IN
THE
WIND
P36
NUZZOLILLI,
KOESTER TOP
FREEMANSBURG
HILLCLIMB
V
inny Nuzzolilli won the Unlimited
Class at the second stop of the
AMA Pro Hillclimb Championship Se-
ries on the Bushkill Valley Motorcycle
Club's hill at Freemansburg, Pennsyl-
vania, June 11. John Koester, fresh
off double wins in the opening round,
took wins in both the Xtreme and 450
Pro (formerly Expert Singles) classes.
Jay Sallstrom won the exhibition Verti-
cross Class.
Dave Price was first over the top in the Unlimited
Class, posting a 15.118-second time. Cory Strickler
stopped the clock at 12.846 for the lead. Jockamo
Baldina crested in at 13.825 just behind Strickler.
Sallstrom moved into first with an 11.823, bumping
Strickler and Baldina back one spot each.
Unlimited Class riders dialed in their machines,
refined their lines, and hill conditions improved
as the second half of the Unlimited Class pro-
gressed. Strickler posted a 12.696-second ride.
Koester stopped the clock at 11.097 to move into
first. Sallstrom lopped off a half-second, taking
over the lead at 10.569. Then Nuzzolilli, standing
ninth at the half with a 450-foot distance on his
first attempt, posted a blazing fast 10.478-second
time to take the win in the Unlimited Class. Leav-
ing Sallstrom on his left and Koester to his right,
second and third respectively.
Nuzzolilli rode first in the Xtreme Class, but
stopped at just 250 feet with a broken transmis-
sion. Justin Fowler crested in at 15.508 seconds,
but was quickly bested by Alex Erikson with a
14.444. Sallstrom took over first place when he
posted a 12.131. Phil Libhart topped the hill in
13.659, moving into second. Then Koester laid
down a perfect ride with a 9.941-second E.T. to
take over first place. Riding last in order, Strickler
wedged into third with a 13.084-second ride.
Looking pretty secure with more than a two-
second lead, Koester waited and watched through
the Xtreme Class second half to see if another,
even faster ride was needed. Sallstrom came clos-
est with a 10.865. However, it was still more than
a second off Koester's time, but enough to hold
onto second. Libhart posted an 11.632-second
time, taking over third place from Strickler. Koes-
ter took the win with a one-and-done ride.
Koester repeated the feat in the 450 Pro Class,
where his one and only ride, at 14.625, was good
enough for the class win.
Jeff Whitehead
Unlimited
1. Vinny Nuzzolilli (Hon)
2. Jay Sallstrom (Yam)
3. John Koester (Hon)
4. Alex Erikson (Hon)
5. Cory Strickler (Yam)
Xtreme
1. John Koester (Hon)
2. Jay Sallstrom (Yam)
3. Phil Libhart (Tri)
4. Cory Strickler (Yam)
5. Justin Fowler (Hon)
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
JEFF
WHITEHEAD
