Mike Popham just missed a perfect night at the Central Illinois Motorcycle Club night hill climb as he won two of the three classes he entered, and snared the Fast Time award.  His fast time came on his first ride in the 450cc class where he flew his Yamaha YZ450F over the 100 foot hill in 3.015 seconds – a time which would hold up all night for the class win and the Fast Time Award. Matt Peters was his closest competitor in the class with a 3.276 second run on his KTM380.  Paul Hillard was his closest challenger for the Fast Time with a 3.181 second ride on his Kawasaki triple to win the 750cc class.

Popham’s other win came in the 250cc class where his 3.365 second first round ride was the early fast time.   In the second round Blake Cappello sailed his KX250 over the rim in 3.345 seconds to take the class lead, but Popham responded with a sizzling 3.248 second run on his YZ250 to reclaim the class win.

Mike lost his bid for a perfect night in the 600cc 4-stroke class in a duel with his good friend R.D. Miller III.  In the first round, Popham posted a 3.904 second time on his Yamaha, while Miller carded a 3.905 – only one thousandth of a second separated them at intermission.  In the second round Miller blasted over the top in 3.407 seconds on his KTM525 to take the lead while Popham stopped the clock in 3.602 seconds on his Yamaha and had to settle for a second place to go with his two wins.

Miller also enjoyed a double win evening, adding the Open class win to his efforts for the evening.  Riding his BIG (1600cc?) and BAD Harley, he roared over the top in 3.706 seconds to take the first round lead in the Open class.  Steve Shafer blasted his smooth running Harley over the top in 3.675 seconds on his second ride to move in to the lead, but Miller responded with a quicker 3.507 second run for the win.

In youth class action, Jeremiah Lyday was the fastest rider, taking the 85cc Junior Mini class win and the Youth Fast Time award.  He had to work for it, as the district point leader, Brett Kalaher, overtook Lyday’s first round leading time of 4.547 seconds with a 4.098 second run on his KX85 in the second round.  Lyday was up to the challenge, however, as he sailed his little YZ85 over the 100 foot hill in 4.071 seconds to snatch the win by less than 3 hundreths of a second.

In other youth action, Dakota ‘DJ’ Watson won the 50cc class with Levi Peters second, Logan Moody took the 65cc class win with Jeremiah Lyday second, and Dylan Brady won the 85cc Senior Mini class.

 RESULTS:

50cc: 1.Dakota Watson, 2.Levi Peters, 3.Reece Hutton, 4.Lauren Shafer, 5.Jed Goering.

65cc: 1. Logan Moody, 2.Jeremiah Lyday, 3.Dakota Watson, 4.Clayton Hirsch.

85Jr: 1.Jeremiah Lyday, 2.Brett Kalaher, 3.Logan Moody.

85Sr: 1.Dylan Brady.

125cc: 1.Jeremy James, 2.Dylan Brady, 3.Schuyler Kalaher.

200cc: 1.Chris Peters, 2.Schuyler Kalaher.

250cc: 1.Mike Popham, 2.Blake Cappello, 3.R.D. Miller III, 4.Matt Peters, 5.Kyle Galloway.

450cc: 1.Mike Popham, 2.Matt Peters, 3.Kevin Sievers, 4.Jon Monroe, 5.Hannah Danneberger.

600cc: 1.Josh Denson, 2.Matt Peters, 3.Kevin ‘Bubba’ Bond, 4.Scott Petty, 5.Al Petty.

600 4-St: 1.R.D. Miller III, 2.Mike Popham.

750cc: 1.Paul Hillard, 2.Bobby Walker.

OPN: 1.R.D. Miller III, 2.Steve Shafer, 3.Cody Jenner, 4.Paul Hillard.

+40: 1.Scott Petty, 2.Mike Pulver, 3.Steve Horath, 4.Mark Peters, 5.Kevin L. Bond.

+50: 1.Steve Horath, 2.Bud Northrup, 3.Keith Klett.

400 Stk: 1.Al Petty, 2.Bobby Walker, 3.Mike Pulver, 4.Kyle Galloway, 5.Dale McPherson.

Opn Stk: 1.Mike Pulver, 2.Kyle Galloway, 3.Brian Klett.

Quad 2: 1.Paul Hillard.

Quad 4: 1.Jim Mahan, 2.Chris Brooks, 3.Seth Cox, 4.Tom Welch, 5.Travis Moschenrose 

WMN: 1.Hannah Danneberger.

Youth Fast Time: Jeremiah Lyday

Amateur Fast Time: Mike Popham

Mike Popham