Hillclimb Blog

For the first time, the small hill was lighted and half of the trophy riders climbed under the stars on Friday night. Only one rider made the top…Idaho’s Toni Howard, who borrowed her dad’s stretched YZ490, smoking not only the other women, but all of the men as well. Saturday’s action began in the morning, with pro qualifying and Dusty Beer, now in his mid-40’s, easily won the 450 qualifying round, blowing over the nearly vertical 260-foot hill, that later proved to be so nasty that only nine total pros made it.

On Saturday evening, the remaining trophy riders lined up to take a shot at a slightly longer, somewhat easier hill, but very few of them made it, one notable exception being Oregon’s Shane Donaca who rode over again and again, picking up a total of six class wins in the process. Also, local rider and KTM factory pilot, David Kamo, hustled back from the ISDE just in time to get to the hill, and rode all weekend on a variety of KTM two and four-strokes.

Sunday’s main event consisted of three pro classes: 450, 700 and open. These bikes continue to be some of the most exotic machines in motorcycling and many are stretched out and run steel, chained or bolted paddle tires on the rear and use any type of fuel including nitromethane, alcohol and nitrous. Some of them produce over 250 horsepower and are incredibly loud and temperamental.

The weekend ended with the King of the Hill Shootout, giving the top five Open bikes a final shot at the hill. California’s Peterson repeated his Open Pro win, blasting his nitro-powered KTM over the hill again, putting another $500 in his pocket and becoming the first two-time winner of the Big Nasty “King of the Hill” perpetual trophy.

Next year’s Big Nasty Hillclimb will be held on September 18-20, 2009, and discussions are underway on how to make it even bigger and better. “The event

site is large, over 1,000 acres in size, and could accommodate a crowd of over 30,000 people if carefully managed,” Dillon said.

The organizers wish to extend a hearty “helmets off” to the sponsors, donators and partners: Edge Performance, Miller Light, Michael’s Idaho Powersports, McAlvain Group of Companies, Hanigan Chevrolet, Project Filter, Idaho Air National Guard, amp Energy, Rockies Diner, Mona Vie, Carl’s Cycles, Buck’s 4×4, Emmett Rentals, Moto Tech, Holy Rosary Hospital, Les Schwab Tires, Stinker Stores, Sprint, Nationwide Insurance, Boise Vintage Cycles, Seventh Heaven RV, Purely Custom, Fly Racing, Big Twin Cycles, Scott USA, Custom Design Countertops, PM Loans, Peak Performance Sales, The Double Diamond Saloon, Jaegermeister, Jack Daniels, Ontario Tool and Rental, Grizzly Sports, Redline, Bad Ass Bikes, EZ Mart, HCD Construction, Northwest Water Service, LMP Sports, 208 Clothing, Hot Pipes Magazine, ICAM, Polar Pak, BTR Moto, Astrata Print & Design, Ridgeline Design & Development, Riverside Embroidery, High Desert and Birds of Prey Harley-Davidson, KIVI and KTVB Television, KSRV, KWOW, J105 and the X Radio, the Holiday Inn, as well as our musicians from Dirty Rooster Lolipop, 57 Hevy and Threshold. A big thank you is also in order to the small army of staff and volunteers who helped, Caldwell Track, the Owyhee Outlaws, and to the ranch owner, Tom Pence, and Rory Clinton of Shore-Line Pest Control, who fought the vicious, Payette County mosquitoes to a standstill for three days at the site, and to Mid Valley Construction who kept the dust down. The event could also not have happened without the support of the Payette County Commissioners and law enforcement and medical personnel, as well as the Idaho State Police, and adjacent landowners including George Colwell and Dan Bicandi. For the fourth year in a row, the Fruitland High School video department filmed the event, and the 2008 DVD will be available in a couple of months. For more information visit the Big Nasty website at: www.bignastyhillclimb.com or call Ron Dillon at (208) 573-4255.