Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

AMAlPace American National Championship Hillclimb Series Round 14; White Rose M.C. Disbennett had his Triumph hauling off the line, and his timing on the breaker was excellent. "Everyone seemed to be too hot on the bottom, so I tried to make up time there," Disbennett said. "It hooked up a lot on the middle of the hill, and I had to turn it off and on." That little bit of throttle jockeying may have been the difference, as Disbennett ran a 5.735 to take third. Libhart was the last 540cc rider, but he over-ran the breaker and had wheelie problems and then settled for second with his first run. S~ra ..k STORY AND PHOTOS By DAVID L. PATTON JR. YORK, PA, SEPT. 30 ..,alter "Tiger" Strank Jr. finished off a championship season in classic form, with a come-frombehind win that clinched his first AMA 800cc National Hillclimb number-one plate. At Round 14 of the AMA National Championship Hillclimb Series, sponsored by Pace American, Strank made it two wins and a second place finish at the York hill this season, and the Johnstown, Pennsylvania, rider also set the day's fastest time. Defending 800cc National Champion David Watson took second, ahead of Bob Castledine. John Hamilton Jr. also picked up his second White Rose win of the year with the top ride in the ultra competitive 540cc class. Hamilton edged Phil Libhart for the win, but Libhart did gajn two valuable points on series leader Jeff Thomas, who finished fourth. Chad Disbennett, Hamilton's teammate, took third overall. The event took on added significance, as the riders of the Pro Hillclimb Association also asked for donations from the fans. Over $1000 for relief efforts in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania. n BOOcc Richie Scheuerman led off on the Dr. Bob's Racing Kawasaki Triple, but his 6.509 wouldn't be enough to crack the top 10. Jeff Thomas entered the day second in the 800cc (Above' Tiger 5lrank Jr. clinched his first career AlIA National Hlllclimb C"-mpionshlp with a victory in the 800cc class at round 14 on the Whl1e Rose M.C. Hill. Strank also pushed his National win tally to four on the year. (Right) John Hamilton Jr. was triumphant on his Triumph, landing the 540Cc win. 540cc Brian Bowlby drew the opening ride, and he negotiated the bottom breaker well and stayed on line over the top jump, but he was a little down on power and was only able to run an 8.27. Strank followed, with a 6.437second effort on his Kawasaki KX500, but the York hill demands nitro-fed, multi-cylinder horsepower, and he wouldn't be able to hang on to the top spot. Hamilton won round two of the 200] series, held at WNte Rose, with a well-timed run over the bottom breaker, the most critical part of the hill. The hill was very dry for round 14, however, and he had a tougher time of it. "I really timed the breaker badly, and that's the key to thjs hill," Hamilton said. He still pulled out a 6.107 on his first attempt. Watson retumed to action after sitting out round 13, and he had the Troy Lee Designs/Factory Effex Honda running hard on the bottom. Watson cleared the breaker and nailed the throttle, and the bike bounced right, but he was able to save it. Watson blasted past the lights for a new fast time, but after a discussion, AMA referee Harold White declared him out of bounds at the 100-foot mark. 32 OCTOBER 17, 2001 • cue I • Kreeger's Pro Hillclimb Team/ Amsoil{Tuf Plates-backed Phil Libhart needed a fast ride to try to catch points leader Jeff Thomas, but Libhart was riding hurt. "I separated my shoulder at Middlebury [Indiana] but I can move it enough to ride." Libhart had the hammer down right from the start, but he jumped over the crest of the breaker and then had to fight off a wheelie the rest of the way to the lights. Libhart's gutty performance paid off with a time of 5.645. "When they told me I ran in the fives, I said, 'No way,'" Ubhart said. "It wasn't that clean a ride. This is my first five-second run here, ever." Jeff Thomas followed Libhart with a 5.975 on the Motul/Wiseco Honda CBR. Thomas had to constantly work the throttle on the bottom half of the hill as the front end kept leaping up into his face. "I think I need to slow the rebound down in the front forks," Thomas said. "When I hit the transition after the breaker, the front end bounced up, and when I got to the top, the rear wheel spun because the wheelbase is too long. Still, it was a pretty decent time." Chad Disbennett was the final rider of the round, and after two seasons trying of rehab on his badly injured leg, he is finally healthy. All of Disbennett's National wins have come at York, and he was very sharp over the breaker. Like Watson and Thomas, he had problems staying straight in the n e _ s middle, but he still ran a respectable 6.058 to close the first round. The riders had the hill figured out by the second go around, and Strank got it going with a smooth, fast 6.064. Hamilton Jr. was also ready, "It's a little cold, so we richened it up a little." Hamilton had a great launch up to the breaker on the Bo's radical Racing/Indianapolis Southside HarleyDavidson & Buell-sponsored Triumph twin. "When I crossed the breaker, it bounced a little, so I hit the throttle and it just hooked up perfectly," Hamilton said. "I didn't think I could beat Phil's [Libhart) time, and the run was pretty good but it didn't feel ungodly fast." The timers told a different story, though, as Hamilton climbed to the top with a time of 5.575. Watson ran into the same problems as his first ride and went out of bounds on the right side. Thomas also had problems, but his earlier run would net him fourth, ahead of Strank. "It's been a decent day," Thomas said. "Now it's two rides at Oregonia to decide the championship. I have to try to win the hillclimb, and I'm looking forward to the challenge." points race, and he ran a 6.122 despite a lot of problems. Libhart put together a strong run on the R.L. Smith Garage BSA. Libhart hat! a solid run off the bottom and he really made up time on the top. He took the lead with a 5.998. Tiger Strank Jr. has really figured out the Dr. Bob Racing/Finish line Lubricants/Fox Racing Yamaha R I, and the 800cc points leader had a nice run to the breaker. "We had shortened it before we got here, but when I saw the hill, I asked Bob [Shreiner] to lengthen it to the same setup we won here with at the All Star Challenge," Strank said. "It still wheelied all the way up the hill." Strank tore to the lights in 5.782 seconds to take the lead. After Rookie Gerry Bennett on the Reiser's Cycle Service Harley ran a 6.369 on his first-ever Pro hillclimb ride, Watson rolled the National number-one machine to the line. Watson blasted off the bottom, and when he cleared the breaker, the bike got squirrely, but he held on. Watson straightened it out and was blazing fast from the middle of the hill on to jump into the lead with a 5.647. "That was a pretty good run," Watson said. "I got a little out of shape at

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