Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128319
Smith Wins Again n anoth er classic GNCC fight to the finish, FMF Suzuki veteran Rodney Smith sco red his th ird win of the 2004 AMA Grand Nat ional Cross Co untry Series at the FMF Big Buck GNCC on April 4 in Union, South Carolina, Smith barely outlasted the Am Pro Yamaha d uo of Jason Raines and Barry Hawk, w ith just seven seconds separating the three at the finish. · W hat a fantast ic race tod ay," said I Smith, wh o has w on two races in a row since t urn ing 40 . "I got a bad start and had to co me fro m last . I caught Jason with two laps to go, and w hat a race we had. We just went back and lorth. Jason rode awesome today, and Barry. rode a great race to come back from as far as he did. To be honest, I didn't even care w ho won . This was such a I great race for the fans today." Raines finished second to Smith for the second race in a row, but the yo ung Washington native know s co nsistency will w in champ ionships. "I've learned a lot over the years, and now I know sometimes these titles come down to the last man standing ," said Raines. "Rod ney and I passed each other back and forth . In th e open sections in the fields, it was kind 01 dusty, and I was just a little timid. He o utrode me today, but I had so much fun ou t there." Hawk , who DNFed the previous race w hen he fell off a bridge and ended up under wa ter, struggled early but put o n an incredible late -race charge to get to the leaders. Briefly... I Signed memorabilia from top road racers on the AHA Chevrolet 5uperbike Championship circuit will be on the line at Infineon Raceway during the first Cycle Gear Mo torcycle Charity Auction. An online "I had arm pump lor some reason, and I co uldn't shake it," said Haw k. "The n we stopped lor gas, and it was like a second wind. The ar m pump wen t away, and I started rid ing ha rd. I caught these guys in the final mile, but I co uldn't do anyth ing with them." Fourth on the day went to Th rottlehead.co m/Kawasak i Team Green's Steve Hatch, who was in th e hunt all day until he melted his rear brakes . Smith's Suzuki teammat e Mike Kiedro wski was filth. KTM's Shane Watts grabbed th e holeshot and led early, but he tired near the e nd and end ed up sixth. "I'm train ing hard e r now that I ever have," said Watts. "But th ese guys are just so fit. No excuses , I auction started on www.infineon- raceway.com, with a combi ned live/silent auction set lor Sunday, May 2, in the winners ' circle at Infineon Raceway beginning at I I: 15 a.m . All proceeds benefit needy youth organizations in SonomaCounty through Speedway Children's Charities . The Cycle Gear live/silent auction will take place during the Kawasaki AHA Superbike Showdown weekend, April ]O-May 2. For more information , visit WW'tN.infineonraceway.com. The Pe ng uin Racing School has just taken delivery 01 14 new Ducati 900 Supersport and 7S0 Supersport motorcycles, according to a re lease issued by the school. These Ducatis will be available for rent lor Penguin Racing schools, track days and CCS racing. The Penguin Racing School , established in 1973, is based at New Hampshire International Speedway in Loudon, New Hampshire. The school also operates at several Florida tracks in the winter. The Penguin/Ducati program gives riders an opportunity to earn a racing license and wore down. But it's com ing around. " compete in their first race on a profession- ally prepared racebike, all on the same weekend. Full racing gear is also available, so it's possible to fly in and race. For more information, call 508/]]9-467] or visit wwwpenguinradng.com . MX Sports LLC, producer 01the AHA Air Nautiques Amate ur National Motocross Championships at Loretta Lynn's in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, has annou nced that its program will not be participating in the G.A.M.U.T. Series recently introduced by Braun Entertainment and that Braun Entertainment is not authorized to utilize the results 01the Loretta Lynn's event to promo te its own series program. "Since 1982, the Loretta Lynn championship has been a 's nationwide racing program, wh ich includes area and regional qualifiers belore culminating in a weeklong, three-mote charnp lonship event," explained Rita Coombs of MX Sports LLC. "The overall results from Loretta Lynn's are what detemnine the AHA Air Nautiques Amateur Nat ional Motoc ross Champions in ]] separate divisions eac h August at Loretta Lynn Ranch in Hurricane 's Mills, Tennessee, and are not alfiliated with any other series or events ." For more infor - mation , contact MX Sports at www.MXSports.com, or call ]04/284-0084. World Trials Back To Minnesota The Wo rld Trials Championship will again visit Minnesota, with a rou nd slated lor Dulut h, June 5-6. More than 40 ob served trials mo torcycle riders fro m througho ut Europe, Japan and No rth Ame rica w ill co mpe te that wee ke nd in th e Spirit Mountain World Round , the fourth round 01 the 2004 Wo rld Championship. Riders competing in the se ries w ill go to Duluth fro m th e third roun d at Motegi, Japan , May 22-23 . This marks the second time a World Champ ionship trials event has been held in Minnesota, with the first taking place at Spirit Mountain in June 01 2002 , when it wo n the FIM's Environ me ntal Awa rd that recognizes adherence to the FIM 's strict envi- ro nme ntal code as we ll as the eve nt's overall organ izat ion and setting . The Spirit Mountain trials were selected for the aw ard fro m more than 1000 FIM-sanctioned even ts held that yea r in more than 90 motorcycle disciplines , acco rding to eve nt prom ot ers. areas. Also, some 01 the 2002 sections that were located near the bottom 01 the ski hill have bee n eliminat ed . Cost lo r tickets is $20 per day or $ ] 0 fo r bo th days. T ickets are hall-price for those und er 10 and free lor those unde r 6. Advance tickets are available now via www.w orfd· round usa.com . For mo re informati on, including directions Promoters say there will be significant ly less wa lking re qu ired for spec tato rs at this to Spirit M ounta in and inform ation abo ut year 's event, w ith the course including some accomm odations in the Duluth area, visit the new sections that are close to the parking event's website at: WVtI\N.w oridroundusa.com . www.cyclenews.com A co llection 01 key motorcycles 01 the last 40 years will roll into New York City 's lamed Rockefe lle r Ce nter lor a specia l three-week exh ibition that will be lree to the public. Nearly 50 01 the most significant, most des ired and revolutionary bikes 01 the past and present are set to be spotlighted May 19 through June 6 in The Concourse at Rockeleller Plaza. Slated to take center stage, with an eye to the future, are several rare concept and custom motorcy- c1es, according to a release issued by Discover Today's Motorcycling . This is the second collaboration between the Rockeleller Center and Discover Today's Motoncycling. The first show took place in April 2002 . Continued on page 15 CYCLE NE WS • APRil 14, 2004 9