Sam Wheeler

[guttley782]

Can anyone tell me if Sam is running at the meet this week?  I read he had a mechanical failure, but do not know if it is serious or not.  I also read that the Ack Attack went down, but nothing further.  Will they be running as well?

[landracing]

No Sam is not running at this meet. He has nothing to gain and everything to lose. He will be waiting for another FIM attempt.
 
 Ack Attack while not hearing an official word more then likley will not be at an event until next year to make repairs on the liner.
 
 Jonathan
 
  <small>[ September 15, 2004, 09:47 PM: Message edited by: JonAmo ]</small>

[ack]

We are planning to run at the World of speed meet in October if weather and wind permit. We have learned our lesson on wind and slippery track conditions. Just minor damage. The nose tank was the most damaged when it hit the timming light and battery.

[landracing]

Mike,
 
 Thank you for the update, I look forward to seeing you in a couple hours on the salt.
 
 Look forward to talking to you again during WOS.
 
 Jonathan

[landracing]

Then again World of Speed is in Sept, and world finals is in October, So maybe I wont see you in a couple of hours, maybe next month, either way Mike, Great liner, great show, very well designed, awesome appearance, I just cant wait until you guys run again.
 
 Jonathan

[ack]

I ment World Finals in October.
 
 Mike Akatiff

[High Gear]

Mike, can you give us more detail on the crash? Why & How? I'm always looking for more information from motorcycle streamliner folks to learn from.
 
 Gary Hensley

[ack]

Well after considering several nebulous theories and after studying the various video and still photography of the crash it?s pretty clear and simple as to why Jimmy crashed. We were just way to cavalier about the wind and track conditions.  On our shakedown run earlier the track was slippery but the wind conditions were good.  Jimmy just couldn?t hookup the rear wheel our data showed the rear wheel at an average of 304 during the clocked mile at 273 the front wheel sensor had failed earlier and we did not have a true speed.  After Sam put up the 322 mph run we decided to raise the gear and put the airfoils on for 300# of down force at the rear wheel. We had originally set 4mph as the maximum cross wind conditions we would run in.  When we arrived at the start line at 4:30 the wind conditions were ok however we were held for almost an hour and by the time we had the ok to run the cross wind at the start had increased greatly well over 4mph.  Jimmy was not as concerned with the wind at the start end as with the wind conditions at the timed mile.  The report from the timing stand that may or may not have been reliable was 4.5mph.  Jimmy has always been a competitor and wanted to run and I must admit so did I.   Jimmy decided to go for it as it was getting late and we wanted to make a return run if we were fast enough.  Jimmy told me before he left that he would run down the right side of the track as the wind during the earlier run had moved him to the left as he passed the end of the levy.  He later told me the wind moved him left about half the width of the track as he passed the levy. The wings worked well as he could hook up much better and thought he was on his way to a record when he lost it at the beginning of the kilo.  The video and still photo?s show him in a nice power slide for about 300 feet (he thought he was back flat tracking) after that the streamliner yawed badly into the wind and left the ground for about 2/10 of a mile.  He turned about 180 degrees in the air and the chutes automatically deployed when the liner tipped 45 degrees and straitened it out. He then hit the kilo timing light with the nose the unofficial time through the kilo was 279 as the timing light was destroyed.  Jimmy said the front end felt like it was on ice and he just couldn?t save it.  The data showed good down force both front and rear prior to losing it.  The still photos show the flags marking the course almost straight out as he enters the kilo.  Several people that were standing at the timing stand told us one large gust of wind hit as Jimmy entered the kilo then it was calm after.  The damage to the liner all things considered was minor thanks to the automatic chute deployment and Jimmy was unscathed.   The bottom line of all of this is that streamliners require favorable track and wind conditions to safely run, a principal we chose to ignore.    
 
 Mike Akatiff

[Freud]

I walked 2 1/2 miles of the track with Don Vesco following his return run that resulted in the 314 MPH record. He ran in wind that exceeded the acceptable velocity but he too "didn't hear" the velocity as they put the canopy down. The two wheel tracks were separated by 1 1/2" - 2" for the entire distance thru the timed mile. He told me that he had full steering lock and if it had required any more he would have crashed. The track from the front wheel showed scrubbing and the back tire was breaking traction all the way. After he deployed the chute with the bike came back to alignment in about 1/4 mile.
 
 When he ran the 318 record all he had to contend with was 2 premature chute ejections that scrubbed both attempts and then fire following each record pass. It was caused by an oil leak that he couldn't fix within the sanctioned hour so he just rewrapped the exhausts with new foil and turned it around. He stopped where he had fire bottles waiting for him, .
 On the return run that was at the 7 mile marker. I know. Marlo Treit and I were there with the bottle. NO PROBLEM.
 I totally understand Jimmy's attitude. He came there to make a record run, so did you, and it took a lot to change his mind. It's obvious that the starting line wind is almost never the same as the wind thru Slver Island Pass. No one wants to hear the wind report thru the measured mile portion when they are strapped in at the starting line. Ignoring reality is easily done when the adrenaline is pumping.
 
 Lesson learned? Probably, but no guarantees. We'll just have to wait and see how calm it is at the starting line the next time you run. Private time gives you somewhat more control.