Cycle News Staff | February 1, 2022
Kyle Peters continued what he’s been doing all year at the North Carolina round of the 2022 Kicker AMA Arenacross Series—winning. Peters, on the Phoenix Racing Honda, won both 250cc and 450cc main events inside the Greensboro Coliseum, January 29.
The single round-event saw the return of Arenacross star Jace Owen, but even he couldn’t prevent Peters from winning, although he did come close.
Unfortunately, two 2022 Arenacross regulars, Heath Harrison and Lance Kobusch, had to sit this one out due to injury. Kobusch suffered his injury at the previous round in Oklahoma and Harrison earlier in the day at this one.
Owen came out swinging in the first main event in the 250cc class. The Yamaha rider grabbed the holeshot and led the first three laps before Peters got him, taking over the point. However, Owen didn’t fold. Instead, he stayed right with the new leader, matching his every move. For the remaining seven laps, the most that ever separated the two was just 1.3 seconds.
Despite the constant pressure by Owen, Peters held on to take the win by just one second.
GasGas rider Kyle Bitterman got a birds-eye view of the race. He was never that far back in third the whole way. Bitterman lost a little ground the last few laps but still finished just 3.2 seconds behind Owen.
KTM rider Nate Mason was a distant fourth, followed by fellow KTM rider Spencer Winter.
The 450cc main event was a thriller. Once again, Owen nabbed the holeshot ahead of Peters, and the race was officially on! This time, Owen seemed to have Peters’ number, realizing that holding the inside line through the turns was his best line of defense again the defending champ. Owen’s strategy was working until he went a little wide in the last turn of the race. That’s when Peters saw his chance and made his move. The two riders connected with Owen going down and Peters taking his second win of the night.
Owen remounted in time to salvage second, a good five seconds ahead of Bitterman, who took third again.
Honda rider Devin Xindaris of Texas finished a distant fourth, just a few seconds ahead of Mason.
Peters enjoys a commanding 54-point lead in the championship over Kobusch, while Harrison still holds down third, 16 points behind Kobusch. Bitterman is currently fourth, 22 points behind Harrison, and Henry Miller is fifth, 49 points behind Bitterman.
There are four more rounds left in the championship. CN