Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

~ HILLCLIMB Hillc1imb Series: Final round ~ Tim Frazier rode conservatively to a fourth-place finish in the 540cc class, good enough to wrap up his third-straight championship and. the fourth of his career. (Left to right) Greg Williams, Tom Reiser, Tim Frazier and Ted Wilkins collect their trophies. Williams won the 800cc class and Wilkins topped the 540cc division. Tom Reiser's runner-up finish earned him the championship in the 800cc class. Frazier, Reiser snare titles at Devil's Staircase By Timothy G. Hall OREGONIA, OH, ocr. 11 he 44th running of the Dayton Motorcycle Club's Devil's Staircase saw veteran riders Tim Frazier and Tom Reiser sew up titles in the 540 and 800cc class~s, respectively. Competing for a record purse in front of a record crowd, Frazier and Reiser both rode conservatively, choosing not to concentrate on winning, but instead just to score enough points to assure them of the titles. Tim Frazier, defending champ in the 540cc class and president of the Hillclimb Association, had gained a big enough lead in the series that he only T 40 had to place in the top 13 for the day to guarantee the title. Team USA's Tom Reiser ,was in a quite different situation. He had a slim three-point lead over Canadian Wade Williams, and any of the top five points leaders in the class could have walked away with the championship. Both Frazier and Reiser finished strongly enough to maintai,n their leads in the points races, and they took home their respective series wins for their efforts. Going into the day, Tim Frazier led the S40cc class with 103 points, followed by Paul Pinsonnault!s 90 points and Ted Wilkins' 70 points. Points are awarded for the top 15 riders at each round, with only one point separating each place. Because of his strong lead, the only scenario which could hurt Frazier would be for him to finish out of the top 13 for the day, with Pinsonnault taking the win; a long shot at best. The climb began as a steady rain broke on the fall classic hillclimb event. The Devil's Staircase was 400 feet in length and was broken up by five -jumps, the first and most difficult at 50 feet, and three others at 150, 200, 275 and 325 feet. The trick to a good run seemed to be to negotiate the first breaker jump cleanly. The first few riders attempted to jump the obstacle, but all were unsuccessful, and it became apparent that staying on the ground would be the best approach at the first jump. Frazier had the bad luck of drawing the first slot in the 540cc class, and opened up the day's event. Frazier powered his BSA off the line, a ttempted to jump the first breaker, and landed so hard that both legs flew off the pegs. But he held the throttle open, and almost recovered before crashing near the second jump. Frazier was shaken, but not out of the race. Roger McNeely followed him, and wisely throttled back over the jump, to turn an 8.665-second run. Five more riders followed, but none were able to improve on McNeely. When Canadian Ted Wilkins came to the line, however, everything changed. Wilkins was running a highly-modified Rotax snowmobile engine and a variablespeed clutch system that was designed not to engage before 7000 rpm. When functioning properly, Wilkins' system guaranteed a quick holeshot, which is what he got on his first run. Wilkins short-hopped the first jump, then opened the throttle all the way to the top. He rode low on the bike, and it held very tight to the hill to deliver a blistering 7.737-second run for the fastest time of the day. The second round opened with Frazier again the first rider. Frazier connected with the hill and held it open to the top, turning a time of 8.129 seconds, not fast enough for the event win, but enough for fourth place and the series title, barring miracle performances by the remaining riders. Pinsonnault needed fo get under eight seconds, but wasn't able to in either round, ending the day in third. Scott Everett, fifth in points coming into the event, didn't make it to the top on his first run, but turned a great second

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