It takes a certain breed of person to go and beat yourself up for three hours racing on a GNCC course one week then sky 80 foot doubles on a motocross track the next. There are few that like to try it, but there are even fewer who are really good at both. Lenoir North Carolina's and the 2010 GNCC Racing 200A Class 2nd place over all finisher Cody Gragg is that type of person and he is good at both. This week we caught up with Cody in Gainesville Florida at the 39th annual THOR Winter National Olympics.
GNCCRacing.com: Hey Cody how's it going today?
Cody Gragg: Pretty good. We're just down here in Florida at Gator Back for the Winter
Photo By: RacedayPix.com
Cody Gragg knows how to go.
The first couple of days are on the Supercross track before we move to the big track. How are things going for you? Not too bad. I had two qualifying races yesterday. One in the 250B Stock and one in the Schoolboy 2 and I got 7th in both of those. I'm looking for a little betterresults once the mains start. All in all it's pretty good so I can't complain.
What does Tuesday's racing hold for you? Hopefully it will be pretty good. I have both of my 125 classes and I am kind of the veteran in that class so I am kind of looking for a title maybe. If I can get good starts I think I can get a title out of it. We'll see how it goes.
I know that you have been around the GNCC for 3 or 4 years, but how long have you been racing altogether?
I have been racing motorcycles for 12 years. We always did the Steel Creek GNCC and I started liking it and we did four that one year. Then the next year we did the whole series and I have liked it every since.
You are obviously good at off road but how good are you at motocross? Do you win titles?
I have come pretty close to winning a couple of titles but I have only won one in my lifetime but last year I got 4 thirds here at the Winter Olympics and I am hoping to step it up and get extra little edge to help me.
Photo By: RacedayPix.com
Gragg showed up as blip on Nashville Radar at this past Loretta Lynn's. Does he need a pilots license to do this?
Normally I don't do very good there. I always hurt then but this year I two top 10 motos and a 19th and it got me 9th. I was looking at lap times though and my times were top five lap times all week. So I have just got to get good starts.
You would think racing GNCC with a dead engine start you would be pretty good with a live engine start at motocross wouldn't you?
You know that's what everybody says and I am normally good at starts. I say "luck" but everybody tells there is no luck at Loretta's. I guess I just need to work on starts and hope for the best.
Do you focus on either discipline of your racing from woods to motocross?
You know I don't really practice woods. I probably haven't practiced woods for about a year or so. I mainly just practice motocross and I just race woods. I practice with Charlie (Mullins) all the time and he says that motocross is good for the woods and the woods are good for motocross.
So you get to practice with the "Hot Rod"?
Yeah, he lives about 30 minutes from me and he always comes to ride with me. Glenn Kearney used to ride but he has left now. It's alright; Charlie still comes and practices with me.
So I take it you must have a pretty good place to practice?
Yes sir. We have a supercross track and actually two years ago Josh Strang used to come to my house and ride my supercross track before a GNCC and every time he did he would win the GNCC. It used to be good luck.
That's pretty cool. It looks like you have things in order at home for the winter, what are you
Photo By: RacedayPix.com
Cody can fly through the trees as well, but there he keeps both wheels on the ground. Most of the time anyway!
Probably on the GNCC side I am going to go XC2. Everybody has been telling that if I want to go faster to ride XC2. I'm not really looking for an all GNCC contract so I'm just going to go up to XC2 and see what I am made of. Ride hard.
So you are working on a contract where you ride both GNCC and motocross?
This year in my contract I'm signed for both. I do the whole GNCC series and select nationals and there are certain other things I have to do. Right now it's good. Hopefully the Yamaha guys will be happy with my results again for next year.
So is your contract sealed for 2011?
No not yet but I am pretty sure it going to be the same, I am hoping I have a contract for both sides.
How was your 2010 GNCC season?
It was really good. I had some ups and downs and some races I should have won but would crash and make several mistakes on the last lap and throw it away. One race my dad poured gas on me and that wasn't really good but the race that counted I crashed a couple times the last lap. But you know I can't complain with my results. I'll take 2nd in 200A.
As I recall you rode the XC2 at the Ironman. How did you do?
I had a good start and I bobbled a little bit and I ended up getting 8th but I had no front brakes. So I think I could've finished up a little higher if that had not happened.
That was a pretty good gauge for you to have something to work on over the off season I suppose?
Yeah you know everybody is moving up to XC2 next year and I think that should help me with motocross to have that kind of competition. The more the better is the way I look at.
Now when you say everyone who are you referring to?
Guys like Jordan Ashburn and Teddy Mullins. Jordan won the Open A and Teddy won the 4 Stroke Lites A and I think they will be pretty tough contenders. Plus all the other guys that are there already.
What do you hope to achieve next season?
I know this is probably pretty big I would like to get maybe a podium and to mainly stay consistently in the top 20 all year. Maybe some top 15s or top 10's. You never know. Everybody has their bad days I guess.
Well I guess I will wish you the best in that and with your racing here at the Winter O's. Thanks for taking the time to talk to me today.
Thank you and I would like to thank all my sponsors. Yamaha has been my biggest one. I want to thank Donnie Luce for giving me the chance to ride both. Thanks also to THOR; I couldn't do all this without the comfort and protection of that gear. Also thanks to Rock River. They put a lot of support into my program. Mike is great. I have riding for them since the 85s and they just help me out so much. And Scott goggle protecting my eyes and keeping my vision clear and all my other sponsors that are such a huge help to my program.
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