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may Own Race: 125cc 1] @@ Buddy Antunez Buddy Antunez rode well at Budds Creek, finishing out the day sixth overall. "I got off to two great starts," Antunez said. "My meohanic Tony Berlutti has been doing a great job on the Blimpie Suzuki, and I just rode hard - I gave it everything I had today. In the first moto, I was lacking a little bit of speed towards the middle of the moto and started making some mistakes, but I stayed in the battle and ended up fourth. The second moto, I had another great start but my speed just wasn't where I needed it to be at the beginning. It took until my teammate Danny Smith passed me for me to pick it up and get going. We actually started to bring [Chad) Reed back in a little, so I'm pretty happy with a 4-6 on the day." L?®® Ben Townley The 17-year-old New Zealander normally races for Vangani Racing in Europe on the 125cc GP circuit. but he came to Budds Creek to test the U.S. motocross waters with some help from Ron Heben and the Red Bull KTM team. "I got two pretty good starts, which was amazing considering that I have never started on concrete before: Townley said. "After that, I followed Chad [Reed) for much of the first race and ended up sixth. I battled with Brock {Sellards] for most of the second race, but in .he end I couldn't get him. Overall, it was a pretty good experience and hopefully I will be back for Unadilla." ®@second ridePingree. Honda, Pingree ended up leading the team in the results with David In his for Plano 15-10 rides. "I had kind of a bad start in the first moto and tried to come through the pack, but from seventh to 25th was just a freight train of people - everyone going the same speed. I spent almost the whole moto following Tom Welch, a local guy hauling butt. I couldn't do anything with him until he finally started getting tired. I felt strong in the moto, so at least I know now that I've got one in me. Second moto, I got a better start but a few guys got by me, including Reed. Actually, I waved Reed by because I knew he was probably going to try and plow me! He was going faster, anyway." National did show a renewed confidence and held second until there were just two laps to go. Then, as we've seen it do with Stewart, Reed, Mike Brown and so many others in this series, disaster struck. With less than two laps to go and Reed on his rear fender, Smith's bike locked up solid in the middle of the track. "I don't really know what happened, but something in the motor definitely gave way," said Smith, who has been a solid performer throughout this series. "I felt strong, and I really think I would have held Chad off, but that's racing, I guess." "I came up behind him coming out of that corner, and his bike started smoking, and I was like, 'Oh man, bad luck - that kid has gone through enough in his life,'" said Reed, referring to Smith's recent family tragedy. "I was thinking I might have passed him anyway, but you hate to see anyone have bad luck like that. It's happened to me, it's happened to Bubba and Danny, it's happening to everyone." Blimpie Suzuki's Antunez had another good weekend, finishing sixth overall with 4-6 rides. "I got good starts in both motos, and the second time out, I was right behind Bubba, but he was going so fast, I couldn't even see him halfway through the first lap!" laughed Antunez, the veteran member of Suzuki's suddenly formidable 125cc squad. "The Suzukis are running great, and Danny and Branden and I are up there every moto. I've moved up to sixth in the points, so I'm really looking forward to getting on the podium soon." Also grabbing good starts in the first moto were privateer Yamaha YZ250F riders Troy Adams, from Brooksville, Florida, and Jeff Gibson, from Thornville, Ohio. Both riders Branden Jesseman made the 125cc podium with a 5·2 tally. stayed with the factory aces for much of the moto, and BSY-backed Adams finished a career-best ninth in the race, while Gibson blew a sure top-10 ride of his own with a fall (with just two laps to go) that dropped him back to 12th. Both riders finished in the points in the second moto, with 16th- (Adams) and 18th-place (Gibson) showings. Adams' ride was good for ninth overall. New Zealand's Ben Townley, on loan from the 125cc Grand Prix circuit, finished seventh overall in his first trip to America since riding at Ponca City on minicycles a few years ago. Plano Honda's David Pingree was eighth, with the rookie Adams ninth. Smith finished 10th by virtue of his DNF-5 finishes. Even after two DNFs in the last three motos that led up to Budds Creek, Stewart's win in Maryland put him back in the driver's seat for the AMA 125cc National MX Championship. The Floridian started the day five points behind Reed, but ended it with a five-point lead of his own (190 to 185). Fonseca is third in the rankings with 159. Now down to ninth and 10th in the standings with 89 and 77 points, respectively, are last year's title combatants, Brown and Grant Langston. After sitting out the Southwick race due to the knee injury he suffered at the previous round at High Point, defending ciass champion Brown tried to go in Maryland, on the same track where he dominated both motos last summer. But after hovering around 15th place for most of the first moto, Brown realized that he @1] Paul Currie The DGY Suzuki-backed rider is the fastest man on the 125cc National circuit that works out of his own van. "I had some decent starts, but I rode a little tentative at the beginning of each moto and had a couple of falls," Currie said. "But it turned out to be all right. If you didn't get up front early it was really hard to pass. There was one good line and a lot of fast guys were in it todayl" Currie went 13-14 for 11th overall. 