The MASTERS Circuit Hill may be different, but the names are the same when it comes to being crowned the “King of the Hill.” Pelkie, Michigan’s Wyler “Wild Man” Miller captured his 4th Pro Mod King of the Hill crown and Bessemer’s Matt Tingstad won his second Pro Stock King of the Hill. They both competed at this past weekend’s Winternationals Snowmobile Hillclimb at Whealkate Bluff in South Range, Michigan.Besides winning the “King” titles, both drivers took home the $1000 ‘winner-take-all’ purse, and earned a right to represent the Mid America Snow & Terrain Expert Riders (MASTERS) Circuit at this years World Championship Snowmobile Hillclimb in Jackson, Wyoming, March 25th to the 28th.
Miller qualified for the Pro Mod King of the Hill ‘shoot-out’ by taking a first in two classes, Pro Mod 600 and Pro Mod 700. Tingstad made it into the Pro Stock King of the Hill ‘shoot-out’ by winning the Pro Stock 800 class. Miller was on a Ski-Doo Summitt and Tingstad was on an Arctic Cat M-8.
Tingstad also qualified for the Pro Mod King of the Hill shoot-out. Whenboth Ironnwood (MI) Cory Bull and Wauconda, Illinois driver, Chuck Whitesell failed to make the very challenging hill in the Pro Mod Shootout, it was Miller who drew the 3rd and 4th run in the shootout. Miller made the hill in his first run in a little over 20 seconds. Then Miller had the choice to either ‘sit’ on the run and see if Tingstad could beat it, or take another shot at the hill. Miller chose to take another shot and this time he had a 19 second run. This put the pressure on Tingstad to try to be one of the few drivers to take both the Pro Stock and Pro Mod King of the Hill.
Tingstad had a 21 second run, thus giving the Pro Mod King of the Hill title to Miller.
Before the Pro Mod King of the Hill shootout, Tingstad had to beat MASTERS Circuit 3-time “Pro Stock King of the Hill” winner, Mike Fraki of Atlantic Mine. The other two drivers to qualify for the Pro Stock King of the Hill was International Falls (MN) Derek Zimney, and Pelkie (MI) Travis Kaurala.
The Winternationals was Zimney’s first time competing at a MASTERS Circuit Hillclimb. While Kaurala has competed at past MASTERS Circuit Hillcimbs, this was the first time that the Yamaha Nytro driver qualified for a King of the Hill shootout.
“By the time we were ready to run the King ‘shoot-outs,’ the hill was at it’s most challenging condition,” stated MASTERS Circuit President Skip Schulz. “All the drivers had to cross the ‘grooves’ that were worn in throughout the day, plus some 4-5 foot ‘holes’ at the top of the hill. I actually didn’t expect all the ‘shootout’ drivers to make it over the top, and only a couple did,” commented Schulz.
The Winternationals drew one of the biggest crowds of any hillclimb in the Midwest. Both the reserved and regular parking were full by 10:00 in the morning, so fans were either walking the 2 miles to the hill or taking a shuttle provided by Glad Tidings Assembly of God Church of Hancock.
“We were hoping for a good turnout of fans, somewhere close to 1000 people. We had well over 1000 people take in the event,” replied Schulz.
The fans saw how challenging Whealkate Bluff is when every driver in the Pro Open Mod class failed to make it over the top of the hill in their first qualifying run. Tingstad was the first to make it over the top in the Pro Mod 800 class with a 27.31 second run. It was in Tingstads second run on the 2nd “course” that he won the class with an amazing 17.47 second run.
The second driver to make it over the top was Roseau, Minnesota’s Nick Gustafson. Gustafson was one of the top MASTERS Circuit drivers to compete last year at the World Championship’s. Gustafson thrilled the crowd with a 22.44 second run that would not be beat till Miller’s run in Pro Mod 600, where the “Wild Man’ turned in a 21.11.
Just when the standing room only crowd thought that the event was going to be a battle between the Polaris’s, Ski-Doo’s, and Arctic Cats, the ‘factory-loyal’ crowd saw Kaurala on a Yamaha Nytro turn in a 19.87 second run to win that class. It wasn’t just Kaurala that impressed the fans with the performance of the 4-Stroke Yamaha, so did fellow Pat’s Motorsport teammate Jason Kleinschmidt of Merrill (WI) who turned in a 23.38 second run with his Stock Yamaha in the Pro Mod 700 class.
It was Bree Miller of Pelkie that won the 120cc “Queen of the Hill.” Bree defeated her sister, Mackenna, Wyatt McIntyre and Kaidlynn Kaurala in the class designed for children between the ages of 4 and 8.
The MASTERS Circuit Hillclimbs drew fans from Europe, Canada, and throughout the US. Drivers came from througout Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota.
“This was definately not a ‘bunny-hill.’ I don’t think the fans knew how tough it was to make this hill,” stated Gustafson.
“One not only had to go around 4 ‘tight’ gates, in place of 3, they had 2 washout holes on both sides of the hill. If trying to turn so tight on the steep hill didn’t get your pulse going, then trying to get over the two 4-5 foot holes would,” stated Kleinschmidt.
All the drivers turned to the Sledheads of Michigan Tech to ‘save’ their sled from rolling down the hill. The quick action of the Sledheads and the MASTERS Circuit actually got the event over a lot quicker then officials, crews, and fans thought.
