About Us | Van's Motorsports

1978

Van Hammel, a freshman in high school, began working on cars and motorcycles out of his backyard in Baldwin, IL.
Van starts working part-time at Sparta Suzuki in Sparta, IL and continues to race motorcycles as a hobby.

1979

Van is hired to work at Bollmeier Yamaha in Coulterville, IL where they sold and repaired mostly race bikes and three-wheelers.

Van received a pay raise, and was earning $3.00 / hour as a mechanic.

1981

Van graduates High School and begins working full time at Bollmeier Yamaha.

Although, “full time” meant 8 months out of the year as the business operating hours mainly revolved around race season.

1984

Bollmeier Yamaha is put up for sale, and Van and his father Alan purchase the building and franchise rights - becoming Van’s Yamaha.

Van ran the shop by himself with a little help from his then-girlfriend.

1985

Van builds a building at 1811 N. Market St. in Sparta, IL where the business stayed for 23 years.

1987

Van’s Yamaha purchases the Polaris franchise, changing the name to Van’s Yamaha – Polaris, Inc.

As the market shifted from motorcycles to ATVs and UTVs, the business outgrew the building again and a larger store was needed.

2003

Van purchases the vacant land next to Walmart for the new building.

2009

The building at 1811 N. Market Street is sold, and the business temporarily moves into the Sparta strip-mall while construction on the new building is progressing.