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(Left) Steve Hatch took fourth behind Jason Raines, while Rodney Smith (right) worked his way up to second after a bad start. Motocrosser Brock Sellards gave the High Point GNCC a try. He was running third when his rear tire came oft the rim, quick work of the motocross section, displaced ~drews and grabbed third by the time the pack hit the woods. Smith's great start wouldn't last long. The series points leader crashed twice early, and would pass the electronic scoring system at the end of lap one in 10th. "I got a good start, but I threw it away right in the beginning: Smith said. "I was in second and got into a tight section and bailed off once. I got back up still in second, and then I went down into some trees and lost the front end. Then I couldn't get the bike out." With Smith down and out, Andrews picked up the pace and passed Sellards. Then he and Jarrett set a furious pace that pulled them almost one minute ahead of the rest of the field. Once back on the motocross track, Jarrett started jumping the big uphill double, and the rest of the pack tried to follow his lead. Soon, riders were casing it, such as Yamaha's Randy Hawkins, who actually bounced off the track after clipping the jump. When the lap ended, Sellards was in third, with Hatch and Raines battling over fourth and fifth. Yamaha's Robbie Jenks, AMA Enduro champ Mike Lafferty, Watts, Kiedrowski and Smith rounded out the top 10 at the end of lap one. Even further back was Hawk, who got off the line just inside the top 20. Up front, Andrews and Jarrett were in a race by themselves. On the second lap, they both ran the only sub23-minute lap times of the day, but Andrews managed to seize the lead. "I rode hard, and I figured Jimmy could keep the pace because he's a good rider," said Andrews. "But I think I dusted him a few times and got awa y a bit." Andrews began opening up a gap on the fast starting Jarrett, and he led by just over 30 seconds by the end of lap three. Then disaster nearly struck when he ran out of gas. "Just before I came in for gas, my bike started running out of gas. I pulled the choke in but it just kept bogging. I thought to myself, 'It can't be that.' I reached for the choke, then I popped the clutch and it got me to the tunnel. I got about halfway through the tunnel and I started pushing. Lafferty's team saw me pushing, 50 they got on my crew 50 they could come over and get gas in it. Man, I was just thinking, 'Oh no.'" Andrews had tried a new fuel tank for the race, and it almost cost him. "Kawasaki gave me a new tank with a flatter top: said Andrews. "It's supposed to work better with my dry break, but it holds less gas. I think I'll go back to myoid tank next time." The gas-up drama didn't cost Andrews much time, but he almost threw it away again out on the track. "That [the gas stop] got my heart rate really going and I fell twice on that lap. I said to myself, 'Slow down and get yourself together.'" Andrews would get it together, aided by Jarrett's demise from second place. "Freddy got by me and I followed him for like three or four laps: said Jarrett. "But then I hit a rock and went off the track and hit a stump and smashed my foot." The early laps put Jarrett's considerable speed on display, but he's still not satisfied with the way his season has gone. "I'm not really happy where I'm at. The whole series has pretty much been like today. I have good races but something always happens. I just can't seem to put one together." Also dropping out was Sellards, who had given up the battle with his rear tire. Hatch inherited second through the attrition. "I got a pretty good start in about fifth: said Hatch. "I got around the motocross track pretty good. Kiedrowski passed me, but I thought that was okay because I saw Jimmy [Jarrett] and Rodney [Smith] up front, 50 I knew all the Suzuki guys were up there. Then about a mile in, I saw Kiedrowski dive down for a $20 bill or something, because he just fell right off his bike. Then about a mile later there's Rodney just laying out in the trail. So I got stuck in his rear fender. I figured this wasn't good, almost hitting my teammates." Hatch's hard-charging style would lead to some special gas strategies for him, too. "I knew I would have to pit on the third lap and the fifth because