VOL. 51 ISSUE 39 SEPTEMBER 30, 2014 P29
SALLSTROM TAMES
FREEMANSBURG HILL
J
ay Sallstrom won the Unlim-
ited Class hillclimb at round
seven of the VP Racing Fuels
AMA Pro Hillclimb series in Free-
mansburg, Pennsylvania, bring-
ing the championship battle to a
draw with Vinny Nuzzolilli. John
Koester opened his lead in the
Xtreme class with his fifth win
and rookie Pro Sport rider Matt
Walker made it three wins in a
row in his class.
Sallstrom, the only Unlimited
class rider to break nine sec-
onds in the first half, sat out the
second half to see if he'd be
challenged. Koester came close
at 9.063 seconds, but Nuzzo-
lilli pulled ahead of both of them
with an 8.766-second E.T. forc-
ing Sallstrom to ride. With his
all-out 8.549-second ride, Sall-
strom clinched the win and tied
the series.
In the Xtreme class Koester
showed that laying down a per-
fect ride early can fend off would-
be challengers and secure the
win. He posted an 8.887-sec-
ond time in the first half and it
held. Sallstrom followed with a
9.132-second E.T. and Nuzzolilli
posted a 9.422-second time in
the second half for second and
third, respectively. Koester's
lead in series points widens to
nine while Nuzzolilli trails Sall-
strom by 21.
Walker took the Pro Sport lead
in the first half, cresting in 15.174
seconds only to lose it when Kyle
Welch posted a 14.960-second
E.T. Adam Holmes wedged into
third just before intermission.
Walker battled back in the sec-
ond half, posting a 14.500-sec-
ond time and leaping into first.
Welch's answer fell short at 430
feet. Walker holds a 13-point lead
over Welch going into the final
round with Molly Carbon in third -
nine behind Welch.
Jeff Whitehead
John Koester
won the Xtreme
class hillclimb at
Freemansburg
and extended his
points lead with
one perfect ride.
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
JEFF
WHITEHEAD
