Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Cycle News 2002 01 16

Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles

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National Arenacross Series Rounds SIB: Will Rogers Coliseum tie mistakes, but I'm happy to have my second win of the season." Suzuki/AXO/RG3/Bill's Pipes/ Dunlop-sponsored Holland took another holeshot in the 250cc main, but Lange took the lead on the first lap and stayed there for seven laps before crashing. "I screwed up and just lost the bike out from under me," the Team Green/Tuf Racing/Pro Circuit/Thor/ Scott-backed Lange said. Heath Voss, who had taken over second, assumed the lead, followed by Bradshaw and Holland. Shortly thereafter, Bradshaw used an inside line to push Voss to the wall for the lead, with Lange, who had gotten around Holland, passing Voss before he could recover from Bradshaw's plunge. Lap eight saw Holland drop his bike and fall back to lIth. Bradshaw maintained the lead for the rest of the race, followed by Lange and Voss. 7hree For The SATURDAY By KAT SPANN AND BECKY TORRANCE PHOTOS BY RAYMOND GUNDY FORT WORTH, TX, DEC 28-29 amaha's Damon Bradshaw reeled off three main-event wins at the Speed Stick-presented National Arenacross Series at Will Rogers Coliseum in Fort Worth. Bradshaw, on his No Fear/Spy/Simple Green/Wiseco Yamahas, took the 250cc win on Friday and slam-dunked Saturday's 125 and 250cc main events. Pro Source/Thor/Enzo/Yamaha/Barr's Competition-backed Tommy Hofmaster, who made his second trip to the podium after winning Friday's 125cc main, won the one race that Bradshaw didn't win. But the weekend belonged to Bradshaw. "I'm having a lot of fun with this," Bradshaw said. "A lot of folks think that Arenacross is for Supercross rejects, but you can make good money -riding Arenacross and it definitely takes a lot of endurance." It was a weekend of ups and downs, with the downs taking its toll on the roster of riders. Both Pedro Gonzalez and Josh Demuth suffered crashes in practice on Friday. Gonzalez suffered a broken femur, while Demuth suffered a mild concussion that had him bow out of Friday's competition, but he did race on Saturday. Despite Bradshaw winning three main events in Fort Worth, Demuth still sits on top of the series points standings, but his lead has been steadily shrinking over the past few rounds. Demuth leads Bradshaw by just 11 points. Y 26 JANUARY 16, 2002' cue (Above) Damon Bradshaw (right), Tom Hofmaster (second from right) and Rusty Holland (left) eelebrate on the podium after Friday night's 125ee main. It was the only main on the weekend that Bradshaw didn't win. (Left) Bradshaw swept both 250ee mains and made up serious ground on Josh Demuth, who had to sit out night one with a minor head Injury. FRIDAY In Friday's 125cc main, Rusty Hoiland nailed the holeshot but was passed by Hofmaster right away. Once out in front, Hofmaster never looked and went on to take the win. Bradshaw, meanwhile, got squeezed off in the first turn and had to battle back from fifth place, which was a very difficult thing to do on the 27second-lap course. Holland maintained the numbertwo spot, with Darcy Lange in third until he crashed on lap two, handing third to Jeff Willoh and fourth I .. n • VII' S to Bradshaw. Bradshaw chased Willoh for 13 laps before he was able to power by the Honda rider to take third. For three laps, Bradshaw chased Holland, passing him on the final lap to take second place. "The whoops were basically one line and I had to move everywhere to get a pass," Bradshaw said. "I don't like to get second, I want to win. But sometimes in Arenacross you have to accept it." "\ had a good time out there," winner Hofmaster said. "I made a few lit- Demuth returned Saturday night, fully recovered from his mild concussion suffered the night before. A new sand section was added to the track for Saturday's racing. "The sand was added to supposedly make more lines for passing," Bradshaw said. "But what it did was make for a single line through that turn. The track crew did, however, improve the first turn and made the whoops better for passing." Bradshaw redeemed himself in both the 125 and 250cc main events after having to go to the semi in the 125cc class and losing the Dash for Cash to Chad Johnson. "My bike sputtered and bogged right before the take off through the rockers in my heat race," Bradshaw said. Bradshaw won Friday's Dash for Cash and the crowd-collected $1000. Saturday, the stakes were at a grand again, as he lined the gate with the fastest 250cc heat riders. Bradshaw looked to be the leader, but Chad Johnson cut him off in the turn to the Catapult. Bradshaw could only single the Catapult Jump and then snagged a bale on the landing. At this point, Bradshaw shot through the whoops to take the lead. Johnson held his inside position and plowed into Bradshaw in the next turn, forcing Bradshaw over the bale. Bradshaw, left sidelined, went after Johnson at the end of the race with a bally of boos from the crowd. "I passed Johnson in the whoops and J knew he was coming, I just didn't think he'd hit me that hard," Bradshaw said. "I talked to him after the race in the pits and got everything worked out." Bradshaw led all 16 laps of the 125cc main, while Denny Stephenson

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