by: Rachel Gutish
Tuesday, August 29, 2017 | 3:25 PM
While I always enjoy my Tuesday Toolbox interviews, it is especially exciting to interview someone that I already know personally. I grew up riding 85cc’s and Superminis in the OMA series with Cody Barnes. He kicked my tail at every race, and he’s only gotten faster since. Fast forward a few years, and in his first year of running the GNCC series in the PM race, he’s sitting in a close second place in the 250 A class and has three top amateur awards under his belt (Big Buck, Camp Coker and Tomahawk). To top it all off, he and his dad are two of the nicest people you could meet here at the races. I spoke with Cody about what he did before bursting on to the GNCC scene and his future plans for his racing career.
GNCCRacing.com: Hey Cody, what are you up to today?
Cody Barnes: Well, I got up at 6:00 am this morning so I could swim a mile before going to work at G2 Ergonomics. They hired me full-time right after I graduated high school this spring, after I worked for them during my summer break for the two years before my graduation. Then after work I’m headed out to test ride some new suspension at a local woods track.
Does having a job in the industry make it a little easier to get away for racing purposes?
Yes, it does make it easier to get away and race. Gary and Sam [owners of G2] are awesome; they understand my goals and what I want to accomplish with racing. It just really helps that they understand my passion and want me to succeed in my racing, not just at work.
How did you get started riding and racing?
My dad got me started out when I was four years old. When I turned five, our friend Joey Fortune told my dad that he should bring me to a local race, and it all really began after that.
Now, you’ve only ridden the full GNCC series for one year, correct?
Yes, this is technically my first season ever in GNCC in the three hour race. I did race the series in the Supermini class back in 2013. Other than that, I had only hit one or two close ones every year before this season.
What is your background as far as the other types of racing you did before GNCC goes?
I grew up riding local woods races and never really stopped. I did branch off into local motocross, but the woods was always my main focus. After I had been racing awhile, we started doing the OMA nationals, and went to any out-of-state race that sounded cool. Now since there’s a lot of fast people living and racing the local series’ in Indiana, I do a lot of racing over there because of the higher level of competition.
Tell me about the local series you run in Indiana.
I can’t really call it a local because a lot of times it’s still a five hour drive! [laughs] But the IXCR series is a very well put on series with similar track conditions as the GNCC, which makes it especially good practice. Their tracks are a little faster but then you also have harder sections like big hill climbs, really bad mudholes and deep creek crossings. Plus with riders like Austin Lee, Levi Keller and occasionally Chris Bach or Trevor Bollinger showing up to race, the competition is very good.
Sounds like it! What made you decide to start doing the GNCCs?
After I won the 250 A class at the Ironman in 2016, I knew I had what it took to win a GNCC championship. I also knew that if I wanted to make something out of racing, this was the next step that I needed to take.
As far as “making something out of racing”, do you hope to ride XC1 someday?
Yes! Hopefully one day I will be able to make it to the XC1 class and make a living off of racing.
Do you plan on moving up to XC2 next season, or will you spend another year in the “A” classes?
Ideally I would like to do is compete in either XC2 or XC3 next year…. but if I don’t get some serious support, I won’t be able to race the GNCC series at all next year. I’m not trying to get sympathy or anything, just stating the reality of my situation. You all know how expensive this sport gets!
Well, I wish you the best of luck, and I hope we’ll be seeing you in one of the premier classes next year. Who all would you like to thank for helping you make it to where you are now?
I would like to thank G2 Ergonomics, Fly Racing, FMF, DP Brakes Maxxis Tires, TCX Boots, Race Tech, Renthal, Unabiker, Spencer’s Automotive, Vintage Mechanical, CarbSport, Fortune Cycle, Peterson Chiropractic, Holditwide, Gieson Motorsports and Spy. I also want to thank all of my family and friends who support me, especially my trainer Randy, and my mom and dad for all that they have done and are still doing for me.