R o u nd 8
OFF-ROAD
:~
AMA Grand National Cross Country S eries
.,
Ja son Rain es w as able to
pe rsevere th rough the
tough conditions to come
out on top for the second
race in a row.
JASON RAINES edgeg oul
Rodney Smilh - again - al
Ihe Palriol 6NCC
STORY BY JASON WEIGANDT
PHOTOS BY RAYMOND GUNDY
ran d Nati o na l Cross C oun t ry rac es may be
three hou rs in le ngth . but fo r t he last five
ro unds . the battle for the w in has come down
to just the final few minutes . It see ms that no
matter the conditions. no matte r the lo cat io n
or no matter the competition . each GNCC race boils down
to a one-on-one duel between Am Pro Yamaha's Jaso n Raines
and FMF Suzuki's Rodney Smith.
And so it was at the Patr iot GN CC in Virginia. T he trac k,
a sandy affair that weaved through tight trees, continued to
get rougher as the day went on. And th e competition. from
FMF Suzuki teammates Fred Andrews and Mike Kiedrowski.
looked more determined than ever. But in the final miles of
the event. Raines and Smith were alone out front again. w ith
Raines finally emerging the victor for the second race in a row.
"It was an awesome battle ," Raines said . "We must have
passed five o r six times on the last lap. Like I've been saying.
these battles have been the greatest of my life."
Smith. who is known as one of the sma rtest racers on the tour
G