I'm really bad with gas," said Hatch. "I really had to pin it to make "I felt good today, but it wasn't anything special," said Andrews. "I felt just like I did any other day." "He was just in the zone today: said Raines of Andrews. "Even when he had the big lead he just kept going. Hopefully I'll get to do that someday." Andrews has won three out of the last four rounds, but Smith's fourstraight second-place rides highlight his consistency. This year, riders can't throwaway bad scores like they had in years past, so every race counts. "I was actually one of the ones who pushed for it," said Andrews of the rule change. "Now it has come back against me. But Rodney's been consistent all year, and that's okay because it really does make him the true champion." l:N up for that. " Also pinning it was Raines, who sucked on to Hatch's rear fender in a battle for second. "I started like 10th, but when I got to the woods I saw Smith down and Lafferty stuck on him: said Raines. "Then I caught Steve [Hatch] and Sellards." Once Sellards dropped off, it left Raines to scrap for third with Hatch. "I went back and forth with Steve for about two laps: said Raines. "Then Rodney and Barry started coming up on us." While Andrews continued to cruise out front, the Smith and Hawk train joined the Rains and Hatch battle for second. The closing laps of the race sawall four swapping positions. In Hilh Paint IlIIceway Mount Monis, Pennsylnnia Results: Seplllmber 23, 2001 [Round 11 of 131 the end, Smith stayed in front of Hawk, and he managed to catch and pass his teammate Hatch. Then Raines had a problem that dropped PRO: I. Fred Andrews (Kow): 2. Rodney Smith (Suz); 3. Jason Raines (Yem): 4. Randy Hawkins (Yam); 5. Barry Hewk Jr. (Yam): 6. Steve Hatch (Suz): 7. Mike Kiedrowski (Suz); 8. Robbie Jenks (Vom): 9. Michoel Lofferty (KTM): 10. Doug Blockwell (Vom); 11. Brodley Williscroll (KTM); 12. Potrick Gorrohon (KTM): 13. Paul Whibley (Hon): 14. Brion Gorrohon (KTM): 15. Robert Lone III (Su,): 16. him to fifth. "I made a little mistake and blew a turn," said Raines. "I hit some logs and got stuck. Mark Hyde [of the Fox Sports Net television crew] actually had to stop and pull me out." Once Smith got by, Hatch didn't push the issue, as he knew his teammate could use a few extra points in Josh McLevy (Hon); 17. John Bennett (Yom); 18. Josh Lojok (Vom): 19. Jomes Reed (KTM): 20. Bloir Bersano (Suz). GRAND NAT10NAL CROSS COUNTRV SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (After 11 of 13 rounds): 1. Rodney Smith (275): 2. Fred Andrews (232); 3. Shone Wons (183); 4. Steve Hotch (168); 5. Joson Roines (163): 6. Mike Lofferty (148); 7. Mike Kiedrowski (142): 8. Joshuo McLevy (126): 9. Robbie Jenks (123); 10. BorrY Howk Jr. (116); 11. Rondy HowkJns (108); 12. Chu<:k Woodford (99): 13. Bloir Bersono (76); 14. Doug Blockwell (65): 15. Jim Jorrell (62): 16. John Bennett (53): 17. Poul Edmondson (52); 18. Williom Gillelond (40); 19. John Moschino (36): 20. Potrick Gorrohon (32). pursuit of the GNCC championship. Regardless, both riders came in nearly a minute short of Andrews at the finish. Upcoming Rounds: Round 12 - S1. Clairsville, Ohio, OCtober 7 Round 13 - Crawfordsville, Indiana, OCtober 21 BRIEFLy•••• Former ONCC champion Ed Lojak was on hand at High Point. helping his son Ed Jr. learn the ropes of ONCC racing. -It's great to see how much the series has grown." said the five-time series champion. "It's amazing. the Coombs family has done a great job keeping it going." The junior Lojak placed 11 th in the 200cc A class. KTM Factory Supercrosser Brock Sellards' entry made waves in the pits. Oddly. Sellards entered the race not only for ONCC experience. but to polish his supercross skills as well. 'I'm actually going to race the KTM 200 at the U.S. Open in Las Vegas." Sellards said. "I asked KTM for a 200 to practice with. and they gave me an MXC bike. which has all the woods equipment on it. So I went and rode in the woods for a few days. and then rode a hare scrambles last week and had a lot of fun. So I decided to come here just to see what it's all about. Jim Jarrett's strong start was aided by his familiarity with the High Point course. Jarrett raced on the High Point motocross track the weekend before at a vet national. He went 1-1 in the 25+ class. cue I • n e _ S • OCTOBER 10.2001 45