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/1542342
I I a H rg I I BY JAsoN WEGANDT Pxoros sv Rrvmoro Guxov r A l':ffi":*J:'Jr'.iiliT f I on, and risinE stars. the Fl srrru crand Nationat cross , tountry series changed completely in 20O5, and all because of the work of one man: Juha Salminen. KTM imported the friendly lo-time World Enduro Champion from Finland to the United States last year in search of the GNCC crown, and he not only delivered, he dominated. Salminen won nine of 13 races and even changed the racing strate- $. for his competitom: Where as before, the pack ryaited and paced themsefues throughout the three-hour battles for the win, Salminen simply charged earty, pulled a solid lead, ad held it down the stretch. Most of tlrc time, he did. Salminen showed few weaknesses last year even though everything about fie racint here in the United States was completely nerv to him. The tracks, the format and the cul- arre may have been diferent to Salminon, but it didnt show in his complete mastery of the series. But now ttrat he has adapted to the American garne, the American rld- ers will have to adapt to his. Expect the ertire pack of GNCC contenders to step up their game this year, because now, as Juha says, "The manhunt is on," The potential to step up lies within many riders, but Salminen is still the obV- ous title favorite this year. After attending the Suzuki GNCC banquet in Morgantown, West Virginia, in early December, Salminen went back to his native Finland and took some time ofl. He returned to the United States at the end of lanuary and beSan testing and training for his thle defense. Once again, he will race a KTM 250XC tuned by another Finn, Antti Kallonen. Salminen spent the winter testinS and training near KTM's West Coast headquarters in Temecula, California, often visiting the popular Southem California motocross tracks to dial in his ride. .luha and Antti claim that testing on motocross track works best b€cause they can focus on putting in solid, consistent laps instead of worr),ing about the never-ending variables of riding in the woods, The competition, though, does things a bit differentlx Twq riders from two diflerent teams stand out highest on the GNCC con- tender list. First comes five-time GNCC Champion Rodney Smith. The leader of the ever-powerful FMF/Suzuki off-road squad, Smith won the 2004 GNCC title after turning 40, but then broke his leg on the eve of the 2005 season. He returned to iacing late in the series, but he was unable to regain his old form. He believes 2006 will be different. One of the bigSest losses for Smith in 2005 was the testing time he lost on the trails near his Northern California home. Smith usually spends the rainy winter sea- son on the trails and the dry months of the summer on motocross tracks. But last year he was in a leg cast when he should have been on the trail, and althou8h his motocross speed picked right back up when he started ridinS aSain in the sum- mer, he couldn't find the pace in the woods. This year Smith should be ready. And even though he will turn 42 this sea- son, age iust never Seems to be a factor for him. And if it is, he has a young teammate whom he is trying to groom into a cham- pion. Australian Glenn Kearney spent his own money to come to the united states and get some seat time in the series lor 2001. He rode well during his brief time here, and so FMF/Suzuki team manager Mike Webb set him up with a deal to ride alongside Smith. The plan was to ride and test for Kearney with Smith all winter long, but he often found himself on his own. due to Smith's injury But whatever lessons he did leam paid aff in a big way. He started the season with a podium fin- ish at the openinS .ound in Texas and car- ried that momentum all the way through. Kearney ended up breaking his own leg at midseason, but he only missed one race and held on to a solid third in the final standings - an amazing ride for the rookie. Kearney's main weakness came on muddy tracks, so he even hooked up with noted English mud master Paul Edmondson durinS the winter to take some lessons. There is one talent Kearney posseses that can't be taught: determina- tion. And that's why Smith and Webb tab him as a future champion in the series. There is another GNCC Champion in the mix for 2006, and he is often the most determined rider of all. Barry Hawk nailed down seven straiSht GNCC titles on ATVs before switching to bikes and experiencing similar success. He dominat- ed the 2003 campa;8n, and although iniuries cost him in 2004, he still won sev- eral races. Last year, Hawk's season start- ed with terrible luck, bt:t he was able to rebound and win three events. lndeed, Hawk was really the only rider who could consistently challenge Salminen. While his 2005 campaign started terribly, Hawk has spent this off season racing in the Southeast, determined to be ready from the start, instead of wajting until mid- season to get into form. Racing down south is a trademark of Hawk's AmPro Yamaha team, Managed by seven-time AMA National Enduro Champion Randy Hawkins, the squad tests and practices near his native South Carolina, ln fact, Hawkins hosts many rid- ers from many teams down at his sprawl- ing ranch, and his tutelage has molded many young riders into champions. Hawk was once one of those riders, and now his credentials are obvious. No one has won more GNCCs over the last three years than Hawk. During that span, he often battled with his younS teammate Jason Raines, who many predicted would take control of the series. Unfortunately, luck has not been on Raines' side. A bro- ken leg cost him the 2002 title, and shoul- 6NCC t-][\ '! t Etagon Pn€vl€w 0 t l! v 7 7 lr n I n Ir ^# l I \. J v I { I ,| Juhq Solminen I Juho Solminen i I s the biggest bstocle in Suzuki Grond Notiono Cross Country Rocing ) I o 34 MARCHI,2006 - CYCLE NEWS