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SFX Motor Sports Regional Arenacross Series Round 11: First Union Arena STORY AND PHOTOS BY JIM P. SANDERSON WILKES-BARRE, PA, FEB. 9·10 he SFX Motor Sports Group brought their Regional Arenaci'OSS Series - formerly known as "Ultracross"- to the Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton area. It was the first time such an event was held at the new First Union Arena at Casey Plaza. Suzuki of Gastonia's Jim Chester of Lenoir, North Carolina, made it quite a challenge for the rest of the Pro/Expert riders; he dominated the weekend, topping the podium in the 125 and 250cc Pro/Expert classes both nights. Chester easily won his heat races on Friday and his 125cc heat on Saturday, but he had to settle for a third in his 250cc heat. Chester is currently second in the regional series points chase, trailing Brian Stone by 32 points. The runner-up in the Pro/Expert class podium was Suzuki's Nick Metcalf of Cobine, Texas. Metcalf finished second in Friday's 125cc Pro/Expert main, but after running a consistent third until lap 10 of the 12-lap 250cc Pro/Expert main, he and a lapper got together. Metcalf had no choice but to take fifth after being stuffed not once but twice by the lapper. Following the race, Metcalf chastised the other rider for failing to yield to the leaders. Metcalf found some redemption when he managed to win the noholds-barred, anything-goes Dash For Cash both nights. On Saturday night, Metcalf easily won both his heat races, but once again he had to settle for seconds in both Pro/Expert mains. Metcalf is currently ranked fourth in series points. Shroud's Kawasaki's Brian Stone of Kansas City, Missouri, who's currently leading the series in points due to his consistent finishes, earned third in Friday night's 125cc Pro/Expert main and second in the 250cc main after Metcalf's bad luck in the final laps allowed Stone to move from fourth to second after running almost the entire race in fourth. Stone had some bad luck on Saturday; he was running as high as second in the early laps of the 125cc Pro/Expert main but ended up out of the top five after going down. Stone came back in Saturday's 250cc Pro/Expert final, running second until the last two laps, when Chester and Metcalf managed to displace him to third. On Friday, Chester took the 125cc Pro/Expert main holeshot and was never challenged to the checkers. 70 MARCH 21. 2001 • III U III • _ (Left! Jim Chester topped the Pro/Eapert podiums In both c....... both nights at the SFX Motor Sports Arenacro. . at the First Union Arena In Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. (Below! Brian Stone, the current regional arenacro. . points leader, placed third In the 125s and second in the 250s on Friday. On Saturday, Stone finished third again In the 250CC Pro final. T Metcalf in the turn preceding the Dunlop catapult jump to take the lead. Chester managed to stay out front and get another win despite all the mayhem with lapped riders. Metcalf again had to settle for sec· ond, Leavitt took third, Keith Johnson was fourth and local rider Jeff Yentzer fmished fifth. Metcalf pulled yet another holeshot in the 250cc Pro/Expert main, trailed by Stone, Chester, Johnson and Day. The top five remained unchanged until lap 12 of this 14-lap final, when Chester caught and passed Stone to take second and set his sights on catching Metcalf. On the last lap, Metcalf went down; he did an excellent job of remounting quickly, but not quickly enough, as Chester capitalized and took the lead with less than half a lap to go. Chester got the win. Rounding out the top five were Metcalf, Stone, Johnson and Day. eN Rm UnialI Are.. WiIllIS· Pe~iIo 1IesaIts: feIo ry 9-1 •• 2.1 la-d III Metcalf rounded the first tum in second and also went to the checkers unchallenged, trailed by Stone, Randy Woodring and Brian Foster. The top three remained the same to the finisll. On lap two, Foster made a pass on Woodring stick and moved up