Introduce Yourself

[GrayManeRacing]

Hello, My name is Logan. I am from norther Alberta Canada. Unlike it seams everyone else I'm not an engineer I work in IT. My late father was a red seal motorcycle/automotive & heavy duty mechanic and I literally grew up in the shop so at least I have half a clue, maybe.

I'm am working on fielding a 2016 Indian Scout. I have completed a fair bit of work to the engine so far, but I am a privateer like I assume most participants are.

I am very new to the sport, I am hoping that I might find some guidance here.

I've been trying to locate documentation, but it seems this is a pretty niche area even given the sheer number of competitors.

I plan to go to the flats in 2023 to watch an learn live, maybe for a fee I could shadow someone from one of the bodies to see the process from indoc to confirmation of a record. Do they still have you tear down the engine?

[gowing]

Are you thinking SpeedWeek or BMST?

[Stainless1]

Logan, You have a better plan than most... Attending an event and watching is one of the best ways to learn the ropes... the only thing better is your other idea... help out...
Believe it or not everyone does not set a record... 
Come to any event, the folks are friendly and you might get roped into helping someone even if you don't get it prearranged. 
Remember, everyone was new to the sport when they started... some were just younger than others.
hope to see ya on the salt

[Skippy.29]

Hello all my name is Brad  Roorda most call me Skippy my buddy and I have been racing the salt and pavement for 9 years now. We started off with a modified roadster that could be swapped to a comp coupe in an hour. I was able to set a record at Arkansas mile with ECTA at 203 .327 mph. Also I drove Calvin smiths RMR at loring mile. To a speed of 201.870 mph. We enjoyed the car and taught us a lot. Last year we build a C/FMMP that we set a record in on the salt in September of 21. The speed was 187.521mph  I have been reading this forum for a long time. Did not realize I had not registered. I don't post thing often. If you are on face book you can follow the race team at Bluemule Racing. Thank you for allowing me to join.

[dusty897]

Hey everybody it's Butch from Virginia.  Lifelong gearhead / car guy / bike enthusiast but never participated much in any sanctioned or organized racing.  Been out West quite a bit over the years but never had the chance to come through for Speed Week, BMST, etc.  Hadn't thought about Bonneville in a long time but it's always been on the "big list" and it's been on my mind a lot over the last several months.  Watched a few Bonneville documentaries, got a little fired up, looked around on here for a while, started looking over the AMA bike rule book and the class / records listings (got a little discouraged then  ) but I'm still hopeful I can build up a Production or mild Modified bike to bring out and run in the next couple years.  Like any other newbie I have lots of questions but trying to answer most of them myself by researching these forums and looking into the rules.  Looks like my current crop of running bikes (old Yamaha XS850 triple, couple of shaft drive 1500 Vulcans and my 03 Harley Dyna Low) may not fit well into the displacement classes (or be competitive / capable of anything near a record) but that's okay; I like everything from Honda CB's to Harleys (heck, I like them ALL  ) so I'll ask lots of questions in the rules forums and come up with something fun to build.  Riding a bike at Bonneville is something I've thought about since I was 15 or 16 (I'm 52 now) so I'm hoping registering here and researching the LSR sport will be the start of something while I'm still relatively young enough and healthy enough to do it.  Thanks for letting me join up.

[Stainless1]

Butch, I would suggest attending an event before you build... no matter what event you plan to run with. There are hundreds of bike classes to choose from... order a rule book.  If you want to ride the salt to get your feet wet salty, USFRA 130 Club or BMST Run What You Brung are options for the bikes you have.  There are also paved mile events... Maine would be closest to you.
Jump in... the pool is open 

[dusty897]

Thanks Robert sounds like good advice; I've been thinking best plan for my first trip will be taking the wife by the Grand Canyon for a night or two then heading north for BMST and some Run Whatcha Brung fun for a couple hundred bucks in 2023 with one of the street bikes (I'm definitely more about the fun factor and just being there than a red 200 hat anyway/don't know if I'd ever be interested in going faster than around 150 on a bike  ).  Next steps will definitely be print versions of the AMA and SCTA rule books.  I'm a 250 LB short and heavy guy so probably will have to be something bigger than a 650 twin for a project bike  .  Looks like an old 1000cc Sportster might be fun in the Production or Modified Classic classes---I'm sure there will be lots of folks with good advice on choosing a project in these forums.  I'm betting a lot of folks on here will also agree with you on getting started with just a visit and fun run, then taking plenty of time to think about a race bike project.

[slowalex]

Hello, I'm Alