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/128308
Yamaha en joyed the show up front... Go od fo r sales." Hofmaste r followed Demuth by Huffman and settled into secon d, wh ile Huffma n slid back to do batt le with Justin Brayton. Late in the race , this battle for third cos t both riders a shot at the podium and handed the final pod ium spot to wily veteran Dowd . "Th is Arenacross deal is real up and down," Dow d said. "I got a litt le lucky tonight wh en a couple guys fell in front of me, but at least I was the re to take advan tage . I feel like I ride well: it' s just so short, and it's hard to try and pass." Chad Johnson and a disappointed Lange ro unded out the top five. Saturday Huffman onc e again grabbed the hole shot in the 125cc main ahead of Lange and Demuth. However, his lead , like Clark's the night before, was short-lived, as Lange and Demuth wo rked their way around the Tuf Racing Y amaha pilot. " I' m still not 100-percent over my injuries." Huffman said. "O nce I am , and I grab ho leshots like that , I'll be gone." It looked like it would be a classic battle between Lange and De muth, but apparently Lange had other things on his mind . He began to pull away from Dem uth, and by the checkered flag he was far ahea d . " I just rode my own race, and I wa nted to se t a goo d pace," Lange said. " I just didn't make any mistakes, and I pulled away... It felt good!" With Lange checked out, Demuth settled in for seco nd, his win st rea k over at six. The battle was for the final pod ium spot, and Hofmaster had to work his way around Brayton and Dowd near th e end of the race for the posit io n. "This was a tough race , start ing in the second ro w afte r bad heat races ." Hofmaster said. " I just tr ied to work my way up, and I'm happ y to be on the podium." Brayto n and Dowd hung on for fourt h and fifth , respectively. The 250cc Main was o ne of the best races of the season, and som e Arenacross aficionados w e re calling it an instant classic one of the best races ever. Brayto n and Huffman shared the holeshot, w ith Brayton taking off with the (Above) Demuth (1) and John Dowd (16) battle each other and the big whoops in Iowa. Dowd ended up with a best finish of second in Saturday's 250cc main event. (Right) Darcy lange was the only rider to top Demuth on the weekend when he came out on top in the 125(c main on Saturday night. lange is second in the points standings behind Demuth . early advantage through the whoops. The Shogun Yamaha d uo of De mut h and Hofm aster rounded out the lead pack afte r the first lap, and Dowd w as sitting co mfortably in fifth and loo king more and mor e like a futur e force to be reckoned with in th is series. "For the first time , I feel like I was on the pace ." Dowd said. "We've got our bikes dialed in. I think getting a good start and moving through the whoops is most of the battle he re ." While Brayton was looking smooth out front , Demu th was working his way up and would soon be working on Brayton for the lead. Dowd was still riding w ell and hanging around in third, with Hofmaste r tra iling close behind . While it looked like Brayton had the speed and stamina to hang on fo r the w in, Demut h was having to deal w ith some late race pressure from none ot her than Dowd. Demuth w icked it up and made his move on Brayton just before the whoo ps. The two riders rubbed a little plastic and lost all their momentum, allowing Dowd to take advan tage of the incide nt and blast into the lead th rough the whoops . The capacity crowd we nt nuts . While Dowd loo ked good o ut front , th e incident be tween Dem uth and Brayto n had only slowed Demuth slightly. De muth was soo n back on race pace and hound ing Dowd for the lead. After a lengthy battle. Demuth finally made it past Junkyard Dowd w ith not much room to spare and took his third w in of the weekend. Hofmast er made his way aro und Brayton for third and was on "The Box" three out of four times ove r the two days . "I made a charge, and I got by Brayton , but by then Josh and Dowdy were go ne," Ho fmaster said. "I don't need to win every \AI\N\Al race , but I need to be up here on the box as much as I can." Brayton and Lange rounded out the top five. eN V ETERAN'S MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM DES MOINES, IOWA RESULTS: JANUARY 9 -10, 2004 (ROUND 5 OF 12) Frid a y 11 5 MAIN : I. Jo sh Demuth (Yam); 2. Darcy LIDge (Kaw); 3. Shawn Clark ( Kaw) ; 1. Brad Hagseth (Hon); 5. Jeff No rt hro p (Kaw) ; 6 . Chad Johnson (yam) ; 7. Tomm y Hofmaster (Yam); 8. Ryan Huffman (Yam); 9. Justin Brayton (Hon ); 10. Jim Nees e (Suz); I I. Robby McQu ary (Yam); 12. To m Kelley (Suz); 13. Brian Edwa rds (Kaw): 11 . Brad Mod ,ews ki (Suz); 15. John Dowel (Suz). 15 0 MAIN : I. Josh Demuth (Yam); 2. Tommy Hofmaste r am (Yam); 3. John Dowel (Suz); 1 . Chad John son (Y ): 5 . Darcy Lange (Kaw); 6. Shawn ClarI< (Kaw): 7. Jeff Northrop (Kaw ); 8 . Brad Hagseth (Hon ): 9. Travis Hodge s (Hon) ; 10 . Tom Kelley (Suz); I I. Justin BraytOfl(Hon ); 12. Scott Mea. (Hon) ; 13. Jim Nee se (Suz); 11. Brad Mod jewski (Suz ): 15. Ryan Huffman (Yam). DFC: I. Josh De muth (Yam); 2. Just in Brayton (Ho n); 3. Darcy Lange (Kaw) ; 1 . Tommy Ho fmaste r (Yam); S. Ryan Huffman (Yam): 6. Tom Kelley (Suz). KAW 6 5 INVITATIONAL.: l . Gavin Faith; 2. Jed Seem an : 3. Christian Cochran: 4. Brandon Po pe ; 5. Lukas Katers: 6. KyleOlson ; 7. Logan Smith; 8 . Jor d an !hle: 9. Reed Rcenbeck: 10 . Jonathan Gre ine r; I I. Cod y Bre eden; 12. Jo rdan Kemmerer: 13. Sam Pierick; 14. Jared Brigs. r ll rlt: n-=vJc:;. rn m Saturday 115 MAIN: I. Darcy lange ( Kaw) ; 2. Josh Demutl'1 (Yam): 3. Tomm y Ho fmast er (Yam); " . Just in Bn. yto n (Hon ); S. John Dowd (5«.); 6. Brad H'&"'th (Hon) ; 7. Chad Joh""'" Hon); 8. Br.td Modjewski (Hon ): 9. Colt Humphrey (Y ; am) l; \ O. Scott Mett (Hon): I I. Jeff Northrop {Kaw 12. Jim Neese (Suz); Il . Shawn Clark (!