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National Arenacross Series Rounds 1-2: Veterans Memorial Auditorium STORY AND PHOTOS BY RAYMOND P. GUNDY DES MOINES, lA, NOV. 2-3 cr he opening round of the National -1 Arenacross Series got underway in Veterans -Memorial Auditorium in Des Moines, and unlike in recent years, this one was anybody's guess. Now that five-time National Arenacross Champion Buddy Antunez has moved on to the AMA/EA Sports Supercross Series, this year's 20012002 National Arenacross Series is certainly up in the air as to who is going to win it all. One of those riders who certainly has a chance is former Supercross contender Damon Brad- shaw, who made his Arenacross debut at Des Moines, though his first appearance didn't go as well as he had hoped, as he failed to qualify for both mains Friday night. But the opener did go well for Josh Demuth, on the Shogun Motor Sports/Thor/Pro Circuit/HJC Yamaha. Demuth found his way to the Des Moines podium three times (and nearly four times) over the weekend, his most eye-opening win coming in the very first main event - the 125cc class - where he won on a YZ250F four-stroke, silencing the critics who said that a four-stroke couldn't win within the tight confines of Arenacross stadiums. Instead, Demuth Tommy Hofmaster (center) celebrates his first-ever National Arenacross win after Friday's 250cc main event. Josh Demuth (right) finished second and Darcy Lange (left) finished third. pulled the holeshot and led all the way. The rest of the weekend went well for Demuth, too, finishing second in Friday night's 250cc main as well as Saturday night's 125cc main. Demuth looked to be heading to a possible win in the 250cc main, when he took a trip over the handlebars and finished out the race in fourth. "It was a great weekend; I came here hoping to do well." said Demuth. "All the training and hard effort that (Left) VZ250Fmounted Josh Demuth took home one win, three podiums, and the points lead after the racing ended in Des Moines. (Right) Hofmaster (57) passed local Justin Brayton for the lead partway through Friday's 250cc main. 14 NOVEMBER 21. 2001 • II: U II: I e n e _ s I've been putting in at home is really paying off for me. I had a great first night with a first place and the holeshot award in the 125cc main on my YZ250F, and a second in the 250cc main. The next night I had a bad start in the 125cc main, but I was able to make it up to second. In the 250cc main, I got a fourth-place start and was able to take the lead, but I went down in the whoops and made it back up to fourth. I'm the points leader now, and I'm hoping to have a perfect weekend in Albany [for round two]." Another rider who had a good weekend was Tommy Hofmaster on the number-57 Pro Source/Thor/HJC/Spy Yamaha. On Friday night, Hofmaster finish second to Demuth in the 125cc main and then scored his first-ever Arenacross win in the 250cc main. "I think I had the best night of my whole career," Hofmaster said. "I got a great start in the 125cc main and held on to second place the whole race. Demuth was in first and started to check out on the 250. It looked like it hooked up out there. In the 250cc main, I was able to triple the rhythm section on the first lap and was able to take the lead. I kept plugging away the whole time, trying to hit everything smooth. I went on to take the win. I'm hoping to keep this u:;>." After having a so-so night on Friday, Isaiah Johnson, on the Pro Caliber/Pro Grip Suzuki, opened things up Saturday night with a win in the 125cc class. He won it without much opposition. In the 250cc class, Johnson was running well, too. He held second and was challenging for the lead when he dropped his Suzuki in a turn. "The night started out really good," Johnson said. "I won the 125cc main, but in the 250s, I had second right behind Darcy [Langel three corners before the finish line. I had a brain