1] @ Larry Ward When asked how his day went, Ward replied, 'Well, it was good weather, I guessl My bike broke in the first moto, but in the second moto 1got a terrible start and rode as hard as I could to get 11th: ~®cB Josh Hansen The new 2003 Boost Mobile/Yamaha of Troy signee got a chance to learn the 125cc National ropes with a ride at Budds Creek. He went 31-28 in his first Pro National. "My race went all right, but I did make a couple of mistakes out there: Hansen said. "In the first mote, 1 got a rock stuck in my brake and had to pull off. The second time, 1 was charging, but if you don't get a start, you're kind of screwed because there's so many good guys out there. I guess that's the lesson I learned today." might be doing himself more harm than good and decided to call it a day, and maybe even a summer. He left the facility before the second moto had even started. As for Red Bull KTM rider Langston, he is still on the mend from recent knee surgery (see Briefly... ). eN Budds Creek Raceway Budd Creek, Meryland Results: June 16, ZOOZ [Round 5 at 1ZI 125 MOTO 1: 1. James Stewart Jr. (Kaw); 2. Chad Reed (Vam); 3. Brock Sellards (KTM); 4. Buddy Antunez (Suz); 5. Branden Jesseman (Suz); 6. Ben Townley (KTM); 7. Emesto Fonseca (Hon); 8. Matt Walker (Kaw); 9. Troy Adams (Yam); 10. Greg Schnell (Vam); 11. Josh Demuth (Vam); 12. Jeff Gibson (Yam); 13. Paul Currie (Suz); 14. Steve Boniface (KTM); 15. David Ping-ree (Hon); 16. Damon Huffman (Suz); 17. Justin Buckelew (Suz); 18. Trevis Elliott (Hon); 19. Tom Welch (Hon); 20. Bobby Bonds (Kaw); 21. Rodri9 Thain (Vam); 22. Christopher Gosselaar (Hon); 23. Tyson Hadsell (Yam); 24. Levi Reid (Yam); 25. Jerrett Dejager (Suz); 26. Paul Veraeke (Hus); 27. Randy Valade (Suz); 28. Ryan Tuerck (Yam); 29. Joseph Schueler (Vam); 30. Danny Smith (Su,); 31. Joshua Hansen (Vam); 32. Mike Brown (Kaw); 33. Eric Sorby (Kaw); 34. David Gloolfi (YlIm); 35. Steven Onisko (Yam); 36. Kelly Smith (Vam); 37. Aaron Day (Vam); 38. Larry Ward (YlIm); 39. Kevin Johnson (YlIm); 40. lVlln Tedesco (Yam). Time of Race: 36 min., 12.730 sec. 125 MOTO 2: 1. Stewllrt; 2. Jessemlln; 3. Fonseca (Hon); 4. Reed; 5. Smith; 6. Antunez; 7. Sellards; 8. Townley; 9. I. Tedesco; 10. Pingree; 11. Gosselllar; 12. WlIrd; 13. Huffmlln; 14. Currie; 15. K. Smith; 16. Adems; 17. Demuth; 18. Gibson; 19. cue I e Buckelew; 20. Elliott; 21. Bonds; 22. Dejager; 23. Thein; 24. K. W. Johnson; 25. Welch; 26. DlIY; 27. VlIlade; 28. Hansen; 29. Walker; 30. Veracka; 31. Tuerck; 32. Schueler; 33. Onisko; 34. Schnell; 35. Ginolfi; 36. Hadsell; 37. Reid; 38. Boniface; 39. Sorby; 40. Brown. Time of Race: 36 min., 58.610 sec. 125 O/A: I. Stewart; 2. Reed; 3. Jesseman; 4. Fonsecll; 5. Sellards; 6. Antunez; 7. Townley; 8. Pingree; 9. Adams; 10. D. Smith; 11. Currie; 12. Demuth; 13. Huffman; 14. WlIlker; 15. Tedesco; 16. Gibson; 17. Schnell; 18. Gosselllar; 19. Ward; 20. Boniface; 21. K. Smith; 22. Buckelew; 23. Elliott; 24. Welch; 25. Bonds; 26. Dejager; 27. Thllin; 28. Kevin Johnson; 29. Day; 30. Vlldade; 31. Hansen; 32. Veracke; 33. Tuerck; 34. Schueler; 35. Onisko; 36. Ginolfi; 37. Hadsell; 38. Reid; 39. Sorby; 40. Brown. AMA/CHEVV TRUCKS 125cc U.S. MOTOCROSS CHAf>lPIONSHIP SERIES (After S of 12 rounds): I. James Stewart Jr. (190/3 wins); 2. Chad Reed (185/1); 3. Ernesto Fonseca (159); 4. Danny Smith (141/1); 5. Branden Jessemlln (135); 6. Buddy Antunez (l06); 7. Damon Huffmlln (102); 8. Matt WlIlker (98); 9. Mike Brown (89); 10. Grant Langston (77); 11. Eric Sorby (69); 12. Ivan Tedesco (66); 13. Trevis Preston (64); 14. Josh Demuth (62): 15. &bby &nds (61); 16. Larry Word (52); 17. Brock Sellards (52); 18. Gre9 Schnell (48); 19. Michael Byrne (46); 20. Christopher Gosselaar (37); 21. David Pingree (34); 22. Steve Boniface (32); 23. Travis Elliott (31); 24. (TIE) Justin Buckelew/PlIul Curre (30); 26. (TIE) Kelly Smith/Ben Townley (28); 28. Casey Johnson (24); 29. (TIE) Troy Adams/Andrew Short (17); 31. Jeff Gibson (16); 32. (TIE) Rodri9 Thain/Scott Sheak (13); 34. Mike Treadwell (10),35. Josh Woods (9); 36. (TIE) Chris WheelerlTyson Hadsell (7); 38. Randy Valade (6); 39. Casey Lytle (5); 40. Mike Corder (4). Upcoming Rounds; Round 6 - Buchanan, Michigan, July 7 Round 7 - Troy, Ohio, July 14 n e _!IS • JUNE 26, 2002 15