Ryan Nitzen | July 12, 2022
Logan Cipala claimed the overall victory at the Wiseco Shootout in Wisconsin and became the 2022 Champion in the AMA IRC Motoclimb Super Series, Presented by Monster Energy, July 9-10.
The Valley Springs Motorcycle Club in Bay City added a new twist this year by starting the races later in the day/evening and putting their 500-foot hill under the lights. Evidently it was a good idea, as the event saw an uptick in spectators that enjoyed the cooler temperatures.
The excitement started early when 2017 250cc West Supercross Champion Justin Hill elected to run a stock-length swingarm during the 450cc qualifier, which was questioned by many and added risk on the steep and loose sections of the hill. All eyes were on Hill during his qualifying run. He cleaned the double and berm the quickest and figured out his power-to-balance technique on the rest of the hill, setting the fast time in the first round. The time held until Cipala made a 20.929-second pass, giving him the top seed in the 450cc bracket and putting Hill in the second-place spot.
Logan Cipala was the overall winner at the final AMA IRC Motoclimb Super Series round in Wisconsin. Photos: Matt Musgrove
In the Open class, the hill broke down faster than expected, creating difficulties for the athletes to find good flow and rhythm through the chop. About half made it over once, but it was Casey Paider who came out on top with a 16.449-second run on his Five Five Motorsports KTM 1190. This was Paider’s first Pro MSS win, and he also won the non-points 700cc class, as well, which took place earlier in the day.
Cipala finished second on his Buell 1190HCR, and Joseph Allnutt rounded the Open-class podium on the methanol-powered NKS Racing KTM 1290.
Hill raced the Open class for the second time since the Big Hill Jam, finishing seventh on his brother’s Yamaha YZ850F.
The 450cc main start was surrounded by hundreds of fans under the lights, which created an electric atmosphere for the top-32 450cc athletes. The fans and riders alike were surprised to see Justin Hill lose a large lead at the top of the hill when he hit the soft section a little too hard 30 feet below the top and bounced off his bike, then getting passed by the 31st-seeded rider Henry Kelley. This eliminated the Supercross star in his first bracket race.
Joseph Allnut (71) was second overall.
The starts and line choices were critical, with plenty of close races and bar-to-bar action. It was Bodee O’Neil who won the 450cc main final on his Honda CRF450R, defeating Allnutt on his KTM 450 SX-F in a close battle. Cipala defeated Jacob Prebe in the third-place runoff.
Cipala and Allnutt ended up tying in overall points, but Cipala’s Open class result was the tiebreaker and earned him the overall victory of the Wiseco Shootout. Allnutt was second overall, with Paider finishing third overall.
Cipala wrapped up the championship after the Brick Mine last weekend, as a couple other title contenders were hampered by injuries. This is Cipala’s third consecutive title in the Motoclimb Super Series, winning every overall event this season.
Matt Musgrove
OVERALL RESULTS
- Logan Cipala (42 points)
- Joseph Allnutt (42)
- Casey Paider (40)
- Bodee O’Neil (36)
- Nathan Prebe (24)
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