“Since it has been over 10 years since we held a professionally-sanctioned hillclimb at Whealkate Bluff, we simply did not know how fast or slow the event would go,” Schulz stated. “If we would have known that we had 2 hours of daylight left, the MASTERS Circuit would have allowed more drivers to compete.”
Like all MASTERS Hillclimb events, this long running Snowmobile Racing Circuit had to turn drivers away.
“If we are fortunate enough to get Northern Quad, the landowners of Whealkate Bluff, to allow us to run another event, we will allow more drivers to compete in the Pro Divisions,” said Schulz. “If we can get ample community support and sponsorship, I would like to see this be a 2-day event, and run the SPORT (Semi-Pro/Amateur) Division.”
Schulz concluded, “That is if they have the guts, we have the hill.”
Proceeds from this event will help Schulz file for a Non-Profit Corporation called Motorsport Enthusiasts that Care (METC). The METC Foundation will provide financial assistance to families fighting Cancer and families in need.
“We’re hoping to have other events that will raise money, or organizations that will donate to the METC Foundation. This is just one of many events that will show people how it is the Off Road Motorsports Community that cares about people,” stated Schulz.
The MASTERS Circuit now turns their attention to the Snowmobile Drag Strip at the Sidnaw (MI) Airport on Saturday, February 13th. This Snow Valley Riders Snowmobile Club event will have a cash purse close to $3000.00. Contact Schulz for more information at 906-884-9101/
RESULTS:
G & J Construction and Excavating Pro Stock King of the Hill: Matt Tingstad, Bessemer (MI), Arctic Cat M-8 20.09
Pat’s Motorsports Pro Mod King of the Hill: Wyler Miller, Pelkie (MI), Ski-Doo Summitt 600. 19.47
Wildlife Refuge Cabins 120cc Queen/King of the Hill: 1) Bree Miller, Pelkie (MI); Polaris; 2) Mackenna Miller, Pelkie (MI), Ski-Doo; Wyatt McIntyre, Greenland (MI), Arctic Cat; Kaidlen Kaurala, Pelkie (MI), Ski-Doo.
Krupp’s Mini Mart Pro Stock 600: 1) Travis Kaurala, Pelkie (MI); Yamaha Nytro; 19.87: 2) Corey Bull, Ironwood (MI); Arctic Cat Sno Pro 440; 21.02: 3) Chuck Effenberger, New Ulm (MN); Polaris Rush; 21.93
Sledheads of MTU Pro Stock 700: 1) Derek Zimney, International Falls (MN) Polaris 700 RMK; 17.84: 2) Jordan Stank, Houghton (MI); Polaris 600 RMK; 19.52: 3) Michael Kleinschmidt, Merrill (WI) Polaris 600 RMK; 25.59
Somero Pumpkin Patch Pro Stock 800: 1) Matt Tingstad, Bessemer (MI) Arctic Cat M-8; 19.13: 2) Nick Gustafson, Roseau (MN) Polaris Assault; 21.69: 3) Lance Forcia, L’Anse (MI) Polaris Shift; 21.90
“Rockin Eagle” Pro Open Stock: 1) Mike Fraki, Atlantic Mine (MI) Arctic Cat M-8; 20.13: 2) Nick Bracco, Calumet (MI) Ski-Doo Summit; 20.18 (2nd Run): 3) Nick Bracco, Calumet (MI) Ski-Doo Summitt; 20.86 (1st Run)
ABC-10/CW-5 Pro Mod 500: 1) Cory Bull, Ironwood (MI) Arctic Cat Sno Pro; 21.71 (1st Run): 2) Cory Bull, Ironwood (MI) Arctic Cat Sno Pro; 21.88 (2nd Run): 3) Josh Bramble, Donken (MI) Ski-Doo Rev 440; 22.62
Four Wheelers of Michigan Tech Pro Mod 600: 1) Wyler Miller, Pelkie (MI) Ski Doo Sumitt 600; 18.42 (2nd Run): 2) Cory Bull, Ironwood (MI) Arctic Cat Sno Pro; 20.71: 3) Wyler Miller, Pelkie (MI) Ski-Doo Summitt 600; 21.11 (1st Run)
Eagle Country Pro Mod 700: 1) Wyler Miller, Pelkie (MI) Ski Doo Summitt 600; 18.43: 2) Travis Kaurala, Pelkie (MI) Yamaha Nytro; 22.03: 3) Chuck Effenberger, New Ulm (MN) Polaris Rush; 22.99
Londerville Steel & Concrete Supplies Pro Mod 800: 1) Matt Tingstad, Bessemer (MI) Arctic Cat M-8; 17.47: 2) Nick Gustafson, Roseau (MN) Polaris IQR 800; 17.6: 3) Mike Fraki, Atlantic Mine (MI) Arctic Cat M-8; 18.14
Glad Tidings Assembly of God Church Pro Open Mod: 1) Chuck Whitesell, Wauconda (ILL) Ski-Doo Rev 600; 17.64: 2) Jason Carter, Marquette (MI) Ski Doo Summitt 800; 18.39: 3) Nick Gustafson, Roseau (MN) Polaris IQR 800; 19.49
