The sound of horsepower and the smell of nitromethane returned to Glen Helen Raceway with the North American Hillclimb Association. The promoters managed to find a find an appropriately steep section of nasty real estate near the REM track, then added a jump and a turn right out of the gate, then added jumps, ledges and additional turns in the course. The nature of the hill and the quality of the riders meant that times were tight, and the lead was tossed around like a hot potato in every class. In the Pro 450F class Utah’s Jason Smith and his Yamaha were victorious by a margin just over two-tenths of a second over the
Kawasaki
of Montana’s Cory Erhardt. Nebraskan Harold Waddell was just over a tenth back in third place.
In the 451-700cc class riders were slamming out fast runs and knocking each other off the podium. Team Peterson KTM rider Robie Peterson was the first ride out of the gate, and he put down a time that held all of the way through the first round. Early in the second round Max Simmons made a mistake-free Husaberg ride to bump Peterson by 7 hundredths of a second. Six riders later Erhardt battered the time down a full three tenths of a second, and that time held up. Veteran Utah KTM pilot Travis Whitlock nailed a super-smooth run to bump Simmons to third.
The open class came off last, and at first it looked like the tight and technical hill was going to hurt the big bikes, but then the time started falling. Montana’s young Nick Beer held the lead early, but soon after Utah’s Brandon Whitlock put down the only run of the weekend in the 10-second bracket with his 1400cc Kawasaki, one run later Travis Whitlock (1400cc Kaw) bumped Beer back, but didn’t break into the 10s. Simmons snaked in between the Whitlocks first, and three runs later Brett Peterson nailed the second fastest run on his nitro-burning KTM 950.
A
crossover event was run with moto kid Tyler Keefe, speedway rider Jimmy Fishback and WORCS girl Kacy Martinez jumped on hillclimb bikes to battle for $500. Keefe pulled off the win, and he and Fishback cleared the hill. Martinez did a great job considering she was on a 250F competing with 450s.
450cc Pro: 1. Jason Smith (11.568 seconds); 2. Corey Erhardt (11.800); 3. Harold Waddell (11.914); 4. James Perry (12.060); 5. Travis Coy (12.099); 6. Robie Peterson (12.111); 7. Travis Whitlock (12.508); 8. Brett Peterson (12.588); 9. Austin Fox (12.600); 10. Brian Peterson (12.911).
451-700cc Pro: 1. Corey Erhardt (11.062); 2. Travis Whitlock (11.194); 3. Max Simmons (11.355); 4. Robie Peterson (11.402); 5. Austin Fox (11.450); 6. Ross Johnson (11.510); 7. Brett Peterson (11.766); 8. Jason Smith (11.867); 9. Harold Waddell (11.878); 10. Joe Shipman (11.997).
Open Pro: 1. Brandon Whitlock (10.984); 2. Brett Peterson (11.054); 3. Max Simmons (11.174); 4. Travis Whitlock (11.183); 5. Nick Beer (11.387); 6. Harold Waddell (11.506); 7. Ross Johnson (11.621); 8. Chad Koopsma (11.813); 9. Jesse Killgore (11.831); 10. Matt Coleman (11.974)
King of the Hill: 1. Brandon Whitlock
