Muskegon Hill Climb
MUSKEGON HILL CLIMB
Joe Hemmia Takes Mount Garfield for 4th Time
THE 340-FOOT SAND INCLINE at Mount Garfield was assaulted once more by the wiry, alcohol-burning Class "A" hillclimbers, entered in a well-organized AMA National points event put on by the Muskegon Motorcycle Club at that lake side resort town on a perfect day. Rain the day before had built a firm foundation on the 51 percent grade grass-covered sand dune. The program was changed this year, allowing each rider only two attempts at the hill, instead of the usual three. The program moved rapidly, aided by the ski-lift type of hoist used to remove machines that failed to make the grade.
Equipment ran from ancient Harleys and Indians, built expressly for "slantslamming," to Italian lightweights and high running Japanese ohcs. Most bikes wear an aluminum rim at the rear and a steel one on the front for weight balance, plus chains and tires with big cleats. The high degree of finish and bright paint of these specially modified, homemade wonder bikes added spectator interest to an event packed with tension, excitement, thrills and spills.
Twenty-five Class B riders and 11 Class A riders lined up against the backstop below their goal to test their skill against this famous mountain, often used for championship events. Tension mounted and the crowd hushed, as the first rider fired his engine and studied this unrelenting hill.
The amateur event for machines up to 45 cubic inches went to Jack Taylor, of Muskegon, on his second run, after he had difficulty keeping the fire in the mill on his first ride. Taylor, riding a beautifully prepared H-D, took the event with a time of 8.45 seconds, which is faster than last year's winning time of 9.09 by Beese Wendt. The crowd was pleased to see their home town rider fly to victory in an event that draws riders from all over the United States and Canada.
Beese Wendt, York, Pa., last year's amateur winner riding Glen Kyle's HRD for the first time, was unable to get the feel of the hill. Many of us were disappointed
in not seeing the exquisite short stroke Vincent go over the top. Beese's second attempt was halted by his pulling the emergency ignition strap, as he flailed about trying to keep the HRD in line up the rugged path. Glen Kyle was on hand to give pointers, but was unable to ride, due to the cast on his fractured right arm suffered at York, Pa.
Some new equipment was pitted in strength against the old standbys. Merrill Johnson, of Muskegon, showed up with a Ducati, but only climbed 156 feet, and Kenneth Hammond, another local rider, pitted his Honda against the tried and true. I'm sure we'll be seeing more changes, as the riders and tuners search for the unique combination to mount for the fastest ride over the grade.
In the expert event Joe Hemmis took the hill as if he were walking in his sleep. His slant-mounted Triumph engine, in what can be only Joe's own geometric-welded wizardry (rigid rear with girder forks), led him to the winning plateau on this hill for the fourth time. He bettered his second place time of last year by almost a full second. It's no wonder Joe makes it out here every year from Cumberland, Md.; he is becoming the "King of the Mountain." Mount Garfield has become smaller since Joe Hemmis began climbing 21 years ago.
Second place was hotly contended for, as James Snell, of Muskegon, and Earl Bowlby tied, with the clock stopped at 7.80. Snell and Bowlby were given a third shot at the hill to determine who was the better. Earl Bowlby, from Logan, Ohio, was first to place his cleats against the backstop ten feet from the base of the hill. He had to make a clean run to take home second place. Joe Hemmis had cinched first by making his time in his first two runs. The loser of the duel for the mountain would still take third-place money. Bowlby studied the slant and fired his extremely clean BSA twin over the wire with exactly the same time as he had run before. At the top, he waited as James Snell braced himself at the base of the hill. Snell's
machine spit sand into the crowd as he bored his way off the line, but was unable to clear the first ditch, and looped to lose second place. Earl grinned as I asked him about his blue parallel twin climber. Enlarged to 750cc, it has almost a stock frame, except for an extension in the length of the swinging arm. Earl has kept the original shocks, which are mounted at more of an angle because of the extension. He is one of the contenders attempting to beat the old formula, and may eventually break the old record, 6.74 seconds, set before the ditches were added to the hill.
Times are improving, as the first four places bettered Glen Kyle's time of 8.10 last year. Earl Buck, the grand old "millionaire" man of motorcycling, moved up one place from seventh last year at 9.71 to sixth with a slower time of 10.28. Canadian Jonny Williams and Beese Wendt, in an attempt to prove to themselves that they could conquer the hill, rode exhibition rides after the event. Wendt's determination wasn't enough for him to get the knack of the Kyle-prepared Vincent. Williams, I imagine, was sorry he had attempted the hill again, as he looped and lost control of the machine, which jumped the railing and crashed down the stairway before stopping, entangled in wire. The ensuing fire was quickly extinguished, and nothing was hurt except Jonny's pride. ■
