Start it up!
The rumbling you might hear this weekend north of Columbus won’t be coming from the skies.
It will be the sound of professional motorcycle riders taking nitro-fed bikes up a steep hill on Rapelje Road, gaining as much as 1,000 vertical feet while an expected crowd of between 9,000 to 10,000 cheers them on.
Welcome to the wildly popular 2016 Nitro National Pro Hillclimb.
This is the 11th year the professional touring series has come to Columbus as part of the North American Hillclimbers Association (NAHA). As of Wednesday there were 89 riders registered.
Scheduled to compete is Columbus resident Dusty Beer, also called the Ironman – one of the best in the world with five national championships, five world championships among his accomplishments. Son Nick is also making a name for himself as the 2014 Pro X-climb champion.
Other locals who are competing this weekend include Braydon Beer, Dusty Davis, Mitch Ralph, Hyatt Rogers and Carson Holden. Holden has already been in three events this year and owns his own business called Syckk Racing, which sells riding gear, hats, shirts and more.
Rich Kearns, Kyle Demelo and Josh Penner will also compete. Kearns most recently was the top U.S. rider at the X Games for best trick. Demelo rides for the Nitro Circus and X Pilots and Penner is known for his ability to flip both bikes and snowmobiles, according to event worker Andrea Beer.
With highs in the upper 70s Friday and Saturday and just a slight chance of rain Saturday, Mother Nature appears to be smiling upon the event. The fun starts Friday, June 17, and runs through Saturday, June 18, with fireworks capping off both nights. The venue is located approximately six miles north of Columbus.
About NAHA
The NAHA is an organization of professional hillclimb competitors primarily in the western U.S. Hillclimb is the oldest of all motorcycle sports – the original extreme sport, according to the NAHA website.
Local sponsors for the event include Beartooth Ford Montana, Town Pump, Montana Silversmiths, Napa, the Columbus IGA, the New Atlas Bar, Madison River Propane, Stillwater Excavating and Hard Rock Concrete.
Tickets are $20 per day at the gate and $15 per day if purchased ahead of time.
2016 NITRO NATIONAL PRO HILLCLIMB
June 17 & 18 2016
310 Rapelje Road
Friday
10 a.m. – 1 p.m.: Trophy Class Sign Up
2 p.m.: 450 Pro Qualifying
5 p.m.: X-Climb #16-32 from Qualifying
6 p.m.: Freestyle
7 p.m.: Open Qualifying (Round 1)
9 p.m.: Freestyle
9:30 p.m.: National Anthem
10 p.m.: Open Qualifying (Round 2)
11:30 p.m.: Fireworks
Saturday
8 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.: Trophy Class Sign Up
10 a.m. – 1 p.m.: Trophy Class Race
1 p.m.: Open Qualifying (round 1)
4:30 p.m.: Pro Main Event
6:00 p.m.: Freestyle
7 p.m.: Open Pro Main Event (Round 1)
8 p.m.: X-Climb #1-16
9 p.m.: Freestyle
9:30 p.m.: National Anthem
9:50 p.m.:Pyrotechnic show
10 p.m.: Open Pro Main Event (Round 2)
11:30 p.m.: Fireworks
12:30 a.m.: Awards Ceremony