SpeedWeek 2020 -- the event itself!!

[Larry Forstall]

The ultimate high and low in one run. Steve Knecum rode my bike 251 mph in the first mile. At the time, the fastest ever. He continued to thunder for two more miles but couldn't outrun the lightning. A strike at floating mountain raced through the salt and times for mile two and three were lost forever. The next year we had GPS but not the speed  LSL

[Old Scrambler]

Ralph Hudson has passed-on............He succumbed to his injuries last night..........Look for info regarding a memorial scholarship and final memories 

[Larry Forstall]

Rest in Peace Ralph. Many of your records will never be broken, a tribute to your desire and skill. My condolences to his family and friends. LSL

[Randall Parker]

I sure would like to know what went wrong with Ralph's run. I know it was a side wind speed wobble but why did he go down? AJ Parker had a Tank Slapper wobble on bike 7709 Production Hayabusa at 190 mph but he rode it out and it slowed down and stabilized.  I added a couple clicks on the Scotts damper and that did the trick. Bike went 202 with Larry Riding it.  Just don't get why Ralph went down unless there was a mechanical problem.

[WZ JUNK]

Sad news.  My thoughts are with his family and friends.

[Stainless1]

   Well Crap.... that news ruined my day...
Ralph was a good soul.... always a smile... he will be missed
GodSpeed Ralph

[jl222]

I sure would like to know what went wrong with Ralph's run. I know it was a side wind speed wobble but why did he go down? AJ Parker had a Tank Slapper wobble on bike 7709 Production Hayabusa at 190 mph but he rode it out and it slowed down and stabilized.  I added a couple clicks on the Scotts damper and that did the trick. Bike went 202 with Larry Riding it.  Just don't get why Ralph went down unless there was a mechanical problem.

  Rest in peace ralph

  I spoke with a Bville worker today that watched Ralph's run and crash and he said  looked like  Ralph went through the traps and was turning out and off the course when the crash happened?

  SCTA should know the details.  Speculation here. If off course maybe from loss of control?

   JL222
 

[Doc B.]

It would be respectful to can this speculation. It could happen to any of us.

[Randall Parker]

If Ralph was off course in the non-groomed kudzoo I can see why. I have been blown into that also but at 206 mph. Learning from this type of crash helps all of us. It is not disrespectful. Ralph was a great rider. OK, what happened so I can prevent it if possible from happening to other guys and myself. I spent the week teaching two rookies. One got in a tank slapper at 190mph and rode it out by doing exactly what I taught him. He said after, "WOW! that was scary, I didn't let go, stood up and let the bike wobble underneath me until it slowed down and stabilized, then I got back on it!" fun to be young. It is not disrespectful to learn from crashes.

[Seldom Seen Slim]

For the sake of the discussion, I'm pretty sure that Ralph was on the course during the entire last mile of the run.  I may be mistaken, but I was there and the accident happened directly in front of where I was sitting.

[mtiberio]

A friend of a friend of a friend type description I received via text. Names removed:


XXX called , he said Ralph started on left side and was going to have cross wind push him to right and smooth side.  YYY saw Ralph?s crash, they said he had a speed wobble entering 3mile n rode wobble thru to 4 mile were he went down. Sounds like he rode over some #%!@ ruts !!

[Jack Gifford]

... "I stood up"...
At 190 mph? Tough for me to imagine...

[Randall Parker]

stand up at 190 means get your weight on your feet so the bike can't throw you off when it wobbles back and forth. Butt off seat but body not in the air stream either, 

[gowing]

Sounds like he rode over some #%!@ ruts !!

A question for those who were there.......
were there actually ruts on the course bad enough to crash a bike?

[Old Scrambler]

Mr. Parker is correct about transferring weight to the riders feet (lower center of gravity) when encountering a speed wobble...........My experience tells me NOT to run in crosswinds of more than 3-mph.......When your plan is to allow for the wind to move you from one side of the track to the other, its a plan to go slow because you are effecting a curved course which is the long-way between to fixed points. I have felt the wind move me to the edge of the course (clipped a flag-pole) but more alarming is when the wind changes velocity such as when clearing the open area between the start and mile 2 and then getting into the somewhat screened area when passing pit-row.

I would like to know if either of Ralph's tires were 'chunked' due to de-lamination of the tread from the carcass.