Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
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(Left) Robbie Jenks was right in the thick of things all race long and finished third. (Right) Mike Kiedrowski struggled a little bit, finishing a disappointing ninth. (Below! Mike Lafferty leads a group of riders through the Kentucky trees. all three sections designed to offer maximum passing opportunities. It obviously worked. The pro riders raced seven laps of the 10-mile course, with lap times hovering under the 26-minute mark. The popular event drew just under 1100 entries over the weekend, including 74 minicycle racers in the GNCC Youth division. Of all the GNCC entries, Raines has been the most successful so far, as he leads the Pro points with 151. Lafferty, who had his four-race podium streak snapped at Sparta, lies second with 127, while Smith is third with 108. One rider who was not ranked in the points standings coming into Sparta was former GNCC champion Shane Watts, who returned to racing after a long lay-off while rehabbing a broken left wrist. Watts was happy to be racing again, but he was only able to complete three laps before pulling off with wrist pain (see Briefly... ). Yamahas dominated the Sparta start, as Jenks grabbed the holeshot ahead of Raines and fellow YZ rider Barry Hawk. Hawk crashed early, though, while the KTMs of Lafferty and Brian Garrahan put on some moves to join the lead pack. Garrahan spent too long getting into his pace, which allowed the pack to get away, and once the lead group was established, they weren't ready to give it up. "I knew if I lost that lead pack, it would be over," Lafferty said. "You actually had to back it down to do that, because you couldn't make a big mistake. So I rode a little bit more conservative to stay in there." It wasn't long before a battle developed between the top four, as Jenks led at the end of the first lap, with Smith coming around in fourth only about 10 seconds back. Lafferty took a few shots at Jenks on lap two, and they swapped back and forth a few times. "It was fun," Jenks said. "This is the way racing should be." After those two exchanged the point position, Smith put on a charge and caught Jenks as well. The duo leapt over a water hole side-by-side, and then drag-raced to the top of a wide-open uphill, with the motocross- but this time Raines was able to get past when he needed to. Raines made the final pass on a challenging climb. "On that uphill, everyone was cutting across it," Raines said, "but I squared it and rode straight over the roots instead of turning on them. Then we came up on the last really snotty hill, and I just weaseled my way past some tappers, and that was it." Smith didn't have the same luck getting up the hill or going past the lappers. "He got me on the uphill, but I still thought I was okay because we had the grass track," Smith said. "But I got tangled in some lappers and couldn't get close enough to him. It's okay, though. We've had an up-and-down year, so I'm happy with a podium." eN Spartan 6NCC Sparta, Kentucky May 5. 2002 (Round 6 .f 131 savvy Smith making the pass stick. Unfortunately, he would stick his Suzuki's front end in the ground soon after, and the resulting jack-knife crash sent him right back to fourth. While this was going on, Raines seemed more content to hang back. "All morning, I had heard how slick and rooted the track was," Raines said. "So I figured Robbie could go ahead and lead it if he wants. But then I blew a turn and lost some ground on them." Raines managed to reel the pack back in, while Lafferty overtook Jenks by the end of the fourth lap. A few rough encounters with lappers eventually knocked Lafferty back a bit, while Smith starting mounting a comeback from about 20 seconds back. "Rodney came up and passed us all, but then he must have crashed, so I didn't see him for a while," said Raines. "But then I came around with two laps to go, and they wrote 'Smith coming' on the pit board. Before I knew it, I was side-by-side with some guy on the grass track. I mean, he came from nowhere. Rodney railed me in that turn - I couldn't believe how fast he went through there." The slick grass-track pass put Smith in the lead heading into the final lap, while Raines lost five sec· onds to him when his crew pulled him in for a splash of fuel. Once he pulled out of the pits, the last-lap shootout everyone has been waiting for between last year's champion and this year's upstart was on. Smith is usually rock-solid in such situations, PRO: 1. Jason Raines (Yam); 2. Rodney Smith (Suz); 3. Robbie Jenks (YoIlIm); 4. Mike Lafferty (KTM); 5. Chuck Woodford (Kow); 6. Sorry Howk Jr. (Yam); 7. Brilln GllrTahan (KTM); B. Doug Bltllckwell (Hon); 9. Mike Kiedrowski (Suz); 10. Randy Hawkins (Vom). AMA GRAND NATIONAL CROSS COUNTRV SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (After 6 of 13 rounds): 1. Jason Raines (151/3 wins); 2. Mike Lofferty (127/1 win); 3. Rodney Smith (108/1 win); 4. Mike Kiedrowski (98): 5. Robbie Jenks (94); 6. Fred Andrews (81); 7. Brain GlJrTahan (79); 8. Rrmdy Howkins (75); 9. Borry Howk Jr. (74); 10. Chuck Woodford (50). BRIEFLY••• After missing the first five races of the season while fighting a broken wrist. 2000 GNCC Cham· pion Shane Watts returned to action at Sparta. "I haven't been doing much actual riding.' Watts said. "I raced an FTR [Rorida Trail Riders] race a few weeks ago. and that was in deep sand. I think I pushed too hard there. though. because the next day I was really sore. so I couldn't ride again." Despite the time off. Watts came to Sparta ready to contend. saying. "I wouldn't have come out here if I wasn't thinking I could do well. - Wattsy cruised through the first lap and then turned it up on lap two. Then the wrist soreness kicked in part way through lap three. so he elected to pull off before risking further injury. Racer Productions announced some details on the 2002 GNCC television series. Seals Communications. experienced producers of AMA Supercross and National Motocross (as well as the popular Motoworld program) will produce the shows. which will air on the Outdoor Life Network. "Were all really excited to do this series.' said veteran motocross television producer Scott McLemore.• Based on the footage weve collected so far, I think the show is really going to impress people.' Dates and times for the show wiIi be announced shortly. Racer also announced that the ninth round of the GNCC Series, coming up on June 30, will be the Wisp GNCC at Deep Creek Mountain Resort. Wisp is a popular ski and golf resort in McHenry, Maryland. and the ski trails will be converted to a GNCC track for the weekend. FMF Suzuki mechanic Shane Nalley won the Industry class as part of Sunday moming's amateur race. Nalley spins wrenches for Mike Kiedrowski, but when he showed up at the end of lap one with a flat rear tire. Kiedrowski didn't return the favor, as the rest of the Suzuki mechanics changed Nalley's tire. Jason Raines wasn't happy when his crew pulled him in for a quick fuel splash before the last lap, but it may have saved him. His Yamaha teammate Barry Hawk didn't stop for gas. and when he slowed after crossing the finish line. his bike stalled because the tank had run dry. cue' e n e _ S • MAY 15, 2002 33