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HILLCLIMB AMA National Championship Hillclimb Series Round 1Q: Ironhorsemen Motorcycle Club -ns, Petty take it to the t (Lett) G1endal Petty Jr.'s one straight blast let him walk away with the win In the 800cc class. (Above) Two-time National winner Ted Wilkins secured the win In the 540cc class with his airy, second ride. (Below) 800cc class points leader Steve Dresser focull8S on the hili as his fether prepsres the machine; Dresser finished a solid second. By Jay A. Herndon MIDDLEBURY, IN, SEPT.l7 t was a surprise attack by the Petty Team as BOOcc rider Glendal Petty Jr. utilized only one ride to blast his thundering XR750 Harley-Davidson to the top of the hill - and the podium - in a low-three-second ride to land his first win of the season. Current 800cc class points leader Steve Dresser finished second on the day, and that result, coupLed with archrival Lou Gerencer Jr.'s sixth place, allowed Dresser to stretch to six points, 135-129. Rod Williams is third overall on 107 points. In the 540cc class, Ted Wilkins put together two fast, airy rides as he and his mechanic had the innovative Rotax powerplant and hand-built frame working well. Though Wilkins put in a good first ride, it was his second run on the short hill that ultimately landed the Canadian in the winner's circle. It was Wilkins' second National win this season and he currently sits fourth in points. As the season begins to wind down, the leaders in the smaller-displacement class, Richard Soter III and Paul Pinsonnault, are also now separated by six points, 141-135, respectively, while David Watson, second today, sits third overall with 96 points. This stop on the AMA National Hill- I if) 0\ 0\ ,..... ~' I-< Q) ~ o 38 climb circuit is the 10th event of the season and is the shortest hill the riders face with runs usually in the three-second bracket. With only one major jump at 30 feet, riders get kicked into the air some 10-15 feet and have to land just over the second kicker at 65 feet, which usually makes for showy, airy rides. The 49year-old Ironhorsemen club hosts two pro hillclimb ellents a year, the season opener in May and this late-summer event. Getting the show off to a good start, last year's rookie of the year, David Watson, put in an airy ride. Fighting for the third-place overall in points against Scott McNeely, Paul Lowe and Ted Wilkins, Wa.tson squeezed off a lofty 3.5051 run, bringing the spectators to a roar as he flew over the top. Watson's return proved faster as he got a better feel for the hill's condition. Turning up the volume, Watson clocked a 3.3580. An impressive ride and fast enough for a second-place finish in the 540cc class. "I knew I had to get the thing low across the jump and the power on, so I did. I backed off just a hair before the jump and it stayed right on the ground and then I got the power back on and had a nice straight run to the lights." Rick Soter Ill, who is battling Paul Pinsonnault for the lead in the championship, put in a good ride in his first attempt but faltered on his second run up the hill, forcing the BSA rider to rely on the first-ride time, 3.3999 seconds. Soter finished third on the day. Paul Pinsonnaul t faltered on his sec-' ond ride as well, and with a first-run time of 3.6477, the Honda-mounted points contender would finish a disappointing eighth place. The off performance allowed Soter to open up a sixpoint lead over Pinsonnault, 141-135. "I got some good advice from Jim Thompson," related Soter. "He says, 'Don't worry about the points, just worry about the ride: and that's pretty much what you've got to do." Ted Wilkins from Kinmount, Canada, put his Rotax against the starting log and got it warmed up for his coming run to the top of the hill. Wilkins got a quick run and was up and over the top before one could even focus on him. The fast 3.4010-second run was strong enough to grab second place at the end of the opening round. Back at the base of the hill for round two, Wilkins once again screamed to the lights, lobbing over the top with a faster, almost astonishing time of 3.2766 and vaulting into the lead over Watson and Soter. It was Wilkins' second National victory this year and he currently sits fourth in overall points. "I just planned it out and it just clicked," said the happy Wilkins. "Right over the jump I didn't catch