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/128386
Pro Yamaha's Barry Hawk was the championship favorite heading into the 2005 Suzuki Grand National Cross Country Series, but after TM's Juha Salminen's dominance of the series, Hawk's status was downgraded from title favorite to merely favorite to simply beat Salminen in one race. Salminen has opened up a huge points lead with his combination of fast, smooth riding and strong starts, while Hawk and the rest of the field have been talking about stepping up and trying to match his pace. All of this stepping up would have to happen at what has become the GNCC Series' most prestigious race, the Parts Unlimited Wisp GNCC at Deep Creek Mountain Resort. In its four years on the schedule, the "race up the ski slopes" has garnered a reputation as one the most picturesque off-road races in the world. The resort facility features a ski lodge, restaurants, ski-lift chairs and even paved parking and pits - all things no other GNCC can match. But as cool as the scenery looks, it's only an illusion, because the race itself is very tough. That ski mountain is loaded with rocks of all shapes and sizes, and that leads to a course that never lets up on the riders. It is just mile after mile of rocks and is so rough that even the best riders struggle - including Salminen. A 44 JULY 13, 2005 • CYCLE NEWS For the first time since moving to the Un' States, the 10-time World Enduro Cham-'" ..... "':~. looked like a mere mortal, crashing over and in the rocks before eventually backing it down riding to protect his championship points .... Rumors were abound that Salminen did not the right suspension settings on his KTM. whatever the reason, he was not the same rider he was in the first eight rounds of the series, With Salminen no longer a threat, Hawk ratcheted back to the front of the favorites list and he came through for every one of the h' partisan fans, taking his second win of the year classic come-from-behind fashion. "It feels so good - it's like I just won my firs! race," said Hawk, who has worked tirelessly t~" get back to the top after early-season struggles left him doubting himself. "On the last lap, I started2::;:··~ thinking, 'I really am going to win this race.' I sta ..." ed getting chills. I probably wasn't charging Ii e I > should have been. So I put my head back doWn.';'..~"' '.. .... and charged some more." ;. ?: It's been a busy few weeks for Hawk, who' ' spent countless hours refining his suspensioh setup, while also preparing with his wife, Kristen. for the birth of a new baby, Their first baby bo:'; Talon, was born just I I days before the Wisp:" race, and he was there to witness his daddy tak.Ji'!~6i a big win.