SPRING GROVE, Penn. (September 19, 2023) - John Koester and Logan Cipala walked away the big winners from Saturday’s White Rose II, Round 4 of the 2023 American Hillclimb Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing. 

The event marked a highly anticipated night race in the series’ return to the White Rose Motorcycle Club in Spring Grove, Pennsylvania, after opening its season slate at the venue back in June. 

Koester got his revenge under the lights after finishing as runner-up in the Premier Hillclimb category in the ‘23 opener. He did so with a blazing 7.508-second run aboard his Honda CBR 800 on 100% nitromethane. Rookie Jake Rassa earned his maiden podium in second, clocking a time of 7.613 seconds with his Honda CBR 1000, while reigning champion and White Rose I winner Jay Sallstrom rounded out the podium on his nitro Yamaha R1 in 7.634 seconds. 

Meanwhile, Cipala took top honors in both the Twins Hillclimb and 450 Pro Hillclimb classes after missing out on the premier-class podium by a single position. Cipala’s Twins win on his Buell 1190 HCR (8.505 seconds) improved his perfect record on the season to four consecutive victories. He’s been nearly as untouchable aboard his GASGAS 450 (8.314 seconds), stringing together three straight triumphs after taking second to kick off the season here at the White Rose Motorcycle Club. 

Cipala was joined on the box by Koester and Logan Peterson in both contests. Koester added to his premier-class triumph with a runner-up on his Yamaha MT-07 (8.505 seconds) in the Twins race and a third-place finish on his Honda 450 (8.719 seconds). Meanwhile, Peterson earned third place in the Twins race aboard a borrowed KTM 990 (8.677 seconds) and came home second in the 450cc showdown on his Honda 450 (8.334 seconds). 

The 2023 American Hillclimb Championship will remain in Pennsylvania for its penultimate round, Freemansburg II, on September 24.