of the season when he crossed the checkered flag in first place in Friday's 125cc final, and Demuth got his fifth win in Saturday's 250cc final. Gibson also captured the win in Friday's Dash for Cash, and he could not have picked a better time to do it. The $950 that was up for grabs was the highest in Arenacross history. (Pedro Gonzales won Saturday's DFC.) n FRIDAY Chad Johnson and Gonzales opened the weekend's racing with a side-by-side duel for the early lead in the 125cc main event. Despite having gotten banged up in a crash earlier in the evening, Gonzales was back up to speed and edged out Johnson for the lead as they went through the whoops. Jeff WiJloh, Denny Stephenson, Demuth, Darcy Lange, Jason McCormick and Rusty Holland filed in behind the lead duo. Both Gibson and Antunez had bad starts but were quickly making their way up through the pack. Of the two riders, however, Gibson was the one to watch. He was on fire as he picked riders off one by one until he was in second place, right behind Gonzales. Gibson chased Gonzales for a little while before passing him and running off with the win. Antunez didn't have as much success as his teammate, but he did get through to second place before all was said and done. Gonzales ended up third, followed by Johnson and Willoh. In the 250cc feature, Holland, on his Tuf Racing Honda, pulled the trigger (Left) Hondamounted Rusty Holland finished on the podium In Friday's 250cc main. He is CUrTently slzth In the points race. (Right) Suzuki's Jeff Gibson continues to make good In the SFX Arenacross Series. He won Friday's 125cc main, his seventh win of the series. 34 MARCH 7, 2001 • cue • _ n __ s first and got away with the holeshot ahead of Darcy Lange, Demuth, Chad Johnson, Willow, Antunez, Keith Johnson, Shawn Morgan, Denny Stephenson and Nick Metcalf. McCormick had gated well but suffered mechanical problems and was forced to retire back to the pits.