Cycle News Staff | February 8, 2022
Rounds seven and eight of the Kicker AMA Arenacross Series visited the Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center in Nevada, February 4-5, and once again, Phoenix Honda rider Kyle Peters proved to be unbeatable. The defending champion won both 250 and 450cc main events both nights.
Kyle Peters swept the Reno Arenacross and is poised to win the 2022 championship.
Photos by Jack Jaxson
Peters made it look easy in the first 250cc main event on Friday night. After passing fellow Honda rider Cullin Park on the second lap, Peters steadily pulled away for the win. He crossed the finish line 7.7 seconds ahead of Park, who had plenty of breathing room over the third-place rider, Jeremy Ryan (KTM).
Nate Mason (KTM) and Braden Spangle (Yamaha) rounded out the top five.
Peters made it look even easier in the 450cc main. The Honda rider blasted into the early lead and never looked back, breezing to a nearly 10-second margin of victory over Park, who ran second the whole way.
Ryan finished third again, but it was hard-earned. Ryan held down seventh after the first lap and then got to work. He chased down the riders ahead of him until he had control of third with four laps to go. By that point, Peters and Park were long gone.
Kawasaki rider Aaron Siminoe finished fourth, three seconds behind Ryan.
Husqvarna rider Preston Mull rounded out the top five.
Cullin Park was runner-up in all four main events.
The racers returned Saturday night with Peters dominating yet again. After passing Ryan for the lead during the second lap of the 250cc main, Peters pulled away for his third win of the weekend.
Park got around Ryan at the halfway mark and held on for second, well ahead of Ryan.
GasGas rider Wristin Grigg took fourth with Mason taking fifth.
Peters capped off the weekend with a wire-to-wire win in the 450cc main, while Park and Siminoe battled for second. They traded places a few times before Park took command and the checkered flag four seconds ahead of Siminoe.
Grigg again finished fourth, with Ryan taking fifth.
Jeremy Ryan went 3-3-3-5 over the weekend.
With three rounds, two next week in Denver and one the following week in Texas, left in the championship, Peters is sitting comfortably in the driver’s seat. He leads the Arenacross Championship by 204 points over Kyle Bitterman who sat out the weekend opting to stay at home for the birth of his child. Lance Kobusch, who did not race due to injury, is third in points, just six points behind Bitterman. Grigg is another two points back in fourth. Heath Harrison, also out with injury, is currently fifth in the championship. CN
