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Hawk Handles the Hurricane GNCC
GNCC Champ takes Fred Andrews in a furious fight to the finish
Palatka, FL -
Winning the super-muddy Hurricane GNCC in 2003 pushed
Yamaha's Barry Hawk to the AMA Grand National Cross
Country title. Now the Hawk is off to a flying start
again by taking the 2004 Dunlop Moose Hurricane GNCC,
albeit under much better weather conditions and with
tougher competition than last year.
"Last year I said I could have gone another few laps,"
said Hawk in front of a big crowd on the GNCC podium.
"But no way this year. I'm totally spent. It was a tough
race. We went back and forth."
Hawk's win capped a big weekend that featured over 1200
riders. But after three hours of racing, Team FMF
Suzuki's Fred Andrews was there battling Hawk through
the final inches of race track. The veteran contender
came up just a few bike lengths short of a win.
"I had to come through the pack," said Andrews. "I
floored it. Barry was tired and I was tired. We'd just
sit our butts on the seat in the woods, and then go for
it in the open sections. We both rode clean. My hat is
off to Barry."
Both riders were exhausted, but the day's biggest effort
may have come from Yamaha's Jason Raines, who gutted out
a third-place finish despite riding with a broken
shoulder blade.
"When I first got hurt the doctor said there is no way
you're racing Florida," said Raines, who was injured at
the GNCC season-opener in Texas. "But I worked my butt
off in the gym trying to get some strength back, and a
few days ago the doctor said 'Hey kid you did your
homework, so go for it.'"
Last year's Hurricane GNCC went into the history books
as one of the wettest and wildest off-road races ever.
This year, rain early in the week yielded to beautiful
sunny skies, which led to a rugged 12-mile course
featuring fast, sandy sections and several deep mud
holes.
Early in the race the conditions favored KTM riders Ryan
Hughes and Shane Watts, who floored it through the early
laps and ran one-two. "I got into the lead, and then I
didn't know what to do," said Hughes. "I'm still
learning. I didn't know where to go or where to look to
see the trail."
Watts, an Australian who now lives in Florida, came
flying past to lead for a spell as well. But injuries
and fatigue eventually got the best of the former GNCC
Champ. "I just want everyone to know I'm still trying as
hard as I can," said Watts, who tore the MCL ligament in
his knee just a week ago. "I love these conditions. So I
rode as hard as I could for as long as I could until I
ran out of energy."
Hawk stayed in the hunt all day and eventually moved
around the KTM duo and into the lead. But Andrews was
flying from deep in the pack, and his charge got him all
the way into the lead on the last lap.
"Barry snaked me back there," said Andrews. "The lap
before he went one way through the mud, so I moved over
to take his line, and all of a sudden he came flying up
a gear taller in a totally different line. He hit that
stuff like it wasn't even there."
"I happened to walk that section of the trail in the
morning," said Hawk. "I walked all the way through it
with my big rubber boots on, and I saw there was a
bottom to it. I just up shifted and almost hydroplaned
across the top."
Hughes was set for his first GNCC podium finish until
his bike quit just a few miles from the finish. This
allowed Raines, who broke his shoulder four weeks ago at
the GNCC opener in Texas, to collect third place.
Fourth went to KTM's Brian Garrahan, with FMF Suzuki's
Rodney Smith taking fifth despite riding with a
hyper-extended elbow. Smith's teammate Mike Kiedrowski
had a rough day, as a lapper took him down at
high-speed, resulting in broken engine cases and a DNF
for the four-time AMA National Motocross Champion.
With a win and a third on the season, Hawk is the GNCC
points leader again, with Smith a close second.
The GNCC Series will head north this weekend for the
Maxxis General GNCC in Washington, Georgia. The Aonia
Pass Motocross Park will give racers a chance to show
their motocross skills, and the rest of the track
promises tight, tree-lined trails. ATVs race The General
on March 6 and bikes race March 7.
Admission is $10 for the weekend in Georgia. Amateur
race entry fees are $40. The Maxxis General GNCC is
located five miles east of Washington, Georgia on Rt.
78. From Thompson, Georgia, take I-20 to 78, then take
St. Route 78 for 14.8 miles. For more information, log
onto www.gnccracing.com.
The AMA Grand National Cross Country series is America's
premier off-road racing series. One of the most
physically demanding sports in the world, the nearly
three-hour long cross-country races lead as many as 1300
riders through tracks ranging from eight to twelve miles
in length. With varied terrain including hills, mud,
dirt, rocks and motocross sections, GNCC races are tests
of both survival and speed. GNCC featured sponsors
include Parts Unlimited, Moose, Maxxis, Yamaha, Wiseco,
Klotz, FMF, Dunlop and ITP, and riders compete for over
$500,000 in series prizes and contingency money. The
2003 series aired weekly on Speed Channel. Associate
sponsors include Moose Utility Division, Scott,
Alpinestars, Cometic, Outerwears, Pro Armor, Race Tools,
Twin Air, SFB Racing, Thor, Racer X Illustrated, EFM,
Motion Pro, Tire Balls, GPR Stabilizer. Moto-Tee's,
Warrior and Laeger's.
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