83rd Annual Miller Lite Great American Championship Hillclimb
another year to the total and $5000
big ones to the purse for a total of 30
Grand, spread over six classes. Aren't
you supposed to slow down in your
80s? Not this 01' gal. The event has
exploded in spectator and sponsor
popularity over the last decade. This
year, there were roughly 20,000 peo-
STORY AND PHOTOS BY
KAREL KRAMER/DIRT RIDER MAGAZINE
BIWNGS, MT, JULY 28 & 29
he Nation's oldest and richest
motorcycle hillclimb got a little
more of both for 2001. The Billings
Motorcycle Club's (BMC) annual
gravity-defying gathering added
T
pie on hand for the festivities over the
two days. Most impressive considering that the majority of those spectators come from Billings and neighboring communities that total less than
200,000. Uke the purse, though, the
spectator base is increasing to
include street riders en route to Stur-
Two of the day's
biggest winners
were Travis
Whitlock pett)
and Dusty Beer
(right), each of
whom won
multiple classes
in Montana. Beer
came away with
more cash, but
Whitlock topped
the prestigious
Championship
division.
38
AUGUST 22, 2001
•
eye
I
e
ne"".
No one does hlllclimbing like the
Billings Motorcycle Club. This year's
event featured a $30,000 purse,
prompting competitors to give it that
little extra. Some efforts were more
successful than others.
gis, vacationers from other states,
and even a few visitors from other
countries who made the trip. The
