The Wildlife Refuge Cabins-Pat’s Motorsports Motorcycle Hillclimb should have been billed as the ‘Father-Son’ Motorcycle Hillclimb.  The tradition of this Hillclimb dates back into the 1970’s.   Without any Village promotion, the hillclimb continues to put South Range on the map.

“Other than the first year we (MASTERS) brought the Motorcycle Hillclimb back to life, we had the best turnout of racers,” explained Sandy Schulz of the MASTERS.  The MASTERS is an acronym for Mid America Snow & Terrain Expert Racers.  “We had racers from Iron Mountain, Gwinn, Champion, and of course the strong group from Ishpeming.”

Mass City’s Gabe Kirtland won the Junior King of the Hill

The Hillclimb opened up with Gabe Kirtland of Mass City taking the Premium Spray Foam and Coatings Junior King of the Hill.  After what appeared to be a disastrous start, his Father Mike, went on to take his 5^th Consecutive Moyle Construction/Diamond House International Pro Mod King of the Hill.  This would not be the first Father-Son duo.

The Hillclimb looked like it would also be a Father-Daughter event.  The defending Diamond House International/906 & Company Queen of the Hill, Hanna Havela of Ishpeming decided to forego her attempt in the ‘shoot-out.’ 

Taking home the Queen of the Hill in her FIRST Motorcycle Hillclimb was Dollar Bay’s Jamie Moilanen. Next to Jamie is Leif Forcia Sr of Lake Linden who provided Moilanen with the LF Enterprises Motorcycle.

That left the Queen of the Hill run to Jamie Moilanen of Lake Linden and Kristy Junak of Ishpeming.  Moilanen went the highest in both the Qualifying round and the Final Round.  That gave her choice as to whether to go 1^st or 2^nd.  She chose to go 2^nd.

Junak went up 83 yards, and Moilanen followed by going 107 yards.  That shootout run was the farthest of all the gals’ attempts at the steep South Range bluff.

“I wasn’t nervous and while I didn’t know if I would win, I knew I had a good shot with the LF Enterprises bike,” explained Moilanen after the hillclimb.

Dollar Bay’s Colin Kemppaninen and Rockland’s Brian Pence were the first riders to make it over the top in the Keweenaw Motorsports Stock Class. Kemppaninen turned in a 21.52 second run, Pence made it over the ‘Wall’ with an 18.49 second run.  It would turn out to be one of the only runs Pence would conquer the Hill.

Rockland’s Brian Pence won the Pro Stock King of the Hill

Pence did go the highest to win the M & M Power Sports Stock King of the Hill by making it 178 yards.  “I kept losing power three quarters of the way up.  By the time I down-shifted, it was too late.  While I have been riding bikes all my life, this is only my 2^nd time hillclimbing,” commented Pence.

The feature race was the Stampede Sport and Feed Jesse Perry Memorial 450cc class.  It was after last September’s MASTERS Hillclimb that Perry passed away in a non-motorcycle event.  The class would payback 100% of the Driver Entry Fees to the top 3 riders.

Winning the Jesse Perry Memorial Feature was Brad Havela (left). With him is Marisa Corkin of Stampede Sport and Feed.

Ishpeming’s Gage Havela qualified 1^st by running the hill in 16.30 seconds.  He chose to go first in the Final and set the bar with a 16.92 second run on the Serv-Pro of Ishpeming/Havela’s Finnish Bike.  His Father, Brad Havela knew win to have his best run of the day.  The Chain Gang Racing rider made it over the top in 15.15 seconds!

“Jesse (Perry) was a team-mate and one of my best friends, so this class and run meant a lot to me,” commented the Bartanen’s Auto Body/Havela’s Finnish rider, Brad Havela.

“I went there with positive thoughts and knew Jesse was looking down on the whole Chain Gang crew wishing us a safe and effective day of racing.  I was giving my Dad a run for the money for the Jesse Perry Memorial race but he best me this year,” commented Brad Havela.

The final person to qualify for the Feature race was Kemppaninen.  He made it to the 156 foot mark and had the Eagle Radio/Havela’s Finnish ‘Crash of the Day.’  Kemppaninen did not get hurt.

Winning his 5th Consecutive Pro Mod King of the Hill was Mass City’s Mike Kirtland

The Father may have won this feature but it was his son, Gage that totally dominated throughout the day.  The younger Havela went on to not only win an amazing 4 classes, but set the fastest time of the day. 

During the qualifying round, Brad Havela turned in a 14.70 second run for the Keweenaw Chevrolet/LF Enterprises Fastest time of the Day.  “A 14 second run up the steep hill is difficult but with the right bike set up, more important than all, have a good driver with practice and finesse,” concluded Brad Havela.

