Juha Salminen Three-for-Three after Steele Creek GNCC

Add Steele Creek to Juha Salminen's Suzuki Grand National Cross Country domination streak. At the third round of the 2006 GNCC Series, Salminen's competition was able to follow him from the start, but before long he had built a solid lead and held it to top 1513 total riders in the event, and go three for three on the season. Am Pro Yamaha's Charlie Mullins and FMF Suzuki's Glenn Kearney rounded out the podium.

"It was tough, I was the first rider on the track, and everybody followed me," said Salminen. "When you're the first guy, it is hard because you can make the mistakes instead and everyone gets to follow you. It was good at first, old man Rodney (Smith) was there at the beginning and he was riding really well. Then, I don't know what happened, I only saw Glenn (Kearney). It was just like Georgia, I had to try to control the race from the front."

Smith, the five-time GNCC Champion, and his teammate Kearney did run with Salminen right from the start, but Smith suffered a big crash at the top of a hill and lost time. He would charge back up again and again all day, but all that charging and crashing tired the 42-year-old, who dropped back to seventh.

"I ran good from the start, I was right on him and just following him and having fun," said Smith. "It was good to ride with him. But then I spun at the top of the big uphill and crashed. It was bad—Glenn said he thought I was dead!"

"It was unreal," said Kearney, who spends half of the year living at Smith's house. "Rodney came past me on a hill like I was standing still. Juha had a little gap, and then Rodney went around me and then we were right back on him. Rodney was riding fast—but he would crash. He was using a lot of energy picking that thing up!"

Kearney would try to stay with Salminen, but he eventually had his own problems down the stretch. "I'm still having some problems with my diet on race day," said Kearney. "My stomach started feeling bad, and then I couldn't drink water, so I started cramping up. But Charlie was going fast."

Mullins, the GNCC rookie sensation, had problems early but was able to charge past several riders, and eventually pass Kearney for second overall.

"I charged hard all day, and it paid off," said Mullins. "We had a problem with the gas tank, the hose came out so we had to replace that, and I fell back to ninth. I knew I had my work cut out for me. After that I just did my best to come back through. I felt good all day. I would like to get up there and race with Juha, but I'll take second any day. I sure would like to win one of these, though."

KTM's Mike Lafferty put in another solid ride to finish fourth, ahead of his teammate Robbie Jenks. Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Fred Andrews got a good start but admitted that he rode too timid early and got pushed back, before charging back to sixth. Smith was seventh in front of Am Pro Yamaha's Barry Hawk, who was having suspension issues and admitted, "that was the hardest I've ever raced in my life to finish eighth."

Parts Unlimited/Moose Honda's Paul Whibley, of New Zealand, was ninth ahead of North Carolina's own Jesse Robinson, who won the 250 A class and finished in tenth overall as the top amateur.

The Steele Creek GNCC drew 1513 individual riders between the Youth, ATV and bike classes. The race was taped for an airing on the Outdoor Life Network as part of the Racer TV Series. GNCC TV begins on Saturday, April 1st at 3 p.m. and runs on Saturdays and Wednesdays at 3 p.m. every week.

The Suzuki GNCC Series continues in two weeks with the Pirelli Big Buck GNCC in Union, South Carolina.

Results: Suzuki Grand National Cross Country Series - Round 3
Steele Creek, Morganton, NC

Bike Top Twenty Overall
1 Juha Salminen Finland KTM 3:05:50
2 Charles Mullins Hamilton, OH YAM 3:07:27
3 Glenn Kearney Australia SUZ 3:09:09
4 Michael Lafferty Estell Manor, NJ KTM 3:10:53
5 Robbie Jenks New Straitsville, OH KTM 3:11:39
6 Fred Andrews Salem, OH KAW 3:12:21
7 Rodney Smith Antioch, CA SUZ 3:12:44
8 Barry Hawk, Jr Smithfield, PA YAM 3:13:54
9 Paul Whibley Petersburg, KY HON 3:13:56
10 Jesse Robinson Connellys Spg, NC KAW 3:15:58
11 Joshua Mclevy Fairfield, CT KAW 3:16:12
12 Jimmy Jarrett Beloit, OH SUZ 3:16:15
13 Garrett Edmisten Vero Beach, FL KAW 3:16:49
14 D R Atwood Millfield, OH KTM 3:18:04
15 Justin Williamson Sanford, FL YAM 3:18:12
16 Bryan Henson Landrum, SC KTM 3:18:19
17 Stephen Edmondson Landy, VA KTM 3:18:54
18 Thaddeus Duvall Williamstown, WV YAM 3:20:56
19 Travis Green Vinton, OH KAW 3:22:35
20 Russell Bobbitt Fayetteville, GA KTM 3:22:56