The King City Dirt Riders hosted their annual Sweetcorn/Watermelon Festival Hill Climb on August 19, with 134 riders and several hundred spectators showing up for the event.  Young Mike Popham, from Amboy, Illinois, emerged as the fastest of the fast, winning the coveted Fast Time Trophy and a $300 cash prize that went with it.

            Popham’s fast time came in the highly competitive 600cc Four Stroke class.  Riding his Yamaha YZ450F thumper, he posted the fastest time of the first round in the class, a 3.734 second run, but was well off the overall fast time of 3.516 seconds set by Shane Green in the 600cc class.  In the second round, however, he really turned the hot Yamaha on, flying over the top in a sizzling 3.437 seconds to seal the class win, and set a new overall fast time.  He needed the quick time to win the class as Justin Trent had slipped under him with a 3.583 second run on his Honda to briefly take the class lead.

            Green was a double class winner, and just missed the fast time.  He improved on his first ride in the 600cc class with an excellent 3.461 second time, good enough to win the class, but was the overall fast time for just a few minutes, as Popham blew it away in the next class.  ‘Crazy Jake’ Tackitt claimed second with a 3.500 second run with Tom Brown close behind with a 3.517 second time.

            Green’s second win came in the 250cc class, but had to come from behind to earn it.  He found himself in third place at the intermission with a 3.828 second time, behind D.J. Compton who carded a 3.699 second run and Matt Peters with a 3.774 second time.  In second round action, Popham popped into the lead with a 3.614 second run on his YZ250, only to see Green slip under him on his Yamaha with a class winning 3.586 second high flying ride. Compton’s first round time held up for third with Cappello claiming fourth.

            In youth class action, 12 year old Caleb Emory took the Youth Fast Time Trophy with a 4.169 second class winning time on his KX85 in the 85cc Senior Mini class, with Dylan Brady taking second on his CR85 with a 4.633 second time.  50cc class National Champion Dakota ‘D.J.’ Watson took that class win with a 6.387 second time on his little Cobra, with Steve ‘Bug’ Coon Jr claiming second on his Cobra. Brett Kalaher was the best of the 65cc class riders, taking the win on his KX65 with a 4.840 second ride in the second round, overtaking Logan Moody who placed second with a 4.886 second time. Nick Green was fast on his KTM in the 85cc Junior Mini class with a 4.257 second run to take the win from Brett Kalaher, who posted a 4.439 second time on his KX85.   

            65 year old Richard Potter, the oldest rider in the event, claimed the win in the Super Senior (+50) class on his KX500 with a fine 4.381 second time on his second ride, overtaking Willie Williams and his big Suzuki 750 who claimed second with a 4.403 second run and Steve Daniels, who posted a good 4.412 second run on his son, Drew’s, KTM 250.

            In Quad action David Brown was the 2-Stroke champion while Steve Kemp claimed the 4-stroke title. 

RESULTS:

50cc: 1.Dakota ‘D.J.’ Watson, 2.Steve ‘Bug’ Coon Jr, 3.Dustin Foley, 4.Levi Peters, 5.Kyle Peters

65cc: 1.Brett Kalaher, 2.Logan Moody, 3.Jeremiah Lyday, 4.Chase Amos, 5.Tonnie Pauley.

85 Jr: 1.Nick Green, 2.Brett Kalaher, 3.Joe McGurer, 4.Jeremiah Lyday, 5.Logan Moody.

85 Sr: Caleb Emory, 2.Dylan Brady, 3.Remington Duncan, 4.Jessica Coon.

125cc: 1.Schuyler Kalaher, 2.Caleb Emory, 3.Tom Mangan, 4.Blake Cappello, 5.Paul Hart.

200cc: 1.Jake Tackitt, 2.David Schrum, 3.Bubba Bond, 4.Nick Skorch, 5.Robbie Ellis.

250cc: 1.Shane Green, 2.Mike Popham, 3.D.J. Compton, 4.Blake Cappello, 5.Matt Peters.

450cc: 1.Matt Peters, 2.Mike Popham, 3.Shane Green, 4.Greg Joy, 5.Gordon Green.

600cc: 1.Shane Green, 2.Jake Tackitt, 3.Tom Brown, 4.D.J. Compton, 5.Justin Trent.

600 4-St: 1.Mike Popham, 2.Justin Trent, 3.Mike Bacon, 4.Greg Joy, 5.Gordon Green.

750cc: 1.Paul Hillard, 2.Bobby Walker, 3.John Potter.

OPN: 1.Scott Petty, 2.Bud Northrup.

PRD: 1.Bud Northrup

+40: 1.Mike Pulver, 2.John Williams, 3.Mike Bacon, 4.Scott Petty, 5.Kevin Bond

+50: 1.Richard Potter, 2.Willie Williams, 3.Steve Daniels, 4.Keith Klett, 5.Ron Pauley.

400 Stk: 1.Paul Hart, 2.Rod Kalaher, 3.Alan Petty, 4.Danny Schumann, 5.Jake Tackitt.

Opn Stk: 1.Mike Pulver, 2.John Williams, 3.Greg Joy, 4.Bubba Bond, 5.Kyle Galloway.

Quad 2-St: 1.David Brown, 2.Paul Hillard, 3.Cody Shipley, 4.Brad Franklin, 5.Evan Zimmerman.

Quad 4-St: 1.Steve Kemp, 2.Broc Brown, 3.Shane Thomas, 4.Troy Piatt, 5.Mark Parker.

WMN: 1.Stefany Williams

FAST TIME: MIKE POPHAM, 3.437, YAMAHA YZ450F

YOUTH FAST TIME: CALEB EMORY, 4.169, KAWASAKI KX85

Mike Popham