Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Smith Captures Fifth GNCC Title \ A Ji th a big V V Ironman win at the Klotz GNCC in Cra wfo rdsville, Indiana , on October 24, Am Pro Yamaha's Barry Haw k e nde d t he 2004 Grand National C ross Cou nt ry season with three-straigh t victories. But Hawk has had better days, because after the race he had to hand his GNCC number-one plate over to FMF Suzuki's Rodney Smith, who clinched a historic fifth career GNCC thanks to another strong, consistent season. "I rea llydidn't think I wou ld win this title this year," said Smith, who ende d up clinching the cham pionship at the Ironman when his rival, Am Pro Y amaha's Jaso n lafferty, who has struggled in his come back fro m a knee injury, logged his best GNCC ride of the year with sec ond. Forthe secondrace in a row, Team Green Kawasaki's Chuck Woodford ended up third. With the title sew n up, Smith dropped from the race early and let his historic victory ce lebration begin. Smith's 2004 achieve ment is significant for several reasons. Not only Is he the first 40·year-old to clinch the title, but also his fifth GN CC championship ties him with series legends Scott Summers and Ed Lojak on top of the all-time title list . "When Suzuki switched to Raines, was unable to race due t o a bro ken shoulder. "This year I tumed 40, and I don't know what it is about that age, but so me times you have some do ubts . But then I got a w in at 40, and I think that was this series ye ars ago, I re membe r thinking, I was in my 30s and I didn't think I was young enough to learn every - a big turning point for m e. Winni ng the title at 40, that's such a big mile marke r, I'd say this is the sweet est out of all the titles I have." Hawk had to hand his plate back to Smith after taking it from him last year, but he did end his season on a high note by o ut-dueli ng National Enduro Ch ampion Mike lafferty for a win. "I'm definitely happy, especia lly because we won the last two races on the 200S YZ," said Hawk. "We got a lot of homework done early, so we'll be rea dy for next I thing and eve n w in on e title." year. It's okay to have to hand it over to Rodney, tho ugh. He's a great guy. I remembe r looking up to him whe n I was just an A ride r, and I felt like I could hardly eve n talk to him! And 1 still loo k up to him. He 's a grea t champion, and I can't take anything away from him." Smith said. "I definitely didn't t hink I w ou ld be able to match Scott [Summers) . He 's kind of like a ro le mode l for me; he's so professional and he rea lly brough t the sport to another level. It's amaz ing to me that I was able to match his rec ord." FMF Suzuki's Doug Blackwe ll over came a terrible start and clawe d all the way back to fourth overall, with Throttlehead.com Kawasaki's Steve Hatch ending a solid season in fifth. Briefly... On Monday, O ctober 2S, reserved grandstan d seats, cam psites and individual suite tickets went on sale for the U.S. MotoGP round sched uled for Mazda Raceway laguna Seca, July 8-10. All re maining tickets will be available online at www.laguna-seca .com beginning at 8 a.m. on Tue sday, O ctober 26. There is no limit on the number of general admission tickets, reserved grandstan d tickets or paddock passes, but there is a limit of eight per person for Pre mier Pit Row Suite, Turn 3 Paddock SU Turn 2 Suite and Haite, groom tickets, accordi ng to Laguna. Gener- al admission ticket prices range from only $15 for Friday to $90 for a three-day ticket . Rese rved grandstand seati ng is $ 10 for Saturday and $1S for Sunday, with a choice of either the turn four or turn 1I grandstands. Children 12 and unde r recei ve free general admission. Everyone , regard less of age , must have a grandstand ticket to sit in the grandstands. A limited num ber of paddock passes are available for $2S and are good for all thre e days. (Separa te admission ticket Is required.) Fans can choose from four different individual hospitality options, including Premier Pit Row Suite, Turn 2 Suite (located ride r's right at the exit of turn two), Turn 3 Paddock Suite (locate d ride r's left at the exit of tu rn th ree ) and Flagroom (located betw ee n turns four and five). The se individual hospitality op tions include genera l admission, reserved seat, closed circuit tel evision, souve nir pro gram, preferred parking, paddock acces s, and food and bevera ge. Some include pit access and ot her ame nities. Camping options include a very limited numb er of reserved sites, along wi th non- Yamaha Back to World Superbike With R I right to ret urn to World Superbike," said Laur e ns Klein Koerka mp, Yamaha Motor Yamaha Moto r Europe's officially supported Yamaha