And here's the third and final part of Jarl Wathne's saga of his adventures at the September 2010 Maxton event. One more time I'll remind you -- I don't have the photos here at the store, but will add them once I'm back at the house -- probably later tonight (I hope, depending on how late we get home).
Meanwhile I go back to the pits and find a NOS controller glitch in my rpm safety window setting, rectify that, and once again I go down the track but again no reaction to the red button. But again the engine sounds very happy and I get a new Personal best of 117.1 without NOS! But again it is weirdly disappointing. All because of the Laughing Gas. I feel it is laughing at me, not with me...
Eric huge smile has not faded as he backs up his run with a 121.6. It is in the mid 90 degrees now so he parks his bike for the day. But then Doug goes out again and finally breaks into the triple digits as the Aprilia rider with a Personal Best of 100.2mph!
Now once again I am in the pits sorting out what I am convinced is a wiring disconnect. Then I stumble onto the problem. Since mine is originally a motocross engine, I have to run a battery as a total loss system to power the data logger, dash, cooling fan, and NOS system. The battery was fine for everything visible but was drained enough by the controller switch being left on overnight to not be able to fire the solenoids to release the nitrous and fuel. So Eric to the rescue with a power convertor (which someone else had just given to him earlier this meet) to charge the battery off my roller-starter battery. Wait 1 hour. Then riding gear back on, unplug the bike, and head back down to the staging. Almost no one there anymore due to the heat. Suddenly I'm at the line. Here we go again. I notice one of the ECTA volunteer staff using a Flip video. That must be a good sign I think. So off we go. Slip the clutch forever in 1st. Accelerate to 12,500rpm at 60mph, shift, repeat, shift, repeat, keep the tuck good, head down, toes in, knees in, elbows in. Then I'm in 5th gear...I think...forgot to count again....try to shift again...no, already in 5th. Here comes the 3/4 mile mark. Speedometer reads 117. Take a relaxing breath. Push the red button. Yeah baby! It feels like I just smoothly rolled on the throttle another 1/4 turn as the controller adds the Nitrous and fuel from 20%-100% in 5 steps over 2 seconds. Speedo climbs steadily and engine sounds happy and I have a huge grin on my face as I fly through the trap at 126.6mph!!! What a feeling! Then at the registration trailer Eric reminds me that my speed is fast enough to earn my D License!!
I made one more run ten minutes later just before they closed the track for the evening and did a 126.5. Then Sunday morning I did one run but the exhaust note changed slightly and I found the pipe was broken. Eric did 2 Sunday runs. His 1st was almost a match for his record at 121.4. But on his last run as he applied the nitrous in 5th and again in 6th at the 1/2 mile his clutch was slipping and allowed the engine to hit 14,500 rpm losing power at the 3/4 mile mark and coasting all the way to the normal turnout. His # 1 piston had rings pinched in the groove and #2 piston was holed. But no oil leaked. I remember when I told Todd Dross that I was going to be running Nitrous on my Honda he asked "How much oil does it have?" I told him "Less than 1 quart." He said "Good." Then he grinned. When Eric got back to the pits he had another huge smile on his face as he held up his sparkplug with no electrodes left and said "Look Jarl, my first Nitrous trophy!"
So for the weekend:
1. Doug brought 2 bikes, set 2 Personal Bests, and got 2 records!
2. I am the first person to ever earn an LSR D License on a 250/4 and my Honda CRSF250 is now the World's Fastest 250/4 in Land Speed Racing.
3. Eric was the 1st 250/4 to break 120mph at Maxton Mile and is now the World's Fastest Ninja 250!
What a "September to Remember" at the Maxton Mile!
Thank You, Thank you, Thank you!!! to Joe and Donna Timney and Keith and Tonya Turk and all the fabulous volunteer staff that make it possible for us to safely have this much fun with these bikes that don't go 200mph.
Jarl Wathne
Moto Madcap