In December 2010, one of off-road racing's greatest, 8-Time GNCC Champion Barry Hawk announced he was retiring from competition and moving onto a new chapter in life. Today only few months later Hawk is back and more involved than ever and living out his boyhood dream riding dirt bikes, quads and bulldozers playing in the woods. Who knew retirement could be so much fun.
Photo By: Shan Moore
Barry Hawk smiles big as he begins a new journey in life as a part of the GNCC Trail Crew.
Barry Hawk: Heading to Morganton NC for the Steel Creek GNCC this weekend. We're going to get everything set up tonight and start laying out the track bright and early tomorrow morning.
So how do you like your new job?
So far I like it. Out of the three weeks I was out on the road for the Florida and Georgia trip I had only a couple of hours that I didn't like it. And that was a couple of hours at the end of the day. I worked 20 or 21 days straight and I have only got a couple of hours to complain about in that time frame things are not too bad.
How much different is it from this perspective of the racing?
It is definitely a lot different. Honestly though the first race in Florida I wasn't sure how I was going to handle it. I didn't know if I was going to wish I was racing or enjoy watching. And looking back on it I kind of enjoyed not going through the beating myself up wondering if I have got the right set up on the bike or beating myself up during the race and all that. When the race is over we do the sweep lap and when I was going around I am kind of thinking, "You know what? I am glad I didn't have to go through here at 100 M.P.H., I can just take my time and cruise through it."
Looking back on it in 20 years in a row I have been on the front row of a GNCC and that was the first time I actually got to sit there and watch the race. And I'm not wishing I was there.
Photo By: Shan Moore
This is what Barry Hawk used to do before the races.
A little bit of this, a little bit of that. (Laughing) Right now the main thing is that I am going around with Buren and learning how he lays out the tracks. It is very interesting following him around and just seeing how he ties everything together. There are a lot of little things that you just don't realize how you have to tie all the tracks together for the check points and the pits and all that. When you have six and sometimes seven races to do on a weekend you have to tie all the tracks together at some point. It's a lot of work and very interesting how it all really works. It's a totally different perspective from here than it is to just show up at the track and go race.
Anyone that has ever dealt with Buren Hamrick knows he has got ways of doing things the way he likes to do it. And on the first day on the job in Georgia I questioned him and he said you can't do that. I asked why and he said "We can't." I said "Why?" and he said "Because you just can't do it." I wasn't questioning his reasoning but actually wanted to know why you would do it that way and he said "Because you can't do it!" Then like the fourth time I asked why he said "It is what it is, okay!" (Laughs) I said "Okay."
We had set the Georgia track up before the Florida track and once we done the Florida race and got back to Georgia and got back to that point I realized why we didn't do it. It's hard to explain without going into a lot of detail (Laughing) but "it is what it is!"
What about the race days, what are you doing?
Starting out in the morning is the youth race. And all the years I have been racing I have never got to watch the Youth ATV run. Of all the races I enjoyed the Youth ATV races best. Maybe because I have two young kids, I don't know. But when you come up on these kids and they are broke down or stuck and they are usually upset and worried about being stuck there for a long time and you help them out they really appreciate it and tell you thanks and go on their way. (Chuckles)
So during the morning races I am out there helping out sometimes on the bike and sometimes on the quad. At the 1:00 o'clock race I am on a bike and I get to put the helmet cam on for Racer TV and go out and it's actually almost like I get to race again. I really enjoy that because I get to see how the race develops and still be a part of it by racing along with them and see their lines which are pretty neat. The only downfall to it when I am doing the helmet cam and we come up on a lapper and the he pulls over for them and he pulls back out in front of me, I don't want to hinder their race because I am an official and I end up not staying with the guys the whole lap. The good part about that is when you get held up by a lapper and they start to slip away I can just stop and look around and see where I am and I can just cut the track and go over here and wait for the pros to come again. I can get a drink of water, eat a candy bar, eat a hoagie, a piece of cheesecake (Laughing) or whatever and take off and start videoing again when the Pros get there. It's really neat to be involved in the action of the ATV and the bike races with the helmet cam following the guys.
I have seen some really amazing stuff but I am not sure how it came out on video. In Florida I got Kailub Russell completely sideways in the palmetto section. Also in Florida I was behind Kailub and Corey Buttrick and a raccoon ran out on the track and they were swerving back and forth trying not to hit it. I am not sure how that all came out but it was pretty neat to see all that stuff happen.
As far as following the ATVs, they have an advantage in the corners and I was following Taylor Kiser down Pro Pits and I am giving everything the bike has got and he just pitched it sideways and railed around the corner and I was like "Oh crap this bike don't corner like a quad!" and I almost took out the banners at the end of the pits. It's a little bit different following the quads than the bikes for sure but I think it is all neat because I get to be involved in the race and do the helmet cam.
8-Time Champion Barry Hawk is the newest member of the GNCC crew, welcome!
Yeah and there is definitely a lot of time. The first week I worked I think about 80.5 hours and that is a lot but on the other hand I get to ride dirt bikes, quads, drive bulldozers, I'm out in the woods and it's what I have wanted since I was a little kid. I mean when I was a kid people would ask me what I wanted to do and I would way; ride dirt bikes, ride quads, play around on dozers and be out in the woods. And that is what I am doing. I get to do everything I was doing with racing without any pressure on me to perform.
The good thing about it though is being around it for so many years and to still be involved and to get to help out is great. You know the more races I get under my belt the more input I can give and more sections that I can talk to Buren about and maybe mix some things up. Although there are a lot of different things that people don't see what happens or how it all works. Like this weekend there are only so many ways up and down the mountains and with that terrain you don't have a lot of choices till you get on top and head down the other side.
I know it hasn't been long since you started but what are the most memorable things you are going to take away from your first experiences on this side of the racing?
Looking back on it to me it would have to be the Youth ATV and the Youth Bikes races. I mean I looked forward to 1:00 o'clock and running the helmet cam but to me and Terry Beck one of the Trail Crew, he gave me a thumbs up when I mentioned the youth and I think all the track guys like being out in the woods when the youth are racing just helping out.
I remember the very first race in Florida and I was on one of the back sections of the track where they left the pit area and this one kid, I think it was Hunter Hart came through there and I was like "Holy Crap! This kid's flying!" And I have never got to experience that because when I was racing the pros were not allowed out on the track the day before the race. That's some of the biggest things I will remember from that. And of course some of the things I saw running the helmet cam with the afternoon race. I get be out there and see and do everything and get to be a part of the race, my name is just not in the results.
Yes, but your name will forever be in the History books!
I guess that's always good too.
Thanks Barry for letting us in on the next chapter of your "History Book".
It's been a real eye opener and a lot of work but I am really enjoying it.
Share