Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127668
> ILLC B;:<;<:ilic'lim, ", " Round 1: Iron Horsemen Hill H LlM ',b5eries . : " ' AMA NationalCh ionshI H - . • I Dent SUl Tlses Plnsonnau t oesn t III By Jay He rndo n GOSHEN, IN, MAY 15 ike Dent blasted his wa y up the Iron Horsemen Hill, taking his Harley-Davidson to the top honors in his firstever Pro Hillclimb event. Dent, a new addition to the Gerencer Red Team, demonstrated his smooth riding skills with two excellent runs, and a wi n in the 800cc class. No t so surprising - but no less im p ressive was las t year's 540cc National Champion Paul Pinsonnault, who took his Honda on a fast and smooth sing le ride to start the year off on a winning note. The season's opener was hosted by the 48-year-old Goshen Iron Horsemen M.e., celebrating ,the running of its 25th national. Two nationals a year are M held on the hill, and the circuit will return there on September 18, The ascent is the shortest on the circuit, but one of the most challenging for riders and exciting for the spectators. The 160-foot climb features two notorious jumps: one at the 30-foot mark, and the second another 60 feet up . When riders choose to turn the two leaps into a single double jump, 's pectacular air time is the result. After the jumps, the hill steepens before leveling off at '145 feet , where the timing lights are placed: The event was dedicated to Zeek Wenger, a veteran of motorcycle sports who rode for 50 years, raced for 20, and refereed competitions for 27. He is also the father of Larry Wenger, the current Iron Horsemen president. The weather provided damp conditions for the da y's events, As the fans and riders began to arr i ve o n the (left) Paul Pinsonnault needed just one run to win the S40cc class at the Iron Horsemen Hillcllmb. He loo ks well on his way to successfully defending his title. , (Above) M Dent catches air during his ike first climb In the BOOCc division. Dentwon the class In his first race as iI Pro. ... t'-l ' (JJ § -. 24 grounds, the air was filled with the familiar sound of exotic equipment being fired up . The weather slowly cleared and d ried out as the day wore on, and the crowd grew to an estimated 2100. The event wen t off w ith few injuries, tho ugh there was so me broken equipment. Ind ianap olis resident Glen Petty b ro ughtthe crowd to its feet when he and his Triumph landed hard from the jump in round one . The wreck nearly b roke his machine in half, requiring course workers to physically carry the motorcycle off the hill . The drawing put William Hislop onto the hill first to start the event. Hislop on his Honda squirmed out of the starting box , kicking ove r each of the two jumps before coming to a stop at the 100-foot mark - the victim of a thrown chain. As the 540cc class continued, the hill's condition proved to offer plenty of traction. Ludlow, Massachusetts' Pinsonnault started left in the box an d launched his Honda hard onto the h ill , showing th e tech nical skills tha t gained him last year's title. The Mo to-X/U.S. Mako Wulf Sport/ Boeri-sponsored Pinsonnault provided some stylish aerials before tripping the timing lights at 3.5244. It would be his only ride of the da y, as he elected to let his time stand. Canadian Ted Wilkins, aboard the innovative Rotax machine, launched