SALTIMOAE. MO. JAN. 21-22
National Arenacross Series
Rounds 14-15: Baltimore Arena
By MICHAEL JAMES
PHOTO BY KARL OCKERT
(Above) Riding
like a champ:
Buddy Antunez
(1) dazzled
Baltimore Arena
fans by posting
three wins in
four main
events during
rounds 13 and
14 of the
National
Arenacross
Series. (Left)
Antunez's Ed
Longacre-tuned
RM250 had the
he port city of Baltimore, Maryland, hosted rounds 14 and 15
of the National Arenacross Series. A
very appreciative crowd watched in
awe as, in true championship form,
the Bill's Pipes/Motorious.com team
of reigning series champion Buddy
Antunez and Denny Stephenson were
the dominant riders of the weekend.
With top-three rides in all four main
events, the pair maintained their onetwo positions in the points standings.
'jhe scrappy Mexican hero Pedro
"Speedy" Gonzalez currently sits
third, and after battling back from a
horrendous crash on Friday that
nearly knocked him out, he has the
leaders in his crosshairs.
A supporting cast consisting of
veterans Jeromy Buehl, Jeff Willoh,
Greg Rand and newcomers Josh
Demuth, Mike Katin, Travis Hodges
and Maryland's own Tom Welch kept
the established stars on their toes and
fighting for every last inch of terrain.
There were no prisoners taken in Baltimore, and riders who dished the dirt
were prepared to have it dished
I
24
FEBRUARY 9, 2000'
cue
power to
catapult him to
the front of the
pack all
weekend.
against them, especially in the last
two turns.
FRIDAY
After trouncing the field and making the mains via their respective
heat races, Antunez and Stephenson
lined up tight to the inside of the gate
for the 125cc main. This is a strategy
I
...
n
... _
s
that has worked well for them in the
twins beat him to it. Gonzalez and
past, and tonight was no different as
Rand followed him. Rand would buck-
they rocketed to the first turn in flying
le under the heavy assault of the rid-
formation. It almost would have
ers behind him but put a stop to it
seemed staged if not for the scuffling
when he slid back to eighth at moto's
that took place after that in the
end. Willoh, meanwhile, was cutting
whoop section. Katin thought he had
some of the fastest laps of the field
the holeshot, but the M~torious.com
while making up for his poor start.
