PETERS TRIPLE WINNER IN CIMC KING OF THE HILL SERIES
By: Bud Northrup
Neoga, Il  Sept 14, 2002

     The Central Illinois Motorcycle Club of Neoga, Illinois runs a 'King of the Hill' series each year, awarding beautiful trophies to the top riders in each of their classes in the five hillclimbs sponsored by the club.
    Matt Peters, from Neoga, was the big winner in the series making a clean sweep of his three classes.   Riding a CR250, he accumulated 160 points with two wins and three seconds to win the 250cc class. Jared McKay finished second with 127 points, only one point ahead of Kevin Cappello in third and just three up on fourth place  finisher John Creek. 
    Peters' second win came in the 450cc class where he carded 170 points with 4 wins and a second on his KTM380.  Paul Hillard earned 132 points on his Yamaha 350 twin for second place, followed by Doug Campbell, Brent Stewart and Ernie Bruss.
    Peters' final win came in the large and very competitive 400cc Stock class, where he built up 145 points on his YX400F Yamaha thumper, with two wins to his credit.  Jon Creek picked up a win for double points on his Honda in the State Championship event, and finished second with 132 points - only 2 points up on Andy Fortner and his CR250.
    Randy 'Buzz' Green was a double class winner on his beautiful Harley sponsored by Dale's Harley Davidson in Mount Vernon, Il.  Green earned 145 points on three wins and 2 seconds to win the Open Class with Harley riders Steve Shafer second with one win and Scott Sheets third, also with one win.
    Green built up 151 points in the Open Pushrod class with three wins to claim that title. Shafer claimed second, with Harley riders Wade Schultz and Scott Sheets, each with one win, taking third and fourth.
    The closest race came in the 600cc class where Jared McKay and Andy Fortner finished with identical 148 point totals.  McKay gets the title under District 17 tie breaking rules, as he had two wins and two seconds to his credit, while Fortner also had 2 wins, but only one second.  Fortner didn't go home empty handed, however, as he took the 750cc title with 175 points earned on four wins and a second on his Kaw Triple.
    The 125cc class was also extremely close, with Josh Denson edging Billy Hanes by only three points.  Denson had three wins, including the double point state championship, while Hanes claimed the other two wins along with three seconds.
    In Youth class racing, 'Dangerous' Dylan Brady went undefeated to win the 50cc class with Graham Cornwell second.  Steve Joe 'Goose' Weaver was the winner in the 85cc Junior Mini Class with two wins with Kevin Bond claiming second.  Mike Popham claimed four wins on his YZ85 on his way to the Senioe Mini title, with John Gocken his closest challenger.
    Other amateur class 'Kings' were 'Crazy Jake' Tackitt in the 200cc class, Randy 'Rocketman' Trosper in the Senior Class and Gayle ('the Old Pro) in the Super Senior class.  Butch 'Fearless' Fetters was the champ in the Open Stock class.