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/128378
My 3 OWN RACE Barry Hawk 5th "1 don't know what happened, I just had a bad day," HaWK said, after a very disappointing ride in Tennessee. "I had a Hatch had his best ride of the season. He finished third ond now sits fifth in the stondings. I tried to be smart." As shocking as Salminen's worst-tofirst charge was, though, the bigger shock was Am Pro Yamaha's 2SOcc A rider Charles Mullins, who rode the race of his life and nearly got on the podium. Starting a minute behind the Pro row, the Ohio rider went to work, picking Pros off until he was in the top-five overall, on adjusted time, by the end of the first lap. He kept charging, even passing his Pro teammate Hawk on the final lap. Mullins claimed fourth overall, about 40 seconds short of Hatch for a podium spot. "I got the holeshot in my class and starting picking off Pros," Mullins said. "I hooked up with [Shane] Watts, and he got away from me, but I heard I was in fifth overall, and I just tried to stay steady. Today was the first time I felt people cheering me on, and it felt pretty good." Mullins might be the GNCC star of the future, but it's Salminen's world right now, and everyone else is trying to figure out how to win in it. CN loRETTA LYNN'S RANCH HURRICANE MIUS, TENNESSEE RESULTS: MAy 1, 2005 (ROUND 6 Of 13) OVERALL: I. Juha Salminen (KTM); 2. Glenn Kearney (Suzl; J. St""" Hatch (Kawl; 4. Charles Mumns (Yam); 5. Barry Hawk J'. (Yam): 6. Shane Watt> (KTM): 7. PA Allen (Kawl; 8. J'- Wdl""""" (Yam); 9. Stephen Edmondson (KTM); N,,"," Kanney (KTM). SUZUKI GRAND NATIONAL CROSS COUNTRY SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (Alter 6 of I J rounds): I. Juha Salminen (166/4 wins); 2. Gtenn Kearney (118); J. Barry Hawk J'- (105/1 win); 4. Robbie Jenks (76); 5. Steve Hatch (75); 6. Shane Watts (72); 7. Charles Mullins (68); 8. Mkha.1 Laff."" (62) 9. Chuck Woodfo,d (61); 10. Brian Garrahan (S I). 10. good start, but I was getting some arm pump early on. Then I did something to my bike in a mudhole on the first lap. I guess I bent the brake pedal up against the case." Without rear brakes, Hawk crashed hard into a tree, starting a major downward spiral throughout the day. He stopped to fix the pedal and then struggled again until Amateur rider Charles Mullins caught him on the last lap. "Nothing personal against Charlie, I just didn't want to get beaten by a 2S0 A rider," Barry said. "I really charged hard after he caught me." The hard charging cost him, as Hawk had a big get-off on the last lap. '~fter that, I was spent. I don't know, I just felt like whenever I charged, I would crash or feel like I was going to crash." 2 Jason Raines DNF Raines had rear-brake problems for the third time this year. but each time, the problem has been from a different source. "I don't know, it's like sometimes it's your year, and sometimes it's not," Raines said. "I'm trying just as hard and doing the same things. but these things keep happening." Raines believes a rock snipped his rear brake Hne, which resulted in no stopping power, especially on the steep downhills at Loretta's. 21 Justin Williamson 8th It was a career day for 18-year-old Justin Williamson, who cruised near the top-10 for most the race, before passing a few downed riders on the last lap. "I turned 18 a few weeks ago - maybe I just needed to become a man to start doing well at these races, Williamson said. "I've been training really hard lately, and my last lap was actuaily my fastest lap." II 16 Nate Kanney 10th Loretta's was the best ride of the year for Kanney_ "I got a good start today and just rode smooth," he said. "The track was kind of technical with ruts and stuff like that, and that comes naturally to me. Me and PA. [Allen] hooked up and battled all day." Kanney was in position for eighth overall, but he crashed with a few turns to go and couldn't restart his KTM, which was out of gas. "I had to basically push it for the last 100 feet," Kanney said. 124 Shane Watts 6th Watts continues to show big heart and good speed. After struggling early, the KTM rider picked up the pace and logged the fastest third lap of the day, moving him to third. But he ran out of gas on the next lap, and he lost time rolling back to the pits to refill. Watts never gave up. though, riding a solid race to get back to sixth at the finish. Racer Productions worked hard to salvage the racetrack. Huge rains flooded much of the Loretta Lynn's Ranch on Saturday. The entire ATV track had to be moved and rerouted until the water finaily went away, thanks to nice weather on Sunday. Considering how much rain there was on Friday, Sunday's 13-mile bike loop was relatively dry. The course incorporated the famous Loretta Lynn's motocross track, home of the Air Nautiques/AMA Amateur National Championships. GNCC Champion Rodney Smith is healing up. Smith is walking without crutches or a cast, and he even went riding. "Right now, Suzuki doesn't want me to race again until after the summer break," Smith said. That would put the comeback on hold until September, but Rodney thinks he'll be ready to race before then. "I'm going to throw some gear in the truck for the next two races just in case I want to take a lap. I can see myself wanting to race before that," Smith said. For now, Glenn Kearney is heading to Smith's house so the two can train together before the next GNCC in Ohio. FMFfThrottlehead.com/Kawasaki's Cole Calkins is on the mend from a badly broken wrist. He planned on doing some mountain bike riding with Nate Kanney during the week to start getting back into race shape. Bad news for Kawasaki Team Green's Chuck Woodford: After running with the leaders on the first lap, the Ohio rider crashed hard and suffered a cracked sternum. Not only does this ruin his GNCC season, it also puts a major damper on his AMA National Hare Scrambles hopes. Kearney finished second and is currently second in the series. CYCLE NEWS • MAY 18, 2005 55