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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were up there battling, but my bike was working awesome out there. I felt like I could just go where I wanted on it." Hawk wanted to go to the winners' circle, and he did, fighting past his teammate Jason Raines and KTM's National Enduro Champion Mike Lafferty for the win. "I knew Barry would be strong out here in the rocks," said Raines, who claimed the runner-up spot. "Barry's riding really strong right now and really consistent. I don't know what I can do to get up there with him. He's worked hard for it, and I'm proud of him." Third-placed Lafferty also worked hard battling the rocky Pennsylvania terrain, and he led a large portion of the race before the Yamaha duo unseated him. "I wanted to win so bad, but those guys got me," said Lafferty. "They're really strong." FMF Suzuki's Steve Hatch was fourth, and the third member of the Am Pro Yamaha Hawkins, was fifth. team, Randy Hawk is the only multitime winner this season, and as such he's built a big points lead of 31 over Raines. But he's far from thinking "championship" at this point. "I have to take it race by race," said Hawk. "For now, I'll just try to win the races, and usually that results in a championship." Taking the biggest hit in the championship picture was defending GNCC champ Rodney Smith, who was running up front until he broke a chain. The resulting DNF was his third of the season, which may have ended any hopes he had of landing a fifth GNCC title - at least this year. Smith looked to be a contender on the rough track, though, as he battled Hawk for the holeshot before heading out onto the 10-mile course. The pros completed six laps of the track, and on the first of them Lafferty put on his usual early-race charge to move into the lead. "I know my strength is the start of the race," said Lafferty. "I figured I would get up there and try to pull a lead and maybe get a few guys to give up." (Above) Michael Lafferty continues to run strong in the GNCC series, finishing third overall. (Left) Hawk's teammate Jason Raines got second and sits second in points. It seemed to work, since only three riders were able to hang onto him: Smith, Hawk and Raines. The rest of the pack was nearly 30 seconds down at the end of the first lap - and as the race went on and lapped riders became a factor, the chances of anyone catching the lead four was remote. "There were some tight sections, and if you would get stuck behind a slow guy there, you just had to follow him while everyone else was pulling away," said Mike Kiedrowski, who derailed a chain and lost time he couldn't make up. Meanwhile, the lead pack jockeyed back and forth taking shots at Lafferty, but he would not give up the spot. Instead, the Yamaha boys and Smith kept going at it for second. All the battling finally opened up an opportunity for someone to catch up, and Hatch was that someone. The FMF Suzuki vet strung together some good lines early in the third lap and chopped off the thirtysecond gap between him and the lead pack. cue I II! n e _ s • MAV21,2003 29