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m 1) Own Race Rodney Smith "One minute I was in the lead - the next minute I didn't think I was going to even finish," said the defending champ of his dynamic race. The FMFjSuzuki-backed Califomian led early, and then led again when he skipped an air-filter change to pass Barry Hawk in the pits. "I thought I was going to be fine, and then when I got to the end of the pit row, it stopped running," said Smith. "So then I had to ride around that way the whole lap. I didn't think I would make it around; I even had to push my bike up some hills." Later, Smith suffered a flat rear tire, too. All of the problems could have pushed the veteran out of the points, but he picked his spots right and persevered to take third and capture the series points lead. 1) 11 Chuck Woodford After winnIng two of the last three GNCCs, this Team Green rider couldn't get things to go his way at High Point. After a bad start, he had a tough time catching the leaders in some of the dustier sections, and he bad to settle for seventh. "/ knew today wasn't my day," he said. "I was just charging and charging and wasn't really catching anyone." 71 Mike Lafferty After missing a race (and much hope for the GNCC Championship) with a broken shoul&ler blade, this KTM rider showed up at High Point unsure of his health, but he rode strong for most of the day. "Considering I broke my shoulder six weeks ago tomorrow, I'm pretty happy," said the multi-time enduro champ. After riding smart to avoid clogging his filter with dust, Lafferty was running in fourth. But then a rock ripped his rear-brake line off, and he had to stop for a new set of brakes. "I could have had a DNF there, so eighth isn't bad," he said. "We've got a few weeks now to get some work done." § out of first gear in a wide-open field. From there, Hawk was never seriously challenged. The real battle came .Jason Raines dropped out of the race after his recently broken leg started giving him troubles. He fell from first to third In the points race with just two races to go. behind him. At one point, Californian Garrahan looked like a solid bet for the runner-up spot, but he was passed by Andrews. Garrahan then ricocheted off of some trees and injured his shoulder. This opened the door for the entire pack of Suzuki riders to return to near the front of the pack and fill out the rest of the top-five positions. CN High Point &NCC Maunt Marris, Pennsylvania September, 2002 [Round 11 of 13J O/A: 1. £lorry Howk Jr. (Yom): 2. Fred Andrews (Kow): 3. Rodney Smith (5uz): 4. Steve Hotch (Suz): 5. Mike Kiedrowski (5uz); 6. Robbie Jenks (Yom): 7. Chuck Woodford (Kow): 8. Mike Lofterty (KTM): 9. Andy 5heo (KTM): 10. Oovld Lykke (Yom). AMA GRAND NATIONAL CROSS COUNTRY C'SHIP POINTS STANDINGS (Arter 8 of 13 rounds): 1. Rodney Smith {213{2 wins}; 2. Mike Lofterty (204/1 win); 3. Joson Rolnes (203/3 wins); 4. Mike Kiedrowski (193): 5. Fred Andrews (188/1 win); 6. Chuck Woodford (153/2 wins); 7. Robbie Jenks (149); 8. £lorry Howk Jr. (133/1 win): 9. Brion Gorrohon (122); 10. Rondy Howkins (110). Upcoming Rounds: Round 12 - St. Clairsville, Ohio, October 6 Final Round - Crawfordsville, Indiana, October 20 Jason Raines The Cinderella story for this young Yamaha rider may have come to an end at High Point. Raines had been trying to come back early from a broken leg, but the limb just isn't strong enough yet. "I twisted it pretty hard, and it hurt really bad," said the former series points leader. "It didn't really get any better. Then my confidence started to go because guys I haven't raced in a long time started to pass me." Falling out of a points-paying position, Raines had no choice but to call it a bad day at High Point. "It's just been 24/7 pain for me for the last few months, and it's hard to deal with," he said. "I'm just watching it all slip away now.' cD veteran FMF Suzuki pilot put in another strong ride to colSteve Hatch The lect fifth place. A clogged air filter, of course, was a factor in his race, ") got off to one of my best starts in awhile, and was up there with [teammates) Rodney and MK," Hatch said. "But then my air filter went, and I dropped back to eighth. I rode a little less aggressive after that so I wouldn't clog one again." 7l@@ Brian Garrahan This KTM rider was putting in his best GNCC ride in months when he cruised past a pack of riders with clogged air filters and took the second-place spot. But then it fell apart when he tagged a tree and bounced off of it into several others, and eventually dislocated his shoulder. The Califomian tried to relocate the joint by bashing hinnself into a tree, and that hurt so badly that he actually passed out from the pain. He came to a few minutes later and was ridden back to the pits. As for the severity of the injury, Garrahan hadn't agreed to go to a hospital and have the joint checked on when we spoke with him after the race. BRIEFLY••• Barry Hawk knows his way around the High Point track. Four months ago, he qualified for the AMA/Chevy Trucks U.S. National Motocross at High Point and finished within the top 30 in both 250cc motos. This week's Shane Watts report found the KTM pilot back in action with the pro. following his lingering wrist problems. Watts rode one lap in 10th place, and then pulled out due to soreness. While the previous series round - the John Penton ONCC, In Millfield, OhIO - had appeared to be much dustier than the High Po,nt race, a lot more riders suffered air-filter problems at thiS round. Scott Summers, a five-time ONCC Champion and an analyst for the ONCC lV Series on the Outdoor Ufe Networl<, offered his opinion as to why bikes were sucking In so much more dust in Pennsylvania. "This course has a lot of sections where you go fast. stop, make a tight tum and then get on It hard again," offered Summers. "The last race seemed a little smoother. When you have to constantly accelerate hard like you do here, a bike pulls in a lot more dust. • FMF Suzuk.i Team Manager Mike Webb is happy to see his team's early·season struggles turning around.•A lot of people asked me if I was worried at the beginning of the season." Webb said. "But I never worried. We were just having bad luck. and some of the other riders weren't having any bad luck. But everyone has bad luck in this senes. We're just having our good luck at the end of the year instead of the beginning. " When Mike Lafferty asked his doctor if he could start racing again with his Injured shoulder, the doctor said he would be fine as long as he didn't crash. All Lafferty could do In response was laugh. For the second time this season, an amateur rider finished in the top 10 overall, and for the second time it was Ohio-based KTM pilot Andy Shea, of the 250cc A Class. Shea finished ninth. Seal. CommunIcations, producer of the ONCC TV Series, entered B.J. Smith, one of Its producers, into the Industry class on a Rodney Smith-replica bike to get an inSide take on racing a ONce. Smith on Smith's bike will air on MotoWond and on the ONCC lV senes on the Outdoor Ufe Network. which airs Sundays at 5 p.m. EST and Thursdays at 7 p.m. EST. cue I • n e _ S • OCTOBER 2, 2002 17