It had rained all week with more predicted, but 174 riders showed up to ride in the Illinois State Championship hillclimb at the Pleasure Riders Motorcycle Club. The club had also modified the three stage 155 foot hill by cutting a couple small ‘stair steps’ at the bottom of each breaker, making successful jumping very difficult, and slowing the ‘normal’ times.

    ‘Fast Andy’ Fortner, however, was very successful jumping, flying his CR500 over the second breaker, landing and shooting over the top in 4.661 seconds to take the 600cc class win and also the Fast Time of the Day award. His ride was even more incredible when you consider the next fastest time in the class was 5.295 seconds by Josh Denson on his KX540 and the next fastest overall time was a 5.124 second time set by Chris Huizenga in the 250cc class.

    Jason Northrup was the only double State Champion, taking his first in the 750cc class on his Kawasaki Triple. Northrup rolled the breakers, then turned the triple loose, screaming up the last section and flying off the top in 5.684 seconds for the class win. Josh Brown roared over the top in 6.849 seconds on his Yamaha twin for second place

    In Open Class action, Northrup used the same strategy, rolling the breakers on his big FJ1220, then pouring on the power. His 5.871 second time proved good enough to take that class win also, with Nate Simenic on his big Harley his closest challenger with a 6.098 second run.

    The Pleasure Riders also award a Youth Fast Time trophy, and on this night, Shane Green claimed it. The 12 year old rider from Georgetown claimed the win in the 85cc Senior Mini class with a nice 6.510 second ride on his YZ85. District point leader Blake Cappello carded a 6.651 second time on his KX85 for second.

    The new stairsteps on the breakers caused the youth riders a lot of trouble, but two 50cc automatics still topped the hill. Kolt Kinsler thrilled onlookers when he muscled his KTM over the breakers and over the top in 11.287 seconds for the win, with Garett Holycross, also KTM mounted, taking second place with a crowd pleasing 12.099 second time.

    Dakota Blakeney was the only rider in the 65cc class to top the hill, doing it in 8.108 seconds on his RM65 for the win, with district point leader ‘Jammin Joe’ McGurer crashing his KX65 hard at 149 feet for the second spot. ‘Joltin Jake’ Wood rode his RM85 to the 85cc Junior Mini class win, stopping the clock in 7.115 seconds, with Dakota Blakeney in second with a 7.118 second time on his RM85 – only 3/1,000’s of a second difference!

    The other State Champions are Jared Patterson in the 125cc class, Jimmy Cox in the 250cc class, Mike Bacon in the 450cc class, Josh Denson in the 600cc 4-Stroke class, and Mark Peters in the Senior (+40) class. Ron Todd was the best of the AARP folks (Super Senior), Nate Simenec took the Open Pushrod win, John Michael Gocken was the best of the 400cc stock riders while Scott Pearson claimed the Open Stock title. In Quad action, Tom Brown was the 2-stroke winner with Jeff Ramey the top guy on the 4-strokes.

    The rain did come back, unfortunately, and came down hard as the last class, the Open Stock class, was running. It continued after the first round was completed, and the second round of action was called off. The Indiana State Championships were supposed to be decided the next day, but rain through the night forced a postponement of that event to September 19.

RESULTS:

50cc Auto: 1.Kolt Kinsler (KTM), 2.Garett Holycross (KTM), 3.Matt Gocken (KTM), 4.Kaylee Cox (Hus), 5.Logan Moody (Pol).

65cc: 1.Dakota Blakeney (Suz), 2.Joe McGurer (Kaw), 3.Lauren Shafer (Hon), 4.Brett Kalaher (Kaw), 5.Matt Gocken (Kaw).

85cc Jr: 1.’Joltin Jake’ Wood (Suz), 2.Dakota Blakeney (Suz), 3.Drew Daniels (KTM), 4.Jeremy James (Kaw), 5.Schuyler Kalaher (Kaw).

85cc Sr: 1.Shane Green (Yam), 2.Blake Cappello (Kaw), 3.Chris Huizenga (Hon), 4.Dusti Gocken (Kaw), 5.Hannah Danneberger (Hon).

125cc: 1.Jared Patterson (Kaw), 2.R.D. Miller III (Kaw), 3.Chris Huizenga (Hon), 4.Paul Hart (Hus), 5.Josh Mingee (Hon).

200cc: 1.Jimmy Cox (Kaw), 2.Chris Peters (Kaw), 3.Don Whaley (Suz), 4.Keith Klett (Kaw), 5.Jake Tackitt (Kaw).

250cc: 1.Chris Huizenga (Hon), 2.Matt Peters (Hon), 3.John Colbert (Yam), 4.Mike Popham (Yam), 5.Jared McKay (Yam).

450cc: 1.Mike Bacon (Yam), 2.Matt Peters (Yam), 3.Cody Jenner (Yam), 4.Mike Peters (Yam), 5.Josh Denson (KTM).

600cc: 1.’Fast Andy’ Fortner (Hon), 2.Josh Denson (5.295), 3.Jon Monroe (Hon), 3.Jon Creek (Hon), 5.Jared McKay (Kaw).

600cc 4-St: 1.Josh Denson (KTM), 2.Matt Peters (KTM), 3.Scott Pearson (Hon), 4.Mike Peters (Yam), 5.John M Gocken (Hon).

750cc: 1.Jason Northrup (Kaw), 2.Josh Brown (Yam), 3.Bud Northrup (Yam), 4.Paul Hillard (Kaw).

OPEN: 1.Jason Northrup (Yam), 2.Nate Simenec (HD), 3.RD Miller III (HD), 4.Steve Shafer (HD), 5.Scott Sheets Jr (HD).

SENR: 1.Mark Peters (KTM), 2.Scott Petty (Hon), 3.Steve Shafer (HD), 4.Kevin McKay (6.228), 5.Jeff Jack (Kaw).

SSNR: 1.Ron Todd (Kaw), 2.Randy Hart (Hus), 3.Keith Klett (KTM), 4.Billy Pearson (Suz), Chuck Schroeder (KTM).

PROD: 1.Nate Simenec (HD), 2.Steve Shafer (HD), 3.Scott Sheets Jr (HD), 4.RD Miller II (HD).

400 Stk: 1.John Michael Gocken (Yam), 2.Rod Kalaher (Kaw), 3.Mark Schroeder (Yam), 4.R.D. Miller III (Kaw), 5.Jake Tackitt (Kaw).

OPN Stk: 1.Scott Pearson (Hon), 2.Tate Pearson (Hon), 3.Mike Bacon (Mai), 4.Brian Klett (Kaw), 5.Jared McKay (Hon).

QUAD 2-St: 1.Tom Brown (Hon), 2.Wade Garriott (Hon), 3.Brad Franklin (Suz), 4.Jim Mahan (Hon), 5.Ryan Garriott (Suz).

QUAD 4-St: 1.Jeff Ramey (Yam), 2.Tony Kinsler (Bom), 3.Mark Crum (Hon), 4.Jim Mahan (Hon), 5.Brad Franklin (Yam).

FAST TIME: ‘FAST ANDY’ FORTNER, 4.661, HONDA CR500

YOUTH FAST TIME: SHANE GREEN, 6.510, YAMAHA YZ85