2011 Land Speed Shoot Out

[bak189]

Yes, we know FIM allows for a passenger and/or 60kg ballast.....AMA also allows for a passenger and/or
132lbs. ballast.........We will check with Mike prior to next years Shoot Out..........

[Freud]

Thanks SSS.

FREUD

[RayTheRat]

Here come the photos:

Andy Sills and Erin Hunter leaving on their 2-up unofficial record run,

SSS doing his thing on the computer and...

...a coupla shots of the Nish "Frankenstein" liner.  Mike isn't too happy with the wet nature of the course, so he may run later today or tomorrow.  It's a little damp out there.  There's about 1/8 mile of water between the pits and the freeway at the end of the course.  I'll include a photo in the next post.

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Continuing updates:  Assen and BMW will make runs from pits to mountain in a little while - 15 min?  Poteet & Main is moving down the course to the mountain end, and might run after the bikes.  But Nearburg is also about ready and will run before Poteet, but Nearburg will run from pits to mountain (south to north).

I don't know why the Nearburg car wants to run from pits - since the quick turnaround (1 hour) seems to bed easier when they're at the full pits, not the portable ones at the far end.  Maybe I can find out why.  

Getting ready to lock down the course.

[RayTheRat]

Two shots of the Ack Attack and 2 of Charles Nearburg's Spirit of Rett and a couple of Ack Attack.

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Here's the last batch of photos taken with the camera set for big files.  Nancy tooik these in the pits after the two bikes got here this morning.

















We're enjoying some questions/drama right now -- Erin and Andy are heading down the course like maybe they're going to start at the far end, even though they were to start here.  Wo knows -- not us?  Fire is trying to chase 'em down now.  

Ah -- the Nearburg car is going to go towards the mountain -- starting from the 1 1/2.  I don't know if it's a full-bore run they're planning -- or just a tuneup.  They want to start that far up to avoid the mud and bumps down here at the pit end.

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Richard is in position to start the motor, and the crew (retrieval crew) is at the eight mile now.  Nearburg is about to leave the pit.

Assen crew is parked, Assen (519 bike) bike is starting now.

519 approaching the five mile.  Entry speed  254.7   kilo speed 253.216  mile 253.570  Engine off and coasting down.  Bike is slowing, under control.

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Erin and Andy - bike #2 - ready and waiting, checking for course clearance now.  Tower says track is clear.

In the meantime, the Assen 519 bike is now qualified for a return run for FIM, and has backed up the AMA record with this run.

Hunh - Andy is the rider and Erin the passenger again for this run.

Pulling onto track, will leave the start in a moment.

They're through the three mile and accelerating.

Entry speed for Andy and Erin:  178.2   kilo speed  178.6   mile 178.6

Nearburg is getting in the vehicle now.  Track camera being serviced, probably about 5 minutes 'til Nearburg runs.

A few minutes - - Nearburg in in the car, belts being tightened, getting ready for a run.

Interesting dilemma -- Nearburg is going to make a run now for tuning, and Assen is in the midst of a two-hour window  for his record -- so who gets to run?  If Nearburg drops parts on the course when running first -- will there be enough time to sweep and clean the course before Assen runs?

George Poteet is in the Speed Demon, waiting for the debating society to complete the fun.

[RayTheRat]

Howard Nafzger who built what is now the Spirit of Rett liner,

"Anti-Monkey Butt Powder" wrap on a van (Yeah, I know it's real stuff: http://www.antimonkeybutt.com/ but it's still strange.)

Richard Assen's 'Busa

Andy Sills and his BMW being ridden as a "two-up" bike with Erin Hunter as passenger.

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Whoa, I'm getting cornfused.  I guess it will be Nearburg starting in about a minute.  Updates to follow.

Engine running, canopy down, car under way on the push truck.

Through the two mile and accelerating -- hear it here in the pits.  At the three mile, second gear.

Through the five, entering timed stretch, entry speed 376,  kilo  386, mile 386

Chute out at the nine, car slowing.  Sweeping the track now for the return runs of the bikes.

Course sweep reports that the track surface at the middle area is so hard that there aren't any visible tracks from the Nearburg car's pass.

[jl222]

 
  Thanks Slim and Ray...this is great. Nice to sit here and get coverage


               JL222

[JonAmo]

Any ideas on what records or classes these guys are running on? Same as last year? Diff this year?

Jon

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Poteet and Main vehicle #715 has started engine.  Should move within a minute.

I don't have class/engine size data - will get it as the event moves on.  Speed Demon is under way.

Car is moving, at the two mile.

Through the two mile, chute is out, slowing.  Driver has reported smoke in the cockpit, car has stopped on the track in front of the tower, fire and ambulance are rolling, course is unlocked.

The Speed Demon is back in the pit, being moved into the work area.

About 45 minutes left in the 2-hour FIM window for Richard's return run.

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Richard and the 519 bike about ready to run, putting things into lockdown.  He'll run from the mountain end to here.  I'll go chase folks out of the course area (I'm the pit area stweard, too) and be back in a few minutes.

He's on the course at the three mile.  Entering timing trap./

243. entry,   kilo 243.2  mile  243.8

Don't know if that's good enough.  Through the four and driving here to the pits.

Erin and Andy next -- should run within a minute or two.  Starting engine, bike is rolling.  519 is in the pit.

[RayTheRat]

Followup on the P&M Speed Demon:  George smelled oil and saw a wisp of smoke in the cockpit so he shut it down.  No damage according to the crew members.  They're confident of a 450 run next time (crossing fingers.)