Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

~. HILLCLIMB Pikes Peak Hilldimb ~ . Brian Anderson won the famous "Race to the Clouds" for the third time in his career. Clint Vahsholtz finished a close second to Anderson in the Open Pro division. Anderson, Vahsholtz and Arlo Englund all beat Rick Dean's 16-year-old course record. Paul Zinke won the 250cc Pro class by nearly 24 seconds on a converted enduro bike. Heavy rain the night before the event made for a dust·free course for the 55 riders. Anderson strikes again By Bill Buckaz . Photos by Larry Buche COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, JULY-1 n the second year back for motorcycles after a nine-year layoff from the four-wheel-dominated Pikes Peak Hillclimb; Rick Dean's 16-yearold record time of 13 minutes, 12.61 seconds was shattered by local rider Brian Anderson, who also won last year's event and back in 1981. Fiverider grids were again used due to the danger of the traditional mass starts, which ultimately were the reason for the ·temporary exclusion of the motorcycles. This year only one injury occurred, and it happened during the dusty practice session when Ed Beaumont crashed on a pass attempt and damaged his. spleen, which was removed in the hospital. The Pikes Peak Hillclimb is known for being Ijke no other event and this year's race upheld that tradition, as it varied greatly even from last year's competition. After Wally Dallenbach, organizer of the Colorado 500, brought back motorcycles last year, organizational duties were handed over to Sonny Anderson (Brian's father) and Bill Brokaw, who used a lower entry fee along with a more modest $4000 professional purse to attract enough riders for a complete field. Having I 20 been beaten soundly by the dirt track riders, top off-road competitors like Larry Roeseler and Scott Summers were not back for another attempt. The course itself, which climbs 4708 vertical feet, was also different. Although it covered the same 156-turn, 12.42mile route, it also featured a new calcium chloride-treatment on its lower half. For the two days previous to the race, practice sessions were held on the top half of the hill, which did not have the treatment, so tire and gearing selection for race day were a dilemma. While times were recorded during the practice sessions, they were used only to determine starting positions, as the 55 riders were automatically advanced to take on the 14,110foot peak. Dean's record had reached nearlegendary status over the years, especially after it was still intact following the return of the bikes last year, but Wood-Rotax-mounted Anderson used tough competiton from Arlo Englund and Clint Vahsholu to push himself to the new record time of 12:54.00. It rained hard the night before the race, and when the morning dawned, riders scrambled to find a place to set up their pits, as the automobile competitors had been allowed to park in what the motorcycle riders had been told was their territory. Arrangements were made for the bikes to set up in' a small meadow, but space was definitely at a premium. The racing began with the car competition, -which was soon halted when a Japanese driver crashed spectacularly over the side of the mountain into a rock field below. When the bikes were finally allowed on the hill, the 250cc Pro class was the first to compete. Paul Zinke showed that his fastest qualifying time was no fluke, as he rocketed his KTM to a 13:43.99 run with the proper "feet-up" dirt track style. Wayne Intermill, a local enduro rider who had just had a cast removed from his wrist, rode his Yamaha WR to a comfortable second. Scott Ross, yet another local rider, took his Honda to the final money-winning position. The Open Pro category was the next up, and as expected, this was the race of the day. Vahsholu was the new challenger to Anderson, while Englund, who won last year's 250cc Pro race, had moved back up to the Open Pro class, which he won in 1982. He was determined to put his Kawasaki ahead of the Wood-Rotaxes of the other two riders, and he got his chance when they all were gridded on the same row. After the start, the three riders swapped the lead continuously, and Anderson found himself in third as they approached the "Bottomless Pit." Anderson squared off the right-hander in move that shot him past both Englund and Vahsholu, and he used a the momentum to lead all the way to a four-second win over Vasholtz. Anderson was visibly ecstatic when he learned that his ride had put him into the record books. Californian Scott Dunlavey posted a fast time of 13:38.88 to repeat as the winner in the Open Amateur category, putting his Yamaha well ahead of Tracy Smith and Brian Scott. The smallest field was the 250cc Amateur class, but it featured a close battle and a new class recOJ;d. Bobby . Podoll was under pressure from both of his sons, who were competing in the same class, but he proved that sometimes experience can beat youth, as his 14:06.69 score was enough to beat Hopper Podoll, who was only two seconds behind his father. The awards brunch the following morning was a grand affair, especially when the CEO of the Pikes Peak Hillclimb, Nick Sanborn, announced that next year's event will be even better for the motorcycles, stating that it will no longer be "us against them," but simply "us." CN Results OPEN PRO: I. Brian Anderson (W-R) 12:54.00; 2. Arlo Englund (Kaw) 12:59.17; 3. Clint Vahsholu (W-R) 12:58.05; 4. Charles Hopper, Sr. (Hon) 13:34.28; 5. Lee Houchin (Hon) 13:45.81. 250 PRO: J. Paul Zinke (KTM) 13:43.99; 2. Wayne Intermill (Yam) 14:08.61; 3. Scott Ross (Hon) 14:15.54; 4. Steve Elgard (Kaw) 14:16.42; 5. Kenny Perkins (Hus) 14:17.40. OPEN AM: J. Scott Dunlavey (Yam) 13:38.88; 2. Tracy Smith (Hon) 13:46.33; 3. Brian Scott (Kaw) 14:07.86; 4. Mickey Ahola (Tri) 14:28.95; 5. Terry Repstad (Yam) 14:29.10. 250 AM: I. Bobby Podoll (Hon) 14:06.69; 2. Charles Hopper, Jr. (Kaw) 14:08.88; 3. Scott Podoll (Hon) 14:23.99; 4. Michael Gavitt (Hon) 15:14.39; 5. Mark Erickson (Yam) 15:47.16.

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