Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

belo w fou r seconds. Thirteen out of 37 hilldimbers broke four, but almost an eq ual number d idn 't even clear the top. The even t opened wi th the 540s starti ng. The tem pera ture and humidity w er e b oth risi ng, causing som e tea ms to remix fue l batches between ru ns. Last year's seco nd place finisher, Paul Pinso nnault, was the firs t hillclimber to go und er four seconds, his ti m e wa s unbeaten until re ign in g cham p Frazier best ed it by 25-thousa n d ths o n h is fi rs t attemp t. Sc ott Eve rett followed Pinsonnault, with a fast 3.75. Steve Dresser did the same, and all three riders s ta yed within a few thousand ths of each other in the first round, with the noted exception of Frazier's 3.49 first run . Wh en th e a c tio n turn ed to th e 800cc class, th e fie ld of rid er s w as re d uced w he n Lou Ger encer [r., last yea r's number-one plate-holder in the 800cc class, had to pass up the da y's ev ent because of a b roken ankle. His father, Lou Sr., was in fine form however, with tw o ru ns u nd er fou r sec onds an d an overa ll finis h of th ird . Gerencer 5r:s run of 3.67 seco nds on his Ha rley- Davi dson was indicative of how fast this class wo uld run today. Six other bikes stayed under four seconds in the first rou nd of the 800cc class. Gre g Williams hit the jum p and go t a little too far back on hi s H onda. Willi am s e n d e d up rid in g o n on e wheel fro m th e 85 to the 120 fo ot markers, and jus t missed the tim ing ligh t on the right side of the h illt op. Las t yea r's number three rider, Je ff Yode r, turned in the best first-rou nd time of 3.47 seconds. Yoder's Harley als o went too vertical o ff the first ju mp, and landed hard. The SOOcc second round began as a heavy storm front began threatening to the west. Amidst the thunder of the m ot orcycl es wa s the distant thunder of the ensuing storm. First-year profe s si o na l Mike Pulve r bo ught his Kawasaki to the top in 3.871 seconds, fast en ough to give him sixth overa ll. Pinsonnault bested his first at temp t, putting in a 3.60 run to secure seco nd . Steve Dresser wo uld be the only other ' 540cc hillclimber to brea k four seco n ds , but no t by en ough to beat Pinsonnault or Frazier. Dresser ended up third overa ll. . The balance of th e riders in the clas s either pulled s lowe r times or had to scratch, due to heavy ra in s that were now pelting the riders and spectat ors a like. The su rp rise of the ev~nt came as the 800cc class hillcl imbers sh owed their grit by climbing the hill, now saturated with water, and turn ing in so me o f the day's best times. Bobb y Castledine, in third place behind Jeff Yoder a nd Lou Gerencer Sr., p u t in what was a rguably one of the best times of the day, but a timing malfun ction meant his effor t didn 't count. Wad e Williams carved over a second off his first time. 50 di d Ra n d y Gabriel, and both riders finished in the top 10 for the day. Casey pushed his Yama ha over for the seco nd time to esta blish the fastest time for the da y a t 3.43 seconds. "I 've bee n at this hill since 1975 a n d never had a firs t here. I'v e ha d secon ds on down, but never a first. It felt great," said a happy Casey. "Once yo u get righ t here (the firs t hill) yo u pr etty much know how you are goi ng to do. And as soon as I dropped here, (th e ba ck sid e of the -second hill ) I knew I was in business!" Yoder could n' t offer a challenge to Casey and he injured his back when he was jostled around on the frame on Charlie Casey proved that age is no handicap, as the 60-year-old captured the win In the 800cc class aboard his Yamaha. Riders who jumped from hill to hill were greeted with a harsh landing that proved to be too much for some to handle. h is first run . Yode r op te d to leave with 14 points for second , rat her tha n challenge the hill again. Many riders shared the sa me sentiment and hoped to preserve points, as the hill was too demand ing and d ifficult. The ra ins finall y stopped for the final 20 m inutes of the even t, and the people of Midd lebury left having witnessed a day full of ha rd work for veterans and newcomers alike. 0'1 At the end of the day, Frazier (left) and Casey (right) celebrated at the base of the hill. Afte r n egotiating th e jump, riders w ere glad to crest the top of the hill. Results 800cc: 1. Charles Casey (Yam); 2. Jeffrey Yoder (H-D) ; 3. Lou Ge renc er Sr. (H ·D); 4 . Rob e rt Cast ledi ne (H-D) ; 5. Ra nd y Ca bri el (H·D) ; 6. Wad e Williams (He n): 7. Greg Williams (Ho n); B. Michael Debus k (Kaw): 9. Thomas Chatte rto n (H· D); 10. Thom as Reiser (H-D); 11. Richard Hunt er (H- D); 12. Gary Miller (Yam); 13. Michael Swem (BS A); 14. Rod n ey Smith (BSA ); 15. Dav id Over hu lser (Kaw) . 540«: I. Tim Fra zier (BSA) ; 2. Pa u l Pinso nna ult (Hon) ; 3. Steven Dresser (Suz) ; 4. Aar o n Bro w n (Hon ); 5. SCOII Ever ett (Tri) ; 6. Michael Pul ver (Ka w); 7. John Hislop (BSA); B. Ralph Kreeger (Tri); 9. Bill Aeice11a (Kaw): 10. Ted Wilkins; 11. Dou glas Klont [Tn ): 12. Ern ie Pellin (Hon); 13. raul Garrety (Kaw); 14. Randy Dillon (Ho n); 15. Mike Everett. 2

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