Several inches of rain drenched the Pleasure Riders hill just the day before their Saturday night hillclimb, but except for mud on the flat just beyond the first breaker, the hill was in good condition – but very ‘tacky’. The consensus of opinion was that because of the high traction on this evening, the stock length bikes would be having a hard time – and many riders were seen ‘stretching’ their bikes and changing gearing in anticipation of unwanted wheelies. A club record 162 riders were there to ride hill close to Cayuga, Indiana.

But Mark Schroeder, a mild mannered CPA from Danville, Illinois, is the 2003 National Champion in the 400cc Stock class, and he showed everyone exactly why. Riding his stock length Yamaha YZ250, he flew high and far over the top of the 150 foot hill on his first ride in the 250cc class in a breathtaking 4.130 seconds – a time which would not only win the class, but also stand up for the fastest overall time of the entire evening. Jared McKay was his closest competitor in the class with a good 4.322 second run on his classy Yamaha, followed by Kevin Ryan, Matt Peters and Butch Fetters. This was Schroeder’s third fast time of the season on the YZ250.

Schroeder wasn’t through with his high flying performances, however, as he brought his YZ back to blister the hill again in the 400cc Sock class, blazing over the top in 4.142 seconds, just to show his 250cc ride was no fluke. He, of course, won that class also and completed a perfect night with two class wins and the top two fastest times. Young John Michael Gocken was his closest competitor in the stock class with a 4.370 second time on his YZ250, followed by Kevin Ellis, Chris Brown and Paul Stephenson.

‘Fast Andy’ Fortner was the closest to Schroeder in the Fast Time category, as he flew his CR500 Honda over the top in 4.183 seconds on his first ride in the 600cc class – then carded a 4.184 second time on his second ride! Jared McKay got another second place in this class with a 4.222 second run on his KX500 and Jason Northrup nailed a third with a 4.251 second run on his CR540 ‘airhammer’ Honda. Josh Denson was just a flicker slower than Northrup with a 4.255 second time on his KX500 and John Scroggins was also fast with a 4.285 second fifth place effort.

Fortner was also a double class winner, as he sailed his screaming Kawasaki triple over the top in 4.377 seconds to take the 750cc class, followed by Paul Hillard, Josh Brown and Jason Northrup.

In youth class action, the Pleasure Riders’ second National Champion showed his skills also. Shane Green, riding a Yamaha YZ85, posted a 5.173 second time to take the 85CC Junior Mini class win. This win was his 8^th in a row, including the National Championship, and his 20^th in 22 chances in 2003. Mike Popham, also riding a YZ85, is nearly as dominant in the Senior Mini class as Green is in the Junior Mini. Popham flew his Yamaha over in 5.116 seconds to take the Senior Mini win, his sixth in a row in District 17, and his 12^th for the year.

Dakota Blakeney was the 50CC class winner with a crowd pleasing 6.949 second time on his LEM while Drew Daniels took the 65cc class win oh his KTM65.

Other amateur class winners were Josh Mingee in the 125cc class, ‘Flash’ Gordon Green in the 200cc class and Matt Peters in the 450cc class. Butch Fetters grabbed his 17^th straight district win in the 600cc 4-stroke class, Jason Northrup took the Open Class win and ‘Buzz’ Green was the best in the Pushrod class. Scott Petty and Ron Todd were the Senior and Super Senior winners and Tom Brown took the win in the Open Stock class. In Quad action, Ryan Garriott was the winner on the 2-strokes and Tony Kinsler was the best of the 4-stroke riders.

RESULTS:

50CC Auto: 1.Dakota Blakeney (LEM), 2.Jeremiah Lyday (Cob), 3.Kaylee Cox (Hus), 4. Garrett Holycross (KTM), 5.Corey Scroggins (Hon).

65CC: 1.Drew Daniels (KTM), 2.Joe McGurer (Kaw), 3.Dakota Blakeney (Kaw), 4.Matt Gocken (Act), 5.Jake Wood (Kaw).

85CC Jr: 1.Shane Green (Yam), 2.Blake Cappello (Kaw), 3.Drew Daniels (KTM), 4.Dylan Brady (Hon), 5.Joe McGurer (Kaw).

85CC Sr: 1.Mike Popham (Yam), 2.Richard Miller III (Hon), 3.’Goose’ Weaver (Kaw), 4.Kieven Hillard (Kaw), 5.Cody Rankin (Suz).

125CC: 1.Josh Mingee (Hon), 2.Mike Popham (Yam), 3.Kevin Bond (Hon), 4.Brent Bowman (Hon), 5.John Michael Gocken (Kaw).

200CC: 1.Gordon Green (Kaw), 2.Jake Tackitt (Kaw), 3.Keith Klett (Kaw), 4.Mike Peters (Kaw).

250CC: 1.Mark Schroeder (Yam), 2.Jared McKay (Yam), 3.Kevin Ryan (Kaw), 4.Matt Peters (Hon), 5.Butch Fetters (Hon).

450CC 1.Matt Peters (KTM), 2.Scott Pearson (Hon); 3.Marcus Brown (ATK), 4.Tate Pearson (Hon), 5.Paul Hillard (Kaw).

600CC: 1.Andy Fortner (Hon), 2.Jared McKay (Kaw), 3.Jason Northrup (Hon), 4.Josh Denson (Kaw), 5.John Scroggins (Hon).

600cc 4-Stk: 1.Butch Fetters (KTM), 2.Scott Pearson (Hon), 3.Josh Denson (Yam), 4.Mark Peters (KTM), 5.Tate Pearson (Hon).

750CC: 1.Andy Fortner (Kaw), 2.Paul Hillard (Kaw), 3.Josh Brown (Yam), 4.Jason Northrup (Kaw).

OPEN: 1.Jason Northrup (Yam), 2.’Buzz’ Green (HD), 3.Steve Shafer (HD), 4.Richard Miller II (HD), 5.Bud Northrup (Tri).

PROD: 1.’Buzz’ Green (HD), 2.Steve Shafer (HD).

40+: 1.Scott Petty (Hon), 2.Ron Todd (Kaw), 3.Kevin Weaver (Hon), 4.Mark Peters (KTM), 5.Mike Bacon (Mai).

50+: 1.Ron Todd (Kaw), 2.Keith Klett (Yam), 3.Bud Northrup (Hon).

400 STK: 1.Mark Schroeder (Yam), 2.John Michael Gocken (Yam), 3.Kevin Ellis (Hon), 4.Chris Brown (Hon), 5.Paul Stephenson (Kaw).

OPN STK: 1.Tom Brown (Hon), 2.Scott Pearson (Hon), 3.Jared McKay (Kaw), 4.Mike Bacon (Mai), 5.Will Dallenberg (Hon).

QUAD- 2 Stk: 1.Ryan Garriott ((Yam), 2.David Brown (Hon), 3.Brad Franklin (Suz), 4.Paul Hillard (Yam), 5.Tom Brown (Hon).

QUAD- 4 Stk: 1.Tony Kinsler (Bom), 2.Mark Crum (Hon), 3.David Brown (Hon), 4.Jim Mahon (Hon), 5.Jason Cappello (Hon).

FAST TIME: MARK SCHROEDER, 2.130, YAMAHA YZ250