Moto r Italia squad will switc h from the Supe rsp ort World Championship and enter a two-rider team in the 200S Superbike World Championship , according to Yamaha. Between the inauguration of the World Superb ike Series in 1988 and 1994 , Yamaha Racing's European ope rations manager. "O ur M otor Italia, under its former name of 8elgarda, financed and managed its own superbike program - taking several race wi ns and regularly finishing in the top five in the se ries cham pionship. In 1995, when Yamaha decided to make an official entry into the championship, it did so th rough the Yamaha Motor ltalia grou p. Yamaha withdrew from the series at the end of the 2000 season, afte r No riyuki Haga finished seco nd in the cham pionship, to concentrate on development for the YZR-MI MotoGP pro ject. Between 200 I and 2004 , Yamaha Motor Europe focused its attention to supporting the YZF-R6 entry in th e Supers port World C hampionship. Although the tea m is in place , no riders have been signed at this point. "Yamaha M otor Europe felt the time was been changed to allow four-cylinder 1000cc sportsbikes to e nter the champio nship. The RI is Europe's best selling supersport bike and has already proven its co mpe titiveness in 2004 , winning the Endurance Wo rld Championship and claiming the top four positions in the Euro pean Superstock Cha mp ionship. W e are sure that our re turn to World Superbikes will further reinforce the RI's sporti ng image." Co lin Reed said. "A rider w ith his expe rience Brown Lands World MX Deal Former AMA 12Scc Nat ional Champion Mike Brown will contest the MX2 Wor ld and British Mot ocross Champ ionsh ips in 200S as part of the RWJ Honda team . Brown was reported as signing with CAS Honda last week, but that wasn't the case. Despite winning the Sheffield Supe rcross for MotoGP program is now firmly on track and since we last com peted the regulations have the team , Brown had not inked a contract and was not tied to the team . In negotiations since the Motocro ss of place in the RWJ lineup and will compete in the 2005 MX2 Grand Prix and British domestic camp aigns riding the Honda CR250F w ith te chnical help Irom Pro Circuit. Brown last co mpete d in th e Wor ld Champ ionship back in 2000 w hen he finished third overa ll in the 12Scc class and scored three Grand Prix victories. He was 125cc British Champion the same year. In 200 I, he won the 12Scc AMA National Champ ionship. Nations at Leirop severa l weeks ago, the 32- "O f course we are very pleased to have year- old Am erican has now confirmed his Mike on the team," RWJ Honda manager and ability with a com bination of str ong backup fro m ourse lves means that we can look forward to some good re sults next season. Everybody nee ds a bit of luck in this game, but I think we have a very goo d possibility. I first met Mike when he came to ride 250cc Yamahas for Rinaldi. Over the years, we built up an acquaintance and m utual respect - I'm now looking forward to worki ng with him." The team is also hoping to secure the services of another for mer GP win ner befo re the end of the week and a furth er annou ncement will be made. www.cuclenews.com Geo ff M eyer reserved sites, including Priority Cam ping (rider's right at turn I I), Wolf Hill (motor. cycles only, located rider's right betwee n tu rns six and seven) and Arche ry Range (located at the bottom of B Road.). Fox Hill and Archery Range sites are $30 pe r night . Priority Camping is $ 150 for three nights (Thursday through Saturd ay). All nonreserv ed sites are in ope n/un improved areas and available on a first- come , first- served basis. Sunday night camping is available through the Mont ere y Co unty Parks Dep artment. All campers must have an admission ticket for the duration of the event. Fans may also pur chase an escort ed Parade Lap around the 2.238-mile circuit for Saturday only for $20 . (Separate admission ticket is required.) A limited number 01 motorcycle preferred parking passes for a paved lot are available for only $25. On Thursday, Dece mber 2, Braun Entertainment will honor all KTM motocro ss race rs ages 7 to 9 who participated in the Supe rcross KJSC program by offering them a fre e exhibition mota during the upcom ing Amateur O pen of Motocross event. "These kids performed before thousands of fans and have a race -day memory we all wish we cou ld have ," Erv Braun said. "Erin Bates, Terry Boyd and myself announce the ir exhibition race every Saturday night on the Supercross tour, and it is a r eal crowd pleaser. At the Amateur Open, KTM is paying $1000 contingency ($500, $300 , Continued on page 9 C Y CLE N EWS . NOVEMBER 3 2004 7

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