Dirt Bike News - Barry Hawk Wins High Point X-Country - Dirt Rider Magazine

The first-ever Moto-X-Country race went into the record books with a familiar name atop the pro class. Am Pro Yamaha factory rider Barry Hawk, the defending AMA Grand National Cross Country Champion, romped home with a win after 45-minutes of intense racing."It was really, really fun," said Hawk. "Me and Jimmy (Jarrett) had a good battle out there. I'd love to do this again."Hawk actually did do it again, as the champion from nearby Smithfield, Pennsylvania, raced three different classes throughout the afternoon. Plenty of other riders raced too, as the all-new event offered over 30 classes for amateurs of all ages and all bike sizes. Many of the competitors were motocrossers who had raced the Team Green Spring National on the High Point MX track, and they seemed to enjoy the transition to off-road.Moto-X-Country merged off-road racing and motocross. Riders left the start in rows based on their class, and the starts were dead-engine. The fastest riders finished five laps of the 4-mile track. The course did feature woods trails, but an extensive grass-track section and a set of double jumps made the motocrossers feel at home too."It was a lot of fun out there," said Tom Carson, a former national-level motocrosser and GNCC racer who topped the industry class. "The course had a good mix of terrain, and the trails were wide enough where you didn't even need to run hand guards. I liked the jumps too. Everyone I talked to said they had fun racing it."The racing took place on Saturday afternoon, freeing up the High Point motocross track for pro practice. Heavy rain on Friday turned the Moto-X-Country track into a mud bog, but sunshine on Saturday and extensive dozer work turned the soil into dust-free traction.Ohio pro Jimmy Jarrett, a former GNCC amateur champion, held off the charge of Hawk in the 25+ class. Hawk suffered a bad start but moved into the lead when Jarrett fell in the woods. Then Hawk slipped on the grass track, giving the lead and the win back to Jarrett.They rematched in the pro class. Florida up-and-comer Justin Williamson grabbed the holeshot, but Jarrett moved by into the lead. A small crash in a deep rut let Hawk slip by, and from there the GNCC Champ would not be headed on way to victory.Based on the positive response, Racer Productions may host more Moto-X-Country races in the future. Log on to **www.gnccracing.com** for the latest announcements.