The Pleasure Riders hosted the 2002 Indiana State Hillclimb Championships on September 1, and 156 riders competed for double district points and beautiful trophies.

Brent Stewart, from Galva, Illinois, was the fastest of the fast on his KTM380 as he won the 450cc State Championship title, and also took the overall Fast Time award. It wasn’t easy, as Jared McKay had set a 4.064 second time on his first ride in the 600cc class, and a 4.098 had been the fastest the night before. Stewart topped the 150 foot hill in 4.260 seconds to take the first round lead, but Matt Peters slipped under that with a 4.161 second run on his second ride on his KTM. Stewart, the 2002 400CC National Champion, responded with one of his patented silky smooth but sneaky fast runs, carding a 4.056 second time, winning the 450cc title, but also setting a fast time which did hold up the rest of the day.

McKay did take the title in the 600cc class, with his closest competitor, Chris Brown, taking second place with a 4.094 second time on his Honda. Mark Goodman Jr, Butch Fetters and ‘ Crazy Jake’ Tackitt filled out the next 3 spots in the 16 rider class.

Randy ‘Buzz’ Green was the only double champion, riding his hot Harley to wins in both the Open and Open Pushrod classes. In the Open class, he posted a 4.352 second run on his first ride and didn’t run again as no one could match it. Jake Lacefield was closest with a 4.645 second time on his 98 cubic inch Harley, while Jason Northrup was close behind him with a 4.686 second run on his 1220cc Yamaha. Class point leader Steve Shafer pulled his Harley in fourth.

Green brought his Harley back in the Pushrod Class and again needed only one ride to claim the title. Stopping the clock in an excellent 4.254 seconds, he was challenged hard again by Lacefield, who carded a 4.355 second run on his second ride. Shafer claimed the third place trophy with a 5.021 second run.

Randy ‘Rocketman’ Trosper was the fastest of the Seniors (40+) – but had to work extra hard for it. Doug Campbell flew his KX500 over in 4.209 seconds to take the lead into intermission, then Trosper carded an identical time on his second ride, tying Campbell. Campbell couldn’t improve his time on his second ride, so a tie breaking run off was in order. Trosper ran first and sailed his CR500 over the top in a sizzling 4.029 seconds and Campbell crashed hard at 120 feet trying to beat the time. Trosper’s time was actually faster than the Fast Time recorded by Stewart, but coming in a tie breaker run off, was not eligible for the overall Fast Time award. Scott Petty, the District 15 Hillclimb Referee, claimed the third place trophy with a 4.324 second run, followed by Mark Peters and Gayle Jenkins.

Mark Schroeder came close to a double win on his YZ250, as he won the 250cc class on the stock length bike, but had to settle for second in the 400cc Stock class. His 4.290 second ride in the first round of the 17 rider 250 class held up all night, with Jared McKay coming closest on his Yamaha with a 4.369 second time. In 400 Stock class action, Schroeder set the fastest time in the first round again with a 3.343 second run, and it looked like he had a second win. But District 17 point leader Matt Ringstrom had different ideas, and flew his KX250 over the crest in 3.323 seconds to take the lead by 2/100’s of a second. Schroeder responded with another good ride, but grabbed too much air off the second breaker, stopping the clock in 4.392 seconds and had to settle for second place.

In Youth Class action, ‘Dangerous’ Dylan Brady topped the hill on his Polini in 6.792 seconds to win the 50cc Automatic class with Dakota Blakeny taking his Cobra over in 7.289 seconds for second. Shane Green took the 85cc Junior Mini title with a 5.468 second time with ‘Goose’ Weaver in second with a 5.658 second time. Richard Miller III came in from Michigan to take the Senior Mini win on his Honda with a 5.161 second run with Mike Popham second. Garrett Holycross was the best of the 50cc quads with Jade Zollars second.

Other amateur class winners were Paul Hart in the 125 class, Jake Tackitt in the 200cc class and Mark Goodman Jr in the 750cc Class. Gayle Jenkins took the Super Senior title, Scott Pearson was the best of the Open Stock class and Butch Fetters showed his National championship skills winning the 600cc 4-stroke class. The Quad competition was intense, with David Brown emerging as the winner on his CR500 powered four wheeler.

RESULTS:

50CC: 1.Dylan Brady (Pol), 2.Dakota Blakeny (Cob), 3.Matt Gocken (Act), 4.Samantha Brown (Suz), 5.Jeremiah Lyday (Yam), 6.Logan Moody (LEM), 7.Devin Brown (Suz).

50cc Quad: 1.Garrett Holycross (Hon), 2.Jade Zollars (Eto).

85CC Jr: 1.Shane Green (Yam), 2.Steven Joe Weaver (Kaw), 3.Cody Rankin (Yam), 4.Justin Trent (Kaw), 5.Kevin Bond (Kaw).

85CC Sr: 1.Richard Miller III (Hon), 2.Donnie Barber III (Kaw), 3.Mike Popham (Yam), 4.John Gocken (Kaw), 5.Chad Cox (Hon).

125CC: 1.Paul Hart (Hus), 2.Billy Hanes (Hon), 3.Josh Mingee (Hon), 4.Josh Denson (Hon), 5.Chad Cox (KTM).

200CC: 1.Jake Tackitt (Kaw), 2.Brent Warfel (KTM), 3.Gordon Green (Kaw), Keith Klett (Kaw), 5.Mike Peters (Kaw).

250CC: 1.Mark Schroeder (Yam), 2.Jared McKay (Yam), 3.Mark Goodman Jr (Kaw), 4.Matt Peters (Hon), 5.John Colbert (Yam).

450CC: Brent Stewart (KTM), 2.Matt Peters (KTM), 3.Scott Pearson (Hon), 4.Paul Hillard (Yam), 5.Butch Fetters (Yam).

600CC: 1.Jared McKay (Kaw), 2.Chris Brown (Hon), 3.Mark Goodman Jr (Hon), 4.Butch Fetters (Kaw), 5.Jake Tackitt (Hon).

750CC: 1.Mark Goodman Jr (Kaw), 2.Andy Fortner (Kaw), 3.Paul Hillard (Kaw), 4.Jason Northrup (Kaw), 5.Boots Weber (Yam).

OPN: 1.Randy Green (HD), 2.Jake Lacefield (HD), 3.Jason Northrup (Yam), 4.Steve Shafer (HD).

PROD: 1.Randy ‘Buzz’ Green (HD), 2.Jake Lacefield (HD), 3.Steve Shafer (HD).

SENR: 1.Randy Trosper (Hon), 2.Doug Campbell (Kaw), 3.Scott Petty (Hon), 4.Mark Peters (KTM), 5.Gayle Jenkins (Hon).

SSNR: 1.Gayle Jenkins (Hon), 2.Ron Todd (HD), 3.Keith Klett (Yam), 4.Bud Northrup (Hon).

400 STK: 1.Matt Ringstrom (Kaw), 2.Mark Schroeder (Yam), 3.Chris Brown (Hon), 4.John Colbert (Yam), 5.Andy Fortner (Hon).

OPN STK: 1.Scott Pearson (Hon), 2.Butch Fetters (KTM), 3.Tom Brown (Hon), 4.Jammie Brown (Hon), 5.Doug Campbell (Kaw).

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

600 4-ST: 1.Butch Fetters (KTM), 2.Scott Pearson (Hon), 3.Boots Weber (Hon), 4.Josh Denson (Yam), 5.Gayle Jenkins (Hon).

FAST TIME: BRENT STEWART, 4.056, KTM380