Districts 15 and 17 held their opening day of the 2007 Hill Climb season on May 5 at the Pleasure Riders M/C. 134 riders competed, including a large contingent from Michigan, who did quite well on the 155 foot, 3 stage hill.  A moment of silence was observed during the riders meeting to honor long time hillclimber Scott Sheets Jr, who lost his life the previous Sunday.

            Dakota Blakeney, Chris Huizenga and Mike Bacon all enjoyed double win evenings.  Blakeney, 12 years old, took his first win in the 85cc Senior Mini class with a 5.733 second first round ride on his CR85, which was also good for the Youth Fast Time Award.  Joe McGurer was his closest challenger with a 5.832 second run on his KX85.  Young Blakeney then returned to take his first ride ever as an amateur rider in the 125cc class, and topped the hill in 5.297 seconds to take a convincing win.  Chad Altfillisch claimed second place with a 5.643 second run.

            Chris Huizenga, one of the Michigan riders, claimed his first win in the 450cc class, but had to come from behind to do it.  Eric Wheelwright, who had just won the 250cc class (Huizenga in third), carded a fine  4.502 second ride on his first run on his CRF450 to take the first round lead and set the early fast time. In second round action,  Huizenga countered with a 4.466 second run to take the lead.  Wheelwright responded with another good run, but came up short with a 4.576 second time.  Chris Senn had a nice 4.720 second run for third.

            In 600cc class action, Huizenga and Wheelwright went at each other again.  This time Huizenga carded a fast first round time of 4.360 seconds to take the class lead and set a new fast time.  Wheelwright countered with another new fast time in the second round, sailing his CR500 over the top in 4.286 seconds.  But Huizenga was up to the challenge, topping the hill in a blistering 4.228 seconds for the win, and what would prove to be the fast time of the night.  Shane Green also was fast with a 4.293 second run on his KX500 for third place.

            Mike ‘Maico Mike’ Bacon left his Maico home and rode his CR500 to a double win evening, the first in the Senior (40+) class.  His 4.530 second first round ride was plenty good enough for the win, as Randy ‘Rocketman’ Trosper claimed second with a 5.140 second effort.  Bacon, just turned 50, is now the youngest rider in the 50+ (Super Senile) class, and claimed the win on his first entry with a 4.958 second time, with the Pleasure Riders President, Billy Pearson, running second in 5.572 seconds on his Honda. 

            Jake ‘Crazy Jake’ Tackitt rode his old 1985 KDX200 previously owned by Scott Sheets Jr, and in Scott’s memory donated his 200cc  first place prize money to the memorial fund for Scotty.  Thanks, Jake! ‘Scooter’ will be missed.

RESULTS:

50cc: 1.Dakota ‘DJ’ Watson, 2.Andrew Fortner, 3.Nakenna Johnson, 4.Kaley Johnson, 5.Steve ‘Bug’ Coon Jr.

65cc:Cole Garriott, 2.Logan Moody, 3.Chase Amos, 4.Morgan Wheelwright, 5.Steve Coon Jr.

85Jr: 1.Brett Kalaher, 2.Cody Larabee, 3.Logan Moody, 4.Morgan Wheelwright, 5.Austin Shelton.

85Sr: 1.Dakota Blakeney, 2.’Jammin Joe’ McGurer, 3.Amber Fraedrich, 4.Dylan Brady, 5.Samantha Swarner.

125cc: 1.Dakota Blakeney, 2.Chad Altfillisch, 3.Jeremy James, 4.Matt Altfillisch, 5.Cody Swarner.

200cc: 1.Jake ’Crazy Jake’ Tackitt, 2.Schuyler Kalaher, 3.Keith Klett.

250cc: 1.Eric Wheelwright, 2.Shane Green, 3.Chris Huizenga, 4.Mike Popham, 5.Blake Cappello.

450cc: 1.Chris Huizenga, 2.Eric Wheelwright, 3.Chris Senn, 4.Gordon Green, 5.Zach Brown.

600cc: 1.Chris Huizenga, 2.Eric Wheelwright, 3.Shane Green, 4.Jake Tackitt, 5.Tom Brown.

600 4-St: 1.Mike Popham, 2.Stan Johnson, 3.Bobby Senn, 4.Dan Groth, 5.Scott Lisk.

750cc: 1.Tom Daniels, 2.Paul Hillard, 3.Bobby Senn, 4.Chris Senn, 5.Bobby Walker.

OPN: 1. Paul Hillard.

+40: 1.Mike Bacon, 2.Randy Trosper, 3.Mike Pulver, 4.Steve Horath, 5.Billy Pearson.

+50: 1.Mike Bacon, 2.Billy Pearson, 3.Steve Horath, 4.Steve Daniels, 5.Keith Klett.

400Stk: 1.John Colbert, 2.Justin James, 3.Gordon Green, 4.Mike Pulver, 5.Bobby Walker.

OpnStk: 1.Tom Brown, 2.Bubba Bond, 3.Randy Trosper, 4.Kyle Galloway, 5.Mike Pulver.

Quad-2: 1.David Brown, 2.Wade Garriott, 3.Cody Shipley, 4.Evan Zimmerman, 5.Brad Franklin.

Quad-4:  1.Jim Mahan, 2.Jeff Ramey, 3.Mark Parker, 4.Brad Franklin, 5.Chris Brooks.

WMN: 1.Amber Fraedrich, 2.Jessica Coon, 3.Morgan Wheelwright.

FAST TIME:   Youth: Dakota Blakeney,  Amateur: Chris Huizenga.