Quad Race Promotions hosted its semi-pro hillclimb on its 500 foot hill just outside of Dickeyville, Wisconsin, on May 19^th. The club spent a lot of time, money and effort to renovate the hill and the grounds, with exceptionally good results. The addition of a swap meet added greatly to spectator turnout and interest.

Todd Cipala and Harold Waddell were the most successful of the 100+ riders attacking the hill. Cipala claimed two firsts and three seconds, while Waddell claimed two wins also, with a second, a third and a fifth to go with them.

Cipala’s first win came in the biggest class, the 600cc Novice class with 35 riders. He was the only rider in the class to break in to the 9 second bracket, carding a 9.73 second run for the win on his KX500. Kirk Mueller, his closest challenger, was over a second behind him with a 10.78 second time, followed by Ernie Beckwith, Eric Wheelwright and Troy Sherwood. The second through fifth place riders were packed into a 15/1,000 second time span – that’s tight racing!

Cipala’s second win came in the growing 600cc 4-Stroke class, where he rode his Yamaha YZ426F thumper to the win in 11.98 seconds. Paul Hackbarth and Lloyd Haas also showed up with their Yamaha thumpers and took the second and third place money, while Chase Johnson and Harold Waddell filled in the 4^th and 5^th place spots.

Waddell waited until the Open Class to take his first win, then had to come from behind to do it. Cipala had posted a very good 9.64 second time on his fantastic Harley and was poised for a 3 win day, when Waddell blasted over the top in an incredible 9.14 seconds on his second ride to take the class win and set the fast time of the day at that point. Cipala had to settle for second place and Lloyd Mueller Jr, also riding a classy Harley, claimed the third place cash with a 9.91 second time. Chad Koopsma also broke the 10 second barrier, posting a 9.99 second time on his hot running Honda, with Chuck Neinfeldt and his fine Harley claiming the fifth spot.

Waddell got his second win in the ‘Open 80’ shootout – the ten fastest bikes of the day in a one run winner take all dash for cash. The Nebraska youngster beat his own fast time with a blazing 8.91 second time for the win on his big bore Suzuki, with Cipala his closest challenger with a 9.72 second time on his Harley. Kurt Koester, Chad Koopsma and Kirk Mueller filled in the next three places.

Cipala also set the fastet time in the 750cc Novice class on his first ride, a 9.84 second run on his Kawasaki Triple. In second round action, however, Tom Daniels blistered the hill in 9.42 seconds on his triple to take the win. Kaleb Northrup, also riding a triple, took the third place cash, but paid dearly for it as his screaming machine caught a ledge with a the back wheel right at the top and endoed, slamming him into the ground and flipping end over end. Northrup was transported to a Dubuque hospital where his injuries were determined to be a separated shoulder with torn ligaments and cartilage. As always, the other hillclimbers rallied around to help, with Ernie Beckwith getting the triple back down the hill and many others helping load his trailer and his father’s (Bud). Todd Cipala drove Kaleb’s rig to Bill Paider’s house (please ask him about that trip when you see him) and Bill and Tina brought it on to Kaleb’s house the next day. Eric Wheelwright drove Bud’s rig to the hospital for him then kept his trailer until the following Wednesday when Bud and Jason went on back to Illinois from Minnesota. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP, GUYS!!! Oh yeah – Danny Mears and Jason Northrup finished 4^th and 5^th in the class on their triple Kaws.

Kurt Koester was the 600CC Expert class winner with an 9.94 second time on his KX500 with Lloyd Haas running second. Haas took the 750cc Expert class win on his triple in 10.52 seconds, just barely ahead of Waddell and his Triumph with a 10.55 second time.

RESULTS:

600CC Nov: 1.Todd Cipala (Kaw), 2.Kirk Mueller (Kaw), 3.Ernie Beckwith (Hon), 4.Eric Wheelwright (Hon), 5.Troy Sherwood (Hon).

600CC Exp: 1.Kurt Koester (Kaw), 2.Lloyd Haas (Hon), 3.Harold Waddell (Hon), 4.Paul Hackbarth (Hon), 5.Mark Wood (Hon).

600CC 4-Stk: 1.Todd Cipala (Yam), 2.Paul Hackbarth (Yam), 3.Lloyd Haas (Yam), 4.Chase Johnson (Hon), 5.Harold Waddell (Tri).

750CC Nov: 1.Tom Daniels (Kaw), 2.Todd Cipala (Kaw), 3.Kaleb Northrup (Kaw), 4.Danny Mears (Kaw), 5.Jason Northrup (Kaw).

750CC Exp: 1.Lloyd Haas (Kaw), 2.Harold Waddell (Tri), 3.Stacey Ulmer (Tri), 4.Lane Schultz (Yam), 5.Bruce Flesher (Tri).

OPEN: 1.Harold Waddell (Suz), 2.Todd Cipala (H-D), 3.Lloyd Mueller Jr (H-D), 4.Chad Koopsma (Hon), 5.Chuck Neinfeldt (H-D).

KING: 1.Harold Waddell (Suz), 2.Todd Cipala (H-D), 3.Kurt Koester (Kaw), 4.Chuck Neinfeldt (H-D), 5. Chad Koopsma (Hon).