List,
I like Ron Christensen's idea of totalling the five record setting runs in
his Salted Peanut Turbo Sprint for some 500 plus mph. He has been working
on the car and will return this summer to attempt to raise his records.
There is a picture he took of his late wife standing by the Bill Ward Opel
on page 146 of Land Speed Louise's book.
Wes
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> From: Malcolm Pittwood <MPittwood@compuserve.com>
> To: "Land-speed@autox.team.net" <Land-speed@autox.team.net>
> Subject: Hero's, One Way passes, Traction Control
> Date: Mon, 21 Feb 2000 14:31:32 -0500
>
>Hi everyone.
>Like many on this list I too have living hero's whose efforts are well
>respected by me. They include Al Teague, Don Vesco, Dave Campos and many
>more. Over here in the UK as list members will know we do not
>differentiate classes by body styles but I too respect those who can
>engineer a doorslammer that can travel at 300 mph or more.
>Lets get really dirty on one way passes now and also clarify what Richard
>Brown achieved on his private time at Bonneville last year.
>The first person to make great claims of a one way pass was the much
>respected late Mickey Thompson whose single 406.60 mph in 1960 gets
>repeated in many listings of the outright World record.
>A number of current Bonneville teams decorate their cars or web sites with
>the speed of a fastest run or even the speed in the 132 ft exit trap.
>Team Maximum Impulse.
>Richard Brown was making his attempt bid under full FIM supervision and
>needed to complete two runs in 2 hours under the International rules. The
>FIM are able to confirm Richards fasest run of 332.877 mph but this is NOT
>an FIM World Record.
>At open meetings at Bonneville thrust power is not welcomed, (we don't
>complain about that - its your back yard and we were just visiting), so
>Team Maximum Impulse could not enter any of the 'normal' events such as
>Speed Week. However using the tried and trusted BNI/SCTA methods of
>qualifying one day and back up the next (after a night in impound) then
>Richard Brown's achievements would be acknowledged by most in this sport if
>he wasn't a rocket scientist.
>On 14th September he averaged 327.998 mph for the kilo on an open record
>(about 5 mph above tha Campos best in the wheeldriven class). On the 15th
>September the average was even quicker at the 332.877 mph speed for the
>Kilo (330.639 mph mile). BIG IF... if you average these two speeds as you
>would if the wheels had been driven and the vehicle had run at say Speed
>Week, then Richard went an average of 330.437 mph. The fastest two wheeler
>ever. But the FIM cannot accept two runs on two days so the team can only
>speak about the speed on one run in any official statement.
>When we find the best place with five miles of total length to run the team
>will reform to get an 'official' FIM record (2 runs in 2 hours) and with
>billet wheels it could be closer to 400 mph than 300 mph!
>Team Maximum Impulse gained greatly from the support of Denis Manning and
>Don Vesco. If Dave Campos and the Easyrider team goes quicker still then I
>for one would like to see it happen. The sport thrives on healthy
>competition even if riders are not in the same vehicle class.
>Now for the obvious comment on traction control - don't put power through
>the wheels go to pure thrust. (Now that was a joke !!)
>Enjoy the forthcoming season on the dirt, salt and concrete over in the
>USA.
>Malcolm Pittwood.
>Team Maximum Impulse.
>Derby, England.
>
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