Twenty-Four AMA National Championships Awarded at AMA Hillclimb Grand Championship

More than 195 motorcycle and ATV hillclimbers faced off at the 2015 AMA Hillclimb Grand Championship, held Aug. 8-9 in Waterford, Ohio. At the conclusion of the weekend, 24 champions were crowned in various competition classes.

In addition to national championships, racers competed for AMA Hillclimb Rider of the Year, AMA ATV Hillclimb Rider of the Year and Youth Hillclimb Rider of the Year specialty awards.

Fifteen-year-old Luke Cipala of Ellsworth, Wis., was named the AMA Hillclimb Rider of the Year. He rode the 125cc, 200cc, 250cc and 450cc classes, taking home the national championships in the 200cc and 250cc classes.

“I was at this track in 2008 for the national, and that’s when I won my first national championship in the mini class,” Cipala said. “It means a lot to win this award. There’s a lot of fast people that could get this award, and I’m honored that they chose me.”

Bodee O’Neil of Hager City, Wis., captured the AMA Hillclimb Youth Rider of the Year award. He won the 65cc national championship and got second in the 85cc Mini Junior class.

Kenny O’Brien of Warner, Ohio, captured the ATV Hillclimb Rider of the Year award. He raced in the 450 two-stroke, open two-stroke and vet ATV classes.

Austin Coon of Spencer, W.Va., took home the exhibition award for “King of the Hill” from the event promoter. To receive the honor, the riders with the top 10 fastest times of the weekend competed in a one-run class at the end of the program on Sunday.

“I think I won my last national championship in 2007, so this is the first time I’ve won one the 400cc stock wheelbase class and got King of the Hill,” Coon said. “That’s the first time I’ve ever won this award, so I’m pretty excited about it.”

The 2015 AMA Hillclimb National Champions are:

ATV 450 Two-Stroke: Kenny O’Brien

ATV 450 Four-Stroke: Eric Dumm

ATV Open Two-Stroke: Josh Schafer

ATV Open Four-Stroke: Matt Novak

ATV 450 Senior: Kenny O’Brien

Micro Mini: Lane Brookshaw

65cc: Bodee O’Neil

Mini Girls: Hannah Schilling

Mini Junior: Brandon Hager

Mini Senior: Gage Stear

Super Mini: Sami Jeris

125cc: Brock Riffe

200cc: Luke Cipala

250cc: Luke Cipala

450cc: Steve Cain

600cc: Joseph McGurer

750cc: Travis Schroedl

Open: Curt Mueller

400cc Stock: Austin Coon

Open Stock: Joseph McGurer

Four-Stroke: Nathan Prebe

Womens: Amber Fraedrich

Senior: Todd Cipala

Super Senior: Gary Slater

Hillclimb is one of the American Motorcyclist Association’s oldest disciplines, and the AMA Hillclimb Grand Championship always draws the country’s top amateur hillclimbers, who are each determined to get the fastest time to the top of the hill.

The Sturgis Motorcycle Museum and Hall of Fame recently named Marilyn Stemp and Steve Piehl to its board of directors.

Stemp is a pioneering figure in the motorcycle industry, founding IronWorks Magazine with her late husband, Dennis, and becoming the first female editor of a nationally circulated, mainstream motorcycle magazine. She also revived their trade magazine, Iron Trader News; edits the monthly Kiwi Indian News; contributes to several powersports media outlets; and is the founding editor of Sturgis Rider Daily. Stemp is a noted editor and writer of several motorcycle-focused books. Her consistent support for charitable efforts in the industry include the annual Biker Belles Celebration, Las Vegas BikeFest and as campaign chair for the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum’s development plan in 2014. She co-founded the Flying Piston charity events taking place in Daytona and Sturgis each year and is a National Ambassador for All Kids Bike. Stemp was inducted into both the Las Vegas Motorcycle Hall of Fame and the Sturgis Museum's Hall of Fame in 2018, and in 2022 she was recognized as one of the Top 100 Women in Powersports by DealerNews.