Subject: Team Am-Pro Yamaha Race Report

Race: GNCC
Location: Somerset, PA
Date: Sept. 2, 2007
 
The weather couldn't of been better at round 9 of the GNCC series in Somerset, Pennsylvania. The sky was clear and sunny with a slight breeze from the west. 
 
All the big guns showed up including David Knight, putting to rest rumors of a broken collar bone. Jason Raines started out picking his starting launch pad for the first time in over two years at a GNCC event. Barry Hawk was just two spots to the left and Charlie Mullins about dead center of the pro starting row. But it was team Suzuki's Glenn Kearney that claimed the holeshot and an early lead that did not last long due to a collision with a down log early on.
 
Barry, Jimmy Jarrett and Charlie were running one, two and three heading into the woods section but Mullins was having a number of problems starting with his camelback not working then with his chain coming off so many times it finally broke and raveled up in his wheel resulting in a rhino having to tow him back. Charlie's pit crew quickly worked to repair the damage meanwhile Knight had come from dead last in the first turn to pushing his way through to the front runners which was lead by Barry and Jimmy now running one and two.
 
By the start of the second lap Knight had made his way to the front and was creating some what of a lead. Charlie jumped back in, almost 35 minutes down and ready to make up some lost time. Barry Hawk was busy trying to work his way though the woods while Jason Raines was trying to ride through the dust of the front runners finding it tough to dodge the rocks lurking below. 
 
As the race wore on into the passing mile markers giving them more visibility, Jason worked his way through improving his position one by one. Charlie's day ended early when the chain problem just couldn't be fixed giving way for Hawk to gain points and chase down Knight, that at one point had over a minute and a half lead. Charlie's bad luck also struck Jason, when he hit a huge rock and bent the shifter into the side case making shifting with his hand the only way to limp back to the Am-Pro Yamaha pits for repairs. After over 10 minutes of bending, breaking and replacing the shift lever, Jason's hopes for battling with the big dogs again was going to have to be for another day.  This day was about salvaging what was dealt to him. Still that hunger for racing another GNCC was boiling in his blood and Jason wasn't about to give up. He had many lappers to contend with and even collided into another rider that cut across the pit area, spinning him around and knocking the other rider to the ground.
      
At the half way point Barry was hunting down Knight and trying to keep at bay FMF Suzuki rider Jarrett still in third. All Charlie Mullins could do was watch from the side lines as his second place points in the standings were fading away . Meanwhile Raines was picking off other pro riders in his class with his determination, but the mishap in the morning still left Jason behind in the pack. 
 
As the white flag waved high, so did white smoke from front runner David Knight's radiator. Making the possibility for problems for KTM, and opportunity for Yamaha's Barry Hawk to go after the win. Hawk had been pushing an intense and focused race the whole time waiting for the right time to pounce on his prey, and that time came with less than a lap to go when Knight's bike finally gave up. Hawk rode in to the finish line winning the race and making his wife's hopes of winning today come true for their anniversary. Jason Raines rode a smart race for the rest of his debut back to the GNCC circuit knowing that their would be plenty more to come. He challenged his way to 10th place in the pro class and coming out of it walking on both legs and ready for the next race.
 
All the racers would like to thank Yamaha for their support through the weekend and many more to come.
 
Results:

Barry Hawk 1st
Jason Raines 10th (in pro class)
Charlie Mullins DNF (Broken Chain)
Thad Duvull DNS (Broken Collarbone)
 
 
Points with 4 races left:
 
Barry Hawk (2nd, 5 points out of lead)
 
Charlie Mulins (3rd, 26 points out of lead)

 Jason Raines
Team Am-Pro Yamaha
 

Photos provided by David Scearce