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AMA Grand National Cross Country Series Round 9: The Wisp GNCC The Wisp GNCC McHenry, Maryland Results: June 29, 2003 [Round 9 of 13J O/A: 1. Barry Hawk Jr. (Yam); 2. Jason Raines (Yam); 3. Rodney Smith (Suz); 4. Fred Andrews (Kaw): 5. Steve Hatch (Suz): 6. Mike Lafferty (KTM); 7. Scott Summers (Han): 8. Randy Hawkins (Yam): 9. Doug Blackwell (Han); 10. Robbie Jenks (Yam). AMA GRAND NATIONAL CROSS COUNTRY SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (Afler 9 of 13 rounds): 1. Barry Hawk, Jr. (223/4 wins); 2. Jason Raines (168): 3. Michael Lafferty (165/1 win); 4. Fred Andrews (150/1 win); 5. Robbie Jenks (128); 6. Randy Hawkins (122); 7. Steve Hatch (116); 8. Rodney Smith (93/1 win). 9. Chuck Woodford (85/2 wins); 10. Mike Kiedrowski (64). Upcoming Rounds: Round 10 - Taylortown, Pennsylvania, September 6-7 Round 11 - Sparta, Kentucky, September 20-21 BRIEFLY•• • per on lap two, caught his wheel and went down. "Rodney [Smith] almost stepped on my head; he almost crashed on top of me," Raines said. From there, Smith held the point, and he looked strong. "I figured those guys weren't too worried about me in points, so I just went for it," Smith said. whoop it," said Raines. But once again, the final lap led to his undoing. "Man, I couldn't get anything right on that last lap." Raines said. "I hit a bunch of lappers. It was one of those split-second decisions. I couldn't get At one point, Lafferty's crew made a fast pit stop and got him out second behind Smith. The champ held tough, and Lafferty was wiped out by a lapper the next time through the pit. around the lapper, and Barry [Hawk] passed me. Then I tried to get around and got stuck in some trees. Rodney [Smith] got past me, too. Then I was really going for it, and I fell again." With Raines crashing and Smith still struggling with a sore arm he suffered in a crash, it looked like all With a lap and a half to go, Lafferty lost his clutch and went into full survival mode. This left a three-rider duel for it all. Hawk. But Raines put on one more dramatic push through the final miles. "I was riding, and I didn't hear anyone," Hawk said. "So then I started "I was content to just hang around and follow those guys," Hawk said. "They were riding well. Jason was definitely riding the best he has all season. I know he wanted to win here bad." Just like last year, Raines was chasing Smith late in the game. But this time Smith made the error, thinking too much about not making mistakes. The whole time I was saying, 'Don't crash in those rocks, don't crash in those rocks.' So then I start- catching a stick in his rear brake and crashing. Raines had the lead back, and it looked like he was going to have his revenge. "This place took a lot from me last ed making mistakes." The mistakes were enough to let Raines catch him. On the final grasstrack, they were battling wheel to wheel, Raines desperately trying to find a way around. Hawk had enough of a gap to hold on, though, and he lofted the front wheel of his year, and I wanted to come back and Yamaha as he crossed the finish to celebrate his win. eN 32 n JULY 9. 2003' cue I e e vv s The resort community surrounding the MSR Wisp GNCC makes this a unique event. "I like this facility so much 1would race here no matter what the track was like," Scott Summers said. "This place is so nice: it's like Lake Tahoe with some of the houses and scenery around here. " Like last year's inaugural event, the race started on the grassy slopes of a golf driving range and then wound its way up through the Wisp ski slopes. The ski-lift chairs (right) were left in operation to give the fans a bird's-eye view of the event. Last year's event was brutally rocky, so this year the course was rerouted around some of the worst sections to make it a little less taxing. The top riders com- pleted six l1-mile laps in three hours. "I thought the track was the perfect mix between high-speed open stuff and then slower, technical parts with the rocks." said R.E.R. Motor City's Josh McLevy. The Wisp hosted the first-annual GNCC golf tournament presented by Parts Unlimited the Friday before the race. The event raised funds for America's Team, the U.S. Trophy Team at· the ISDE. Fans and industry types could donate funds to golf on four-man teams with the top GNCC racers. The event was about fun more than anything else. but the racers are still a competitive bunch. In the end. Barry Hawk swept the weekend when his team topped Randy Hawkins' and Fred Andrews' groups. Pittsburgh native Charles Smith was the biggest supporter of America's Team, bidding $500 to golf alongside Mike Lafferty for the afternoon. Red Bull KTM factory motocrosser Ryan Hughes (rightl was at the Wisp to take in the action. Ryno is living in Morgantown. West Virginia. for the summer with the Racer X crew. and Deep Creek is less than an hour away. He wore an electronic bone stimulator on his broken leg, all in hopes of being back to racing form at the Red Bud round of the AMA/Chevy Trucks U.S. Motocross Championship next weekend. Several events were held throughout the weekend to support America's Team. eTi donated a custom set of knee braces for the winner of a contest on the golf driving range. GNCC course marshal Dave "Hollywood" Cripe won the braces. Also. each of the 18 holes on the golf course were sponsored by companies who gave out free products throughout the weekend. With four-straight DNFs, Rodney Smith's luck has been at an all-time low lately. To tum it around. his mechanic, Mikola. hung garlic from the bike during the day and also dangled some garlic on his earring to keep the demons away.