New Land speed challenger announced

[Dean Los Angeles]

I don't see much bragging

I am sure he will give his best shot at breaking the "gas" record, but it has a low possibility of happening in 2008. He no doubt will put together a team that can do it, but can and will are two different words.

Russ Wicks two accomplishments: The 205 record and the 244 "NASCAR" record. UIM record? His own website doesn't list any formal record or organization for the water record.

His bio lists motocross; with no wins, formula car; no wins, Indy car; testing, Unlimited hydroplane; testing, NHRA; school, NASCAR in quotes because there is no NASCAR bonneville class, no NASCAR straightline speed record. NASCAR turns corners . . . and he hasn't. So he made up a class for his own use. I call that "bragging".

He sounds just like Evel Knievel. I have nothing against self-promotion. Muhammad Ali was the best at it, but backed it up with performance.

Lets see the performance.

[racergeo]

    My original post was simple FYI. I have no idea who Russ is other then a good article that puts him in a good light. The main thing I was try to convey is that there is a renewed interest in going FAST! I for one am excited about seeing and hearing FAST!  I think if Russ gets wind of these posts it will goad him in to following through. Any thoughts on how fast cars might go wheel driven (during our life time?) I was there back in the day when Eddy Hill ran 4.77 and couldn't imagine that anyone could go quicker. LOL

[Malcolm UK]

Russ held a water speed record that was overseen by the American Power Boat Association (APBA) whose records then slot into the UIM lists.  Russ went up against speeds set by Unlimited Hydros of the old cabover design with aircraft piston engines but they both used a big single propellor immersed in the water.

Dave Villwock in Miss Budweiser achioeved an average over two runs of 220 mph with the prop shaft breaking up, so all talk of 250 mph boats is not comparing oranges with oranges one is an instantaneous peak.

I have seen stories in Hot Rod magazine of various Nascar cars running over the years on the salt at Bonneville - straightline as well as the big flat circle track.  Russ happened to finds the same stories I think and went for a modern equivalent.  Cry foul if you wish but for a non racer he is doing rather well.

Of course his main goal on water is not a subject for this landracing website.

Malcolm

[Dean Los Angeles]

Of course his main goal on water is not a subject for this landracing website

Sorry, just can't resist.

Russ Wicks has committed to bringing the World Water Speed Record back to the United States.   Wicks, who will pilot the American Challenge Craft, is currently known as the "Fastest American on Water".

Did he some how miss Lee Taylor, Bellflower, CA? Hustler held the water record at 285, slightly faster than Russ has ever been.

See what I mean? He may do what he is planning, but his own web site is full of junk like that.

[JackD]

"Kit Car Flier"

[1212FBGS]

he's fast on his web page......

[interested bystander]

More power to Wick's acheiving his goals- remember the brash young kid named Breedlove.

But what irks me after perusing Wick's website though, is how his PR people have carefully dodged a whole lot of stuff that hardcore  Landspeed racers know as facts but the general public and most potential sponsor corporate types are naive to.
 
Rhetoric kind of like all politicos spew.

By the way, 317.30 is the benchmark for the waterspeed mark near as I recall - Ken Warby, right, mates? . 

[doug odom]

I admit I have never heard of Russ Wicks. I keep seeing His name and NASCAR in the same sentence.
 I went to www.racing-reference.info   
 No one by that name has ever run in a NASCAR Cup, Bush or truck race.

What is a NASCAR Exta Legal spoiler?

Like they say in Texas  " All hat......No cattle ".

Doug in big ditch

[desotoman]

I like the part on his website about the dragracing experience. The only thing it states is that he went to Frank Hawleys school for super comp, and for Alcohol funny or dragster. I guess this makes him a drag racer. It does not state any other experience drag racing, or running a drag car.

Some people make mountains out of mole hills. 

Tom G.

[JackD]

Ken set the boat record in 78 with a jet powered rig and he has another one that can be faster but with nobody to challange, the funding is lacking.
Prop in the water driven is another deal.

[PorkPie]

  Cry foul if you wish but for a non racer he is doing rather well.

Of course his main goal on water is not a subject for this landracing website.

Malcolm

Malcolm, as I wrote, stupid or got the guts or both together.....but if he hurt himself he hurt the whole speed community who is racing serious......the USA today will find the right headliner.....

[Malcolm UK]

I cannot follow the reasoning that an individual could have as much affect on land speed record breaking than any other.  Why should any incident involveing Russ be any more, or any less serious, to the LSR world than an incident at Speedweek, as Pork Pie states?

If Russ is licenced by SCTA/BNI then he will be deemed suitable to drive at 300 to 400 mph during their events.  If he drives on private time on the salt flats at Bonneville (or indeed anywhere else) then he falls under governance of others.

And why should Russ be thought of as any less "racing serious" as any other LSR participant with any type of vehicle. 

Have you started on the Christmas spirits (alcohol) so early P.P.?

The water speed record will be the most dangerous - but that is a topic for a different group.

[PorkPie]

Malcolm,

it's the show this guy is doing. Like the Crocodile Hunter in Australia - when he was killed by his own stupidness and shows (if you saw how he done the real filming you would understand the word shows) the whole world was crying.

When Evel broke a bone, the whole state done...outsch......to the same time 500 bikers broke there bone by an accident......nobody cried----except the family of the rider......

And by the way, Russ has no SCTA/BNI/USFRA licence.....he is outlaw racer who rent the salt for his attempt.

As someone mentioned right, he is a Evel Knievel by his own promotion....not as daredevil but in speed.

It has nothing to do with serious racing as hundreds of racer is doing during the race season at the salt.

[PorkPie]

Have you started on the Christmas spirits (alcohol) so early P.P.?

Malcolm, I think this are not the right words.......and by the way......I'm a non alcoholic


........but I follow this guys self promotion too long and he kicked to much asses without showing his own class.......it could be once that Speed kick his ass...................and this will hurts............

[JackD]

Ask a non-participant in LSR about the fastest jet car and they will say it is the Budweiser that went over the speed of sound.
1. It was never a car.
2. I was never a jet.
3. It didn't set a record that beat anybody.
4. Nobody that was there heard a "Boom".

"In summary, it doesn't matter so much what and how you do it if you say it enough, soon enough, the consumers that buy the beer and T-shirt stuff will believe it, and be suitably consumed by it." (me)

NEXT ?