a spot to fourth. On lap four, the top four remained the same, with Ryan Wallace moving around Woodring for fifth. By lap eight, Aaron Day was in fifth. By lap nine, the leaders were well into lapped traffic. (Left) American Suzuki's Nick Metcalf finished as the number-two man in the 125cc Pro/Expert mains both nights. He finished f"lfth in Friday's 250cc ProlExpert final but came back on Saturday to finish runner-up to Chester again. Metcalf also won the Dash For Cash both nights. (Below right) There's nothing like the tight, bar-to-bar racing in the Pro/Expert clan of Arenacross. Chester made the win look almost easy and treated the crowd to a wheelie for the final stretch to the checkers. Rounding out the top five 125cc Pro/expert main event were Metcalf, Stone, Foster and Day. Chester easily absconded with the holeshot in the 250cc Pro/Expert final and once again stayed out front to the checkers. Rounding out the top five on the first lap were Austin Raubs, Metcalf, Stone and Keith Johnson. The top five were a little spread out and did not change all the way n __ s through lap 11 of this 14-lap main. With two laps to go, Raubs, in second, went down in the rhythm section and dropped to the back of the pack. The 250cc Pro/Expert final went in the record books as Chester, Stone, Johnson, Kevin Brodsky and Metcalf. On Saturday, Metcalf piloted his Suzuki to the front of the 16-rider field in the 125cc Pro/Expert final, with Stone, Chester, Gaylon Dickson and Foster in tow. Chester passed Stone on lap two for to second. Dickson held his own in fourth while Sal Gambone got around Foster for fifth. Chester caught up with Metcalf by lap three and executed a textbook block-pass on Friday 125 PRO/EX: I. Jim Chester (Suz): 2. Nick Metcalf (Cob): 3. Brian Stone (Kaw): 4. Brian Fos.... (Yam): 5. Aoron Doy (Kow). 250 PRO/EX: I. Jim Chester (Suz): 2. Brion Stone (Kaw); 3. Keith Johnson (Yam); 4. Kevin Brodsky (Hon): 5. Nick Metcalf (Suz). 50 (4-8): 1. loch Butler (Cob): 2. Fronk Lettieri (Cob); 3. A.J. Cotamoro (Kow); 4. Zochory Rosch (Cob); 5. Cody Grogg (KTM). 65 (7-11); 1. Ryon Blizzord (Kow); 2. Dovey Froser (Kow); 3. Morshon Hurd (KTM); 4. Kyle Willis (Kow); 5. A.J. Cotamoro (Kow). 85 (12-15); I. Joy Wmord (Kow); 2. Andrew Wiegand (Kaw); 3. Jim Butler (Kaw); 4. Andrew Mikalaichik (Kaw); 5, Jesse HlIaghmd (Kaw). 125 NOV: 1. Joy Wiliord (Kaw): 2. Dan Scilipote (YlIrn); 3. Jason Doyle (Yam); 4. Shawn Calabrese (Yom); 5. Jerry Fronk (Suz). 1251NT: 1. Dan McMahon (Yam); 2, JlImie Bird (Kaw); 3. Rich White (Kow); 4. Bobby Butler (Yom); 5. Dovid Ste_ (Hon). 250 NOV: 1. Steve Locklin (Suz); 2. Bill Schneider (Hon); 3. Joseph Trllpani (Hon); 4. Tim McMurtee (Hon); 5. Stephen Bochord (Hon). 250 INT: 1. Jomle Bird (Kow); 2. Rich White (Kaw); 3. Michael Cummings (Suz); 4, Warren Emerson (Yam): 5. David Nyzio (Yem). Saturday 125 PRO/EX: I. Jim Chester (Suz); 2. Nick Metcalf (Suz); 3. Mike Leavitt (Kaw); 4. Keith Johnson (Yam); 5. JeffYentzer (Hon). 250 PRO/EX: 1. Jim Chester (Suz); 2. Nick Metcalf (Suz); ), Brian Stone (KlIw); 4. Keith Johnson (Yam); 5. Aaron Day (Kaw). 50 (4-8): 1. Fronk Lettieri (Cob); 2. A.J. Cotamoro (Kow); 3. lochory Rosch (Kaw); 4. Tyler Wozney (Cob); 5. Cody Grogg (KTM). 65 (7-11): 1. Ryon Blizzord (Kow); 2. Lowell Spangler (Kaw); 3. DlIvey Fraser (KlIw); 4. Marshall Hurd (KTM); 5. Jordon Monn (Kow). 85 (12-15): 1. Joson Lawrence (Kow); 2. Joy Weller (Kaw); 3. Brian Murphy (Yom); 4. Scott Seors (Ko..); 5. Michoel TIppin (Suz). 125 NOV: 1. Don Scilipote (Yom); 2. Joy Weller (Ko..); 3. Scott Flovin (Hon); 4. Joson Doyle (Yom); 5. Christopher Pepe (Yam). 125 INT: 1. Jomie Bird (Kow); 2. Cory Strickler (Suz); 3. Chorl.. Ellis (Suz); 4. Richord Whfte (Kow); 5. Dan McMahon (Yom). 250 NOV: I. Fronk Smith (Kow); 2. Steve Locklin (Suz): 3. Philip Wlegond (Kow); 4. Don Clorke (Suz); 5. Fronk Hughes (Yom). 250 INT; I. Jomie Bird (Kow); 2. Cory Strickler (Yam); 3. Mike S<::hne<:k (Yam); 4. Richard White (Kow); 5. Kevin Stull (Hon).