The MASTERS Racing Circuit now turns its attention to the winter of 2024.  They will open with Terra-X racing in January, then run the WINTERNATIONALS Hillclimb, February 3-4, and the Mid America Championship Hillclimb on Feb 24-25^th.  The MASTERS will help with the Sleds for Vets Freestyle Show on March 2^nd in Hancock.

Pat’s Motorsports-Wildlife Refuge Cabins

Motorcycle Hillclimb, Whealkate Bluff, 7/22/2023 Results

Stampede Sport & Feed Jesse Perry Memorial Class Feature:  1) Brad Havela, Ishpeming, 15.15; 2) Gage Havela, Ishpeming, 16.92; 3) Colin Kemppnien, Dollar Bay, 156 yards.

Diamond House International/906 & Company Queen of the Hill Shoot-out:  1) Jamie Moilanen, Lake Linden, 107 yards; 2) Kristy Junak, Ishpeming, 83 yards; 3) Hanna Havela, Ishpeming, DNS.

Moyle Construction/Diamond House International Pro Mod King of the Hill Shoot-out:  1) Mike Kirtland, Mass City, 15.65; 2) Gage Havela, Ishpeming, 16.33; 3) Brian Pence, Rockland, High Mark.

M & M Power Sports/Diamond House International Pro Stock King of the Hill:  1) Brian Pence, Rockland, 178 yards.  Qualifying Run 18.49.

Premium Spray Foam & Coatings/Diamond House International Junior King of the Hill:  1) Gabe Kirtland, Mass City, 85 yards.

Keweenaw Motorsports 250-2/450-4 Stock:  1) Brian Pence, Rockland, 178 yards;  2) Austin Rivard, Gwinn, 153 yards;  3) Mike Kirtland, Mass City, 146 yards.

Bobcat of Greenland Stock Engine/Swing Arm:  1) Gage Havela, Ishpeming, 15.38;  2) Mike Kirtland, Mass City, 203 yards;  3) Brian Pence, Rockland, 133 yards.

Eagle Radio/Q-107 Open Stock:  1) Gage Havela, Ishpeming, 15.53; 2) Mike Kirtland, Mass City, 17.39; 3) Brad Havela, Ishpeming, 198 yards.

Willie’s Tire Center/Bartanen’s Auto Body 350-2/450-4 Mod Swing Arm:  1) Gage Havela, Ishpeming, 16.17; 2) Mike Kirtland, Mass City, 19.17; 3) Brian Pence, 155 yards.

Serv-Pro of Ishpeming/Daily Mining Gazette 500-2/650-4:  1) Mike Kirtland, Mass City, 18:03;  2) Brian Pence, Rockland, 106 yards;  3) Leif Forcia, Lake Linden, (Qualifying Round-204 yards) Scratch in Finals.

Timberline Sports of Bergland TOP GUN:  Mike Kirtland, Mass City, 196 yards

Havela’s Finnish’s/Eagle Radio Crash of the Day; 1) Colin Kempainen, Dollar Bay; 2) Jack Goldworthy, Ishpeming; 3) Larry Madgewick, Rockland.

Keweenaw Chevrolet/LF Enterprises FASTEST TIME OF THE DAY:  1) Gage Havela, Ishpeming, 14.70, Mod 350-2/450-4 Qualifying Round;  2) Brad Havela, Ishpeming, 15.15, Jesse Perry Memorial 450 Feature;  3) Gage Havela, Ishpeming, 15.38 Stock with Swing Final.

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Mass City, Michigan’s Mike Kirtland became the 1^st Motorcycle Hillclimber to be put into the Mid America Snow & Terrain Expert Racers (MASTERS) Hall of Fame.  The MASTERS has been sanctioning Motorcycle Hillclimbs for 6 years.

At past Motorcycle Hillclimbs, Mike Kirtland was the only one to make it over the top of Whealkate Bluff

In those 5 years, the Pat’s Motorsports Technician has won the Pro Mod King of the Hill the last 5 Motorcycle Hillclimbs.  He notched his 5^th King of the Hill AFTER he had already been chosen to be the 1^st to represent the Motorcycle Venue in the MASTERS.

Kirtland was one of only 5 Hillclimbers to consistently take his Yamaha Motorcycles over the very steep Whealkate Bluff in South Range.  90% of the Motorcycle Hillclimbers at the Annual summer Hillclimbs fail to make it over ‘the Wall’ at the top of Whealkate and register a time.

“In addition to completely dominating in the Pro Mod King of the Hill ‘shoot-out,’ Mike and his sons are always willing to volunteer in filling in the wash-outs on the Hill before we (The MASTERS) can safely run a Hillclimb,” stated Larry Madgewick, MASTERS Official.  “Mike coordinates a ‘work bee’ at the hill, but often it is just Brayden, Gabe, and himself.  One year he (Mike) even gave up his sponsor money and put it in the cash purse for other hillclimbers to win!”

Before Kirtland went on to win his 5th Straight Moyle Construction-Diamond House International Pro Mod King of the HIll, Mike (right) Kirtland received his Hall of Fame Plaque with his son, Jacob (left).

Upon receiving his Hall of Fame plaque during the 2023 running of the Wildlife Refuge Cabins – Pat’s Motorsports – M & M Power Sports – Keweenaw Motorsports Hillclimb, an emotional Kirtland stated, “I had no idea.  This was a big surprise and sure meant a lot to me.”

Of the 1000+ racers, crew members, sponsors, and officials that have been a part of the MASTERS Racing Circuit since 1991, only 9 people are in the MASTERS Hall of Fame.

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Jordan Wolfe and Benny Cook made their return to the MASTERS Racing Circuit by capturing multiple classes at Saturday’s Terra-X races in Ontonagon.  Nathan LaCosse took 1st in a new form of Enduro racing.

The Pat’s Heavy Equipment Full Line Bobcat Dealer TOP DOG Finals: L-R, Jordan Wolfe-1st & Nathan LaCosse-2nd

Both Wolfe and Cook had competed in the past at MASTERS Hillclimbs.  It was the former Hurley area, Jordan Wolfe that won the TOP DOG feature over LaCosse.  Wolfe, now from Plover, Wisconsin, used his years of Snow Cross experience to hold off the ‘teen-ager’ from Champion, to win the 5 lap TOP DOG.

Wolfe, now racing the Brown Brothers/Timberline Sports Ski-Doo, had set the fastest time in the ¾ of mile Terra-X Course qualifying by running 56.09.  “The landing on the double and the table top comes from my Snow Cross experience,” Wolfe stated.  “First year running this new Ski-Doo and it really handled well.”

Citizens State Bank Enduro Champion has MASTERS Sandy Schulz handing Nathan LaCosse of Champion the $200.00

The time trials set the stage for exciting 2-sled finals.  LaCosse had previously run a 57.25 second lap, and defeated last year’s Terra-X top racer, Wyatt McIntyre of Greenland in all of the Pro Stock Classes.  The Polaris racer had to defeat McIntyre in the Semi-Finals of TOP DOG to challenge Wolfe for the #1 Bib in Terra-X.

Both were side by side in the long straight stretch out of the starting gate.  Going into the ‘S’ turns, Wolfe took the lead and never relinquished it for the 5 lap feature.  It was in the ‘S’ turns that LaCosse had some previous problems in other class races.

“It was actually easier for me to handle the sharp turns with the softer snow in the afternoon.  It was more difficult earlier in the day when it was icy,” explained Wolfe.

All the drivers stated they really liked the course that the North Country Snowmobile Club built.  Social Media was full of compliments from the fans that watched the races.  ‘It was great,’ and ‘that was exciting racing’ was the common post of those that watched.

Fans were able to watch from their vehicles, inside and outside of the North Country Snowmobile Clubhouse.  The club raised money for the work they did building the track and for Trail Grooming.  The club also received a $1000 donation from Norm Pestka Construction.

Fans were lined up in Cars, inside the North Country Snowmobile Clubhouse and outside around the 906 Services Bonfire to watch the Terra-X and Enduro races in Ontonagon on March 4th, 2023 in Ontonagon. The Volunteers of the club will be returning with another Terra-X/Enduro race in 2024!

Wolfe pocketed $350 for his wins, $200 of which came from Pat’s Motorsports for winning the TOP DOG Feature.

At the end of the day, LaCosse will be getting a check from The Olde Swing Bridge Coffee Shop for his Stock Class wins.

It was the side by side Children racing that drew the applause from the fans.  DePere, Wisconsin’s Benny Cook took both the 120 Mod and the 250 Premium Spray Foam and Coatings Class features.  The closest racing came in the 250 class as Otto Walli of the Copper Country and Ontonagon’s Addison Dishaw battled it out for 2nd.  Walli held Dishaw at bay to take 2nd for the Olde Swing Bridge Roasters Children’s Awards.

“Benny loves to race.  He loves to get ‘air’ off the jumps.  He is actually more comfortable with the 120 than he is with the new Yamaha 200,” Amy Cook, Benny’s Mother, stated.  “He would love to ride his snowmobiles all day long!”

Cook proved his mother right, as he and the other children continued to ride the course long after all the racing was done!

Cook had originally taken the MASTERS ‘Kids King of the Hill’ at prior year Hillclimbs.  Walli started racing by running at the MASTERS Hillclimbs.  Both children now race full time in other Circuit Snow Cross races.  Dishaw and Cooper Pestka, have competed this year at the MASTERS Hillclimbs.  The Circuit runs a shorter ‘Terra-X’ style course at the bottom of Whealkate Bluff in South Range.

For the first time in the brief 3 years that the MASTERS had run Enduro racing, that the Circuit had the drivers run their 1999 and older 500 cc sleds for the first 15 minutes.  Than the riders had to jump off their Vintage sleds and run their current snowmobiles for the remaining 15 minutes.

LaCosse and McIntyre opened up the Enduro racing in a tight side by side battle.  After a couple laps, LaCosse started to take a lead in the Citizen’s State Bank Enduro.  By the time the drivers changed sleds, LaCosse had a half lap lead over McIntyre and an entire lap lead over Rockland’s Larry Madgewick.

Madgewick opened the enduro with an old 1970 Arctic Cat 340 Jag with leaf springs.  When LaCosse and McIntyre changed over to current sleds, Madgewick changed over to another Vintage Sled, a decade newer Arctic Cat.

One of the top Hillclimbers in the Midwest, McIntyre edged Madgewick in the Terra-X Vintage II class.  McIntyre showed his sportsmanship by congratulating LaCosse, Wolfe, and Madgewick for how well they ran in both Terra-X and Enduro.  “Jordan (Wolfe) earned the TOP DOG win.  Nathan ran strong all day!”

Wyatt McIntyre of Pat’s Heavy Equipment/Bobcat giving Larry Madgewick $200 for Enduro Award

While LaCosse won $200 from Citizen’s State Bank of Ontonagon, it was Pat’s Heavy Equipment that gave the 60+ year old Madgewick $200 for running the entire half hour straight on Vintage sleds.

“The races were great.  I really want to thank all of our Club volunteers and all the fans.  The racers put on a great show for the fans.  We would like to run 2 Terra-X races here next year,” stated North Country Snowmobile Club President, Mike Olsen.

North Country Snowmobile Club Terra-X/Enduro Results

(Top 2 in Finals and Semi-Finals)

Pat’s Motorsports TOP DOG:  1) Jordan Wolfe, Plover, WI., Ski-Doo;  2) Nathan LaCosse, Champion, MI., Polaris.  Semi-Finals:  1) LaCosse.  2) Wyatt McIntyre, Greenland, MI., Polaris.

Citizen’s State Band Enduro:  1) Nathan LaCosse, Champion, MI., Polaris;  2) Wyatt McIntyre, Greenland, MI., Polaris.  Pat’s Motorsports Enduro Award to Larry Madgewick, Rockland, MI., Arctic Cat.

Premium Spray Foam & Coatings 120 Mod:  1) Benny Cook, DePere, WI., Polaris;  2) Otto Walli, Lake Linden, MI., Polaris;  3) Connor Pestka, Ontonagon, MI., Arctic Cat

Premium Spray Foam & Coatings 250 Children:  1) Benny Cook, DePere, WI., Yamaha;  2) Otto Walli, Lake Linden, MI., Ski-Doo;  3) Addison Dishaw, Ontonagon, MI., Tao.

Pat’s Heavy Equipment Bobcat Pro Mod 650:   1) Jordan Wolfe, Plover, WI., Ski-Doo 2) Nathan LaCosse, Champion, MI., Polaris;  Semi-Finals:  1) LaCosse;  2) Wyatt McIntyre, Greenland, MI., Polaris.

Citizen’s State Bank-Ontonagon Pro Mod 850:  1) Jordan Wolfe, Plover, WI., Ski-Doo;  2) Nathan LaCosse, Champion, MI., Polaris:  Sem-Finals:  1) LaCosse;  2) Wyatt McIntyre, Greenland, MI., Polaris. 

Old Swing Bridge Vintage II:  1) Wyatt McIntyre, Greenland, MI., Polaris;  2) Larry Madgewick, Rockland, MI., Arctic Cat.

North Country Snowmobile Club Stock 650:  1) Nathan LaCosse, Champion, MI., Polaris;  2) Wyatt McIntyre, Greenland, MI. Polaris.  Semi-Finals:  1) McIntyre;  2) Jordan Wolfe, Plover, WI., Polaris

Premium Spray Foam & Coatings Stock 850:  1) Nathan LaCosse, Champion, MI., Polaris;  2) Wyatt McIntyre, Greenland, MI., Polaris.

Pat’s Motorsports Pro Open Stock:   1) Nathan LaCosse, Champion, MI., Polaris;  2) Wyatt McIntyre, Greenland, MI., Polaris.  Semi-Finals:  1)  McIntyre;  2) Larry Madgewick, Rockland, MI., Arctic Cat.

Olde Swing Bridge # 1 Woman Terra-X:  Kaci Destrampe, Ontonagon, Polaris & Addison Dishaw, Ontonagon, Tao

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