GNCCRacing.com: What are you doing today?
Barry Hawk Jr.: Just got doing some shopping at Sam's Club and took the boy to Chik-fil-a for lunch. Talon got to get a little playtime in the play area. I wanted to go in, but I think they would have kicked me out there.
I wouldn't be too sure about that. Aren't you in "Hawk Country", they don't know who you are? (Laughing)
No, I don't think they know and they probably don't care. (Laughing)
Congrats on the podium in Somerset!
Thanks! Yeah, it's been like a year since I've been up there. I have been close a bunch of different times but never been able to pull it off. And I finally got back there for one race, it felt good, of course I would have liked to have done better. I want to do a little better this weekend, so I'll take a second this week at the John Penton and a win at Snowshoe. (Chuckles)
Photo By: Krista Shaw
That's some pretty sweet form for a quad guy!
Honestly I didn't do anything different to the bike or training wise. I think the reason I did better there is because it was more like an old school GNCC. The pace was still a fast pace, but you had to be smart and you had to pick good lines and you couldn't just hold it open for three hours. You can't just go flying through the rocks in fourth gear; you got to back it down a little bit and pick good lines through that stuff. So I think that is one thing that helped me, I felt really comfortable there.
With similar conditions like the rocks at Mountain Ridge, do you feel more confident heading to Snowshoe in a few weeks?
Yeah, definitely! I know the first year we raced there I wasn't a big fan of it. Last year I think it was a lot different track than it was the first year. I really liked the track this past year so I am definitely looking forward to it this year. It's almost like a carnival atmosphere, I don't know if it is because it is up on a mountain and so much going on or what, but it's pretty neat. To be able to get a win there would be pretty neat.
What about The Wiseco John Penton coming up this weekend?
Years ago it was my favorite track. And then it kind of wasn't my favorite track and then when they put that new John Penton section in a couple years ago with the single track and more technical sections, I really, really started liking it a lot. I got like fourth or fifth or something like that last year. But, I know when we got into that newer tighter, technical stuff I can go faster. I remember racing with Mullins and Strang there last year and when we would get in the open stuff they would pull away from me some. Then would when we get back in the tighter stuff, if I was in front of them, I would start to pull away from them. I guess maybe it suits my style better maybe because I am one of the older guys, I don't know. The John Penton track and the John Penton Section this weekend is something I am looking forward to.
Photo By: David Scearce
Barry ran with the leaders all day in PA.
I'm 20 years old. I will be old enough to drink in a few days!
(Laughing) How many years experience do you have as "21 Year Old"?
Oh, okay! I guess that is like 16 years since I've been 21. (Laughing) No, I'm 37 years old so I am definitely the oldest guy in the class.
Do you think about that when you go to the starting line?
No, I never think about it at the race. The only time I think about it is like after the race, like on Sunday night or Monday, I think about what I could have done different to finish better in the race. And I think I should have gone faster in the open stuff, because that is where the younger guys are going faster. I guess maybe it is my age, I think a little more or maybe my reaction time is a little slower. But if it is my reaction time, then why do I go through the rocks as good as or better than anyone? The super fast, wide-open stuff is where the younger kids are getting me, so that's the only time I think about it.
I know you have had the same practice track for 15 years; do you get faster year to year?
I've had the practice track there for a long time and my times are as fast as or faster than they have ever been. Actually one of my times this year was faster than last year, and seems like every year I get a little bit faster, but so does the competition.
I often think about if I could race myself where I am in 2010 and against where I was in 2003 when I won the championship. I think there are some things that I did different than what I do now, but I think speed wise, I am as fast now as I was back then. I don't think I am doing anything any differently than I did then other than I ride a four-stroke now. It's like who is faster Bob Hannah or Ricky Carmichael? That's kind of a stupid question because you can never know, but it would be cool to find out.
At 37 and being the oldest guy in the class, does retiring from professional racing cross your mind?
At different times I think how much longer do I want to do this? And honestly I am still having fun at this time doing it. Last year at this time I was not having any fun. I mean, I don't have a set time that I am just going to be done. I've never thought about that. Whenever I quit having fun that's when I think I will be done.
This year the last hour of Yadkinville I was not having any fun. I was wondering "Why keep doing this?" Then at Somerset two weeks later, that's the most fun I have had in a long time and I'm thinking, "Man, I can't wait to go do that again!".
This year hopefully I'll keep getting up on the podium and get some wins. I would like to think I have a couple good years left in me. I don't know, we will see what happens at the next few races. It may tell a lot. If I don't do well and I am not having any fun, then this may be it. It's time to hang up the boots!
You have 67 total wins...how bad do you want to be able to beat the 68 total GNCC wins mark of Bill Ballance?
I want it pretty bad! I often think of that, too. I would like to go win this weekend and then win again at Snowshoe and that would put me one ahead him. But what bugs me most is that, at like 1:00 o'clock in the morning, I'll be laying there in bed, and I can't sleep and my mind is running like 100 MPH and what I'm thinking of is the races I should have won and didn't. Just two of those would put me one ahead Bill.
Does racing a quad again ever cross your mind?
Once in a while it does. Seems like when I have a spell that I am not doing so well on the bike, I think about it then. I thought about it over the last couple of years, especially like the last race of the season. I probably get a lot of it from my friends saying "Why don't you race the quad?" and then I start thinking about. Believe it or not, with Bill being injured, he recently contacted me about racing his quad at one of the races. It got me thinking if I want to it, if I would do it, should I do it? Then for like five minutes l will be like "I'm going to go do it! I'm going to go practice and I am going to go race the thing and try to beat those guys!" Then the next five minutes I think; "Man I'm doing all I can to beat the bike guys, then I'm going to go and put all this pressure on myself to beat these quad guys too? I mean I have been there and done it do I really want to do it?" Then the next five minutes I'm like; "Yeah I want to do it! I want to see if I've still got it!"
Photo By: Shan Moore
Will the Hawk family visit an ATV podium soon?
That would be epic if you did! Good luck with whatever you decide!
Thanks! I'd also like to say thanks to Yamaha for standing behind me. Randy Hawkins for standing up for me. I heard a lot at the beginning of the year like, "Hey, why did Randy sign Barry?" Randy took a chance with all the sponsors and I would like to tell him thanks. My wife for putting up with this for all these years, I appreciate all her help. And my kids, they have motivated me to get on the podium. Now that I made a podium my son says he wants me to win now. So now I have that pressure. And of course, my sponsors: FMF, Kenda, OHLINS, SCOTT, SHOEI, Waynesburg Yamaha, Eleven-10 Mods and everyone for standing behind me.
Keep having fun Barry!
Thanks, Rodney.
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