LTA 2023

[55chevr]

2023 Maine Event. At speed we see the Team Dripps and Gibby Racing entry 1986 34 Ford roadster. Driven by Rob Gibby to a one mile record speed of 167.149 mph in E/SR (4 Liter / Street Roadster). Well built and superbly finished, the New Jersey race team of Robin Dripps and Rob Gibby has been racing land speed roadsters since about 2005. They set records at a number of land speed venues. This sharp image photograph courtesy of Tom Shay.

[Stan Back]

A real great car and an even greater team -- two great racers.

[55chevr]

2023 Maine Event. At speed we see the team "Subatomic Racing" entry L127 altered motorcycle. Ridden by Chuck Sim to a record speed of 108.621 mph in class A/PG250 (Altered Construction / Pushrod Gas 250cc). This is the stuff I love. Innovation and engineering to an art form. Chuck always brings the unusual and non-standard motorcycles to Loring. This bike has a fabricated frame of flat stock aluminum and is powered by a Harley Davidson AerMacchi single cylinder motor. The engine came out of a model called the Sprint. It was made in Italy for H-D to provide a smaller displacement motorcycle for the American market. Top Speed of the Sprint was 90 mph. Subatomic was able to raise that speed considerably. Tom Shay photo.

[Jesse]

I built a counter shaft nut for that bike Thursday morning. M30x1.25 if I recall

[55chevr]

Jesse's midnight machine shop ... between welding and machine shop service Loring keeps you up at night. I know the racers appreciate it.

Joe

[55chevr]

2021 Harvest Event.  At speed, right in the One Mile timing lights we see the Suwanee, Georgia Team "MyLawyerTom"-s entry 197 Electric Motorcycle.  Ridden by Tom Schaefer to a record speed of 119.483 mph in class M/E-G (Modified / Electric - G power level). Tom has established over a 1000 land speed records in ECTA / LTA venues. Some years back he set a number of records with his Suzuki Hayabusa Sidecar Rig on the Maxton "Monster" Mile. Watching that set up handle was down right frightening.  Stephen Cyr photo.

[55chevr]

Nephew Cliff Daly and his wife Janey just put together a nice video on Land Speed Racing.  Cliff set a couple of records at Bub's in 2011 when he was 16.  He made his first trip to the Salt Flats when he was 14 as part of my crew.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cfh5ho39scU

[55chevr]

2023 Maine Event. At the starting line we see the Charlottesville, Virginia team Gremlin Works entry 912 turbine powered vehicle. Driven by Jamey Easter to a record speed of 223.118 mph in class T/III (Turbine vehicle / 1000 kilograms vehicle weight). The Gremlins made it look easy which it was anything but. This crew performed magic on this streamliner. Research reveals that it was built in 1997 by Bruce Linsmeyer, owner of Avon Aero Supply Co in Orlando Florida. A major supplier of aviation turbine components for helicopters. Bruce set the Bonneville record at 227.542 in 1999. It is wheel driven and powered by a 400 horsepower Allison turbine engine from a Bell Ranger helicopter.

Watching Jamey Easter pilot the craft, he rolls off the line at a crawl and slowly accelerates for about a 1000 feet and then really starts to go hard. He said engine temperature was a little high or it would go a lot more. As the Gremlins get more experience with this car they will get a lot more speed from it.

[sabat]

This is great stuff Joe, thanks for putting it together. -Dean

[55chevr]

2011 AMA Nationals Bonneville. At the starting line on the International Course we see team Fairway Motorsports entry 469 turbo Buell. This was my nephew Joe's first run at Bonneville.  He asked how will he know if he misses the last mile marker and runs off the the 5 mile course. I told him to stop when he gets to "Floating Mountain". Which is straight ahead 20 miles away. He did find that funny.  This bike was built by Randy Smith and ridden by brothers Cliff and Joe Daly to record speeds in 750cc altered gas and fuel pushrod  class.  Getting 750cc from HD based engine involved using Buell XB9 lower end with pistons and sleeves from an 883cc H-D Sportster to came out with 744cc. This was a year that the salt flats had a good racing surface.  Tom Daly photo

[55chevr]

2022 Maine Event. At the starting line we see team Lazy Mutt Racing entry 5678 Chevy S10 Pickup. Driven by Dan Stokes to a record speed of 139.135 mph in class F/DT (3 Liter / Diesel Truck). Dan did a lot of engineering in this build. Volkswagen diesel engine is not easy to get into a Chevy and get the drive train designed and working.

[55chevr]

2016 Maine Event.  Next up at the starting line we see Connecticut team Hass-Serafini Racing entry 7625. Ridden by Don Hass on a shakedown run without the body work.  A great look at the plumbing on a fantastic 2 stage turbocharged Suzuki Hayabusa. Don is the pilot and crew chief. Steve Serafini (standing- looking on) is the fabricator and engineer on this gorgeous motorcycle. They set a One Mile record in A/BF-2000 (Altered Special Construction / Blown Fuel 2000cc ) with a 244.851 mph pass. Extreme one mile speed for a bike with no aero streamlining. Stacy Robey photo.

[bob]

wow , impressive  ,   look closely , looks like he is saying his prayers . I would to

[Stan Back]

Wow!  What a machine!

[55chevr]

Don Hass/Steve Serafini bike with the body work on.