Hawk wins fifth GNCC

The first race back from the summer break had most of the riders as nervous as if the season was starting. But the weather was perfect and the 10-mile Taylortown, Pennsylvania track was probably the fastest this series has ever seen, so mud holes and bottleneck hills were not going be a factor.

Barry Hawk and Rodney Smith lead the pack from the start, but the fast course meant it was going to take some time before the pack would be spread out. At the end of the first of seven laps, nearly all of the pro class was nose to tail coming through the pits with Hawk still leading the way.

The pack started to thin out over the next few laps as Hawk, Fred Andrews, Mike Lafferty, Steve Hatch, Mike Kiedrowski and Jason Raines each took their turn leading. Chuck Woodford and Smith were hooked up and trying to get back to the pack when Woodford tangled with a lapper and unfortunately came away with a broken right arm.

When the two-lap board came out, it was time to get after it, and Andrews, Hatch, Hawk and Raines did just that pulling away from Kiedrowski while Lafferty was slipping back with rear brake problems.

Half way through the final lap things really started to heat up as Andrews, Hatch and Hawk were right together battling to the end. It would be on a small slimy hill just a couple of miles from the finish that the race would be decided. When Andrews and Hatch both slipped on the hill, Hawk cruised right on by to take yet another win. With his fifth victory, Hawk will most likely be the series champion this year.