BUCKELEW & NEESE GO TOE-TO-TOE IN TOYOTA AMA ARENACROSS ACTION IN WILKES-BARRE
27 February 2007 - AMA Pro Racing

Justin Buckelew (TUF Racing/Honda) wins opener at Wachovia Arena, Jim Neese (Carolina Xpress/Suzuki) takes second night

Though the 2006-’07 Toyota AMA Arenacross Series is over, Toyota AMA Arenacross racing is continuing to entertain motorsports fans across the country. This past weekend’s event showcased some of the best indoor motocross racing Pennsylvania has seen all year.

Wilkes-Barre’s Wachovia Arena was the site for an epic arenacross battle as AMA Arenacross Lites class racers Justin Buckelew (TUF Racing/Honda) and Jim Neese (Carolina Xpress/Suzuki) dropped the gloves and went at it hard both nights, splitting the two-race contest with equal 1-2 finishes on the weekend.

“You would have thought a title was on the line in this non-points race weekend,” said Robert Hansen, director of arenacross for Live Nation. “Neese and Buckelew going at it from start to finish on both nights. They will be talking about that one for a while in Wilkes-Barre – that’s for sure!”

On Friday Buckelew got out early and worked to put some distance between himself and the rest of the pack. Neese took a bit to get going in the AMA Arenacross class, but once he got his second wind, the North Carolinian tracked down the New Mexico native late in the race and passed him. The two changed leads numerous time before Neese made a mistake, went down and Buckelew took the win. Neese finished second and Ohio’s Patrick Massie finished third.

Preceding the AMA Arenacross class main event, Brad Modjewski topped local Damien Plotts to win the Lites class. Another local, Kevin Hoge (Pittsburgh), rounded out the podium in third overall.

Looking for redemption on Saturday night, Neese pulled the holeshot in a star-studded main event that also featured veteran Barry Carsten, Plotts, Jim Chester and Buckelew. In fact, Neese looked to have the race wrapped up early, but Buckelew put on an amazing charge. Neese had one more trick left up his sleeve, setting the younger Buckelew up and passing him on the outside of the bowl turn.

The Lites class had a wild one on Saturday night as well with the Plotts taking the checkers, followed by Massie and the Suzuki-mounted Cameron Lansing.

Hoge now has a commanding lead with one race remaining on the Toyota AMA Arenacross Series Eastern Lites schedule (Greenville, S.C., March 9-10).

Results

Friday Saturday

Arenacross Lites

Brad Modjewski, Yamaha 1. Damien Plotts, Kawasaki
Damien Plotts, Kawasaki 2. Patrick Massie, Kawasaki
Kevin Hoge, Suzuki 3. Cameron Lansing, Suzuki
Jim Chester, Suzuki 4. Barry Carsten, Suzuki
Barry Carsten, Suzuki 5. Brad Modjewski, Yamaha

Arenacross Class

Justin Buckelew, Honda 1. Jim Neese, Suzuki
Jim Neese, Suzuki 2. Justin Buckelew, Honda
Patrick Massie, Kawasaki 3. Brad Modjewski, Yamaha
Brad Modjewski, Yamaha 4. Kevin Hoge, Suzuki
Kevin Hoge, Suzuki 5. Cameron Lansing, Suzuki

Tickets are available online at www.arenacross.com, www.ticketmaster.com, www.tickets.com. For more information on the Toyota AMA National Arenacross Series log on to www.arenacross.com.

About Toyota AMA Arenacross Series
In its 23rd year, the Toyota AMA National Arenacross Series, owned by Live Nation, is the premier indoor motocross series in the U.S. playing to sold-out arenas nationwide. Information on the Toyota AMA Arenacross Series events may be found at www.arenacrossonline.com. Live Nation is the world’s leading live music company, annually connecting more than 67 million fans with their favorite performers at over 33,000 events. We are the largest producer of live concerts in the world, the second-largest venue management company and have a rapidly growing online presence. Live Nation creates superior experiences for artists and fans, regularly producing tours for the biggest superstars in the business, including The Rolling Stones, Barbra Streisand, Madonna, U2 and Coldplay. Globally, we own, operate and/or have booking rights for more than 170 venues, including House of Blues-branded music venues and prestigious locations such as San Francisco’s Fillmore Auditorium, Nikon at Jones Beach in New York and London’s Hammersmith Apollo and Wembley Arena. Live Nation’s websites collectively are the second most popular entertainment event websites in the United States, according to Nielsen//NetRatings. Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, Live Nation is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, trading under the symbol “LYV.” For more information regarding concerts near you, Live Nation and its businesses, please visit our website at www.LiveNation.com.

About AMA Pro Racing

AMA Pro Racing is the leading sanctioning body for motorcycle sport in the United States. Its properties include the Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series, the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship presented by FMF, the AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, the AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship and the AMA Supermoto Championship presented by Parts Unlimited. For more information about AMA Pro Racing, visit www.amaproracing.com

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