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AMA Grand National Cross Country Series Round 6: Rausch Creek GNCC BRIEFLy•••• Rausch Creek Motorsports Park hosted the event. which is just a part of the facility's ambitious plan to become one of the premier racing destinations in the country. Rausch Creek already contains three motocross tracks and a network of trails for public riding, and it also hosts rally-car races and off-road truck events. The GNCC course and pits were laid out over a , 200-acre section destined to become a road-race course. While land for the course has been cleared, dirt and rocks remained on the ground to serve the off-road community. Eventually, the ground will sprout paddock garages as well as a racecourse that the facility hopes will draw national attention. Despite the road racing intentions, the Rausch Creek GNCC course was one of the toughest in the off-road discipline. Sharp rocks liltered the terrain, and GNCC trail boss Jeff Russell, a former AMA National Enduro Champion, laid out an entirely new trail. without using the existing public access trails. This kept the woods tight and the speeds down. "You had to think a lot out there," said Team Green's Chuck Woodford of the course. "I like that. You couldn't just hang it out here or you were going down on the rocks, which isn't good." Most of the Rausch Creek rocks were embedded in the ground, but a few did come loose to serve as roost. RER Motorcity's Josh McLevy felt the brunt of one when he was hit in the eye early in the race. "I lost my goggles, and one came up and nailed me in the eye," said the Connecticut privateer. "I seriously couldn't see at all - I was scared. The good thing is, my face stopped it. which is okay because I'm ugly anyway." As if the course weren't tough enough, the entire race was run under the threat of a tomado, which promised to make the races interesting to say the least. Racer Productions hustled to get the races started early in the hopes of beating the storm, "This could be crazy," said Jason Raines before the race. "I've-heard the storm may hit during the race, so that's a liltle tough to prepare for. Especially when it's a tornado!" The race was held on Mother's Day, which meant a lot of racers where thanking their mothers big-time for lelling them come out and race. Hawk wished his mother Debbie a happy Mother's Day on the podium, and Yamaha's Thad DuVall wished a happy day to his mother when he won the GNCC Youth race earlier in the weekend. But not every racer's plans worked so well. SCR Yamaha's Robbie Jenks wrote "podium for mom's day" on his gas tank, but he could only muster a seventh, Mike Lafferty's mother was also at the race, as was his dad and a bunch of old mends. The Rausch Creek event is the closest the GNCC Series comes to Lafferty's New Jersey home. "There's a lot of people to meet and a lot of hands I want to shake," said Lafferty. "You need to work to keep your schedule right. But it's worth it: I love to see everyone here. " With first-, second- and fifth-piace finishes, the three-man Am-Pro Yamaha outfit had reason to celebrate after the race. "Not bad for a bunch of rednecks, right?" joked team manager Randy Hawkins, who placed fifth on the day. "Those guys (Barry Hawk and Jason Raines] really push me and push each other, and that keeps us from gelling soft. We don't put the pressure on to win like other teams, we just try to have fun, and we know if we do that the results are going to come." So far they have, with Hawk and Raines running first and second in series points, When Raines says Hawk has stolen his magic from last year, he's not kidding. Last year, Raines won the GNCC season-opener in Florida and then became the first two-time winner of the season, by winning the Loretta Lynn's GNCC, and then the first three-time winner, by winning the race after that. Hawk has done the exact same thing in 2003. Last year, Raines learned that a fast start doesn't always equate to a championship. Hawk learned that a long time ago. "I'm done With thinking I've won championships before they're over," said Hawk. "I learned my lesson in 1993, when I thought I wrapped up my first ATV title, We had a big celebration that night. and then the next day we went to the track and found out we had miscalculated. We had to go down to the last round and fight for it. I ended up winning the race and the championship, but we learned our lesson. Raines admilted he was a liltle timid during the race, as the rocky conditions reminded him of the Wisp GNCC, where his 2002 GNCC title bid ended with a broken leg. "Before the race, a woman came up to me and said 'Break a leg,' and I thought. 'Man, you really don't want to say that to me!'" said Raines. "Early on, I looked around and saw Michael (Laffertyl and Rodney (Smith] and thought, 'This looks just like the Wisp.' So I was a liltle scared out there. - Defending champ Rodney Smith . . . challenging for the lead when hi. chain broke. It was hi. third DNF of the season so far. race woes with an eighth, Fred Andrews was a dissapointing ninth, and 250cc A rider Ryan Rodgers collected a career-high 10th overall on "I knew I had to go now, so I just fender as the two-lap board came uncorked it, and finally I saw them," out, now two hours into the three- Raines also rode past Lafferty and said Hatch. hour race, and then made the pass in tried to stay with his teammate, but a the first mile, few mistakes cost him a chance at 1lesuIts: ..., II, ZDI3 the win. Even after Hawk dropped his O/A: 1. Blirry HlIwk Jr. (Yam); 2. Jason Raines (Vom): 3. Mlchoel Lofferty (KTM): 4, Steve Hotch (Suz); 5. Randy Hawkins (Yam); 6. Chuck Woodford (Kaw); 7. Robbie Jenks (Yam): 8. Mike Kiedrowski (Suz): 9. Fred Andrews (Kaw); 10. Ryan Rodgers (Vom). AMA GRAND NATIONAL CROSS COUNTRY SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (After 6 of 13 rounds): 1. Barry Hawk Jr. (156/3 wins); 2. Jason Raines (125); 3. Micheel Lafferty (110/1 win); 4. Robbie Jenks (93): 5. Fred Andrews (56/1 win); 6. Rllndy Hawkins (81): 7. Rodney Smith (72/1 win); 8. Steve Hatch (71); 9. Mike Kiedrowski (55); 10. Josh McLevy (42). He moved all the way into second and then tried to make a move on Lafferty, On a steep climb, he ended up punting a rock hard and launched himself off of his bike, He caught the group once more a lap later, but two more crashes put him out of con- "Michael was riding great, but I had figured out some good lines, and I was ready to go,' said Hawk, "I pulled a pretty good lead. Actually, his Yamaha, bike again just a few turns from the finish, Raines could only get within 30 seconds, leaving Hawk to roll across the line for his second win in a row. I had a few problems towards the Hawkins made up for a bad start to tention for good, After Smith's chain broke, the battle for the win was left end, because 1"loo-ked over my collect fifth, while Chuck Woodford shoulder and didn't see anyone, Then and Robbie Jenks came in next. to three, Hawk drew to Lafferty's I relaxed too much and fell,' Kiedrowski made up for his early- 32 n MAY 21, 2003· cue I e e _ s CIII lIIIasdI er.k &lice T~eat, Peusyhr_ia [~ . . I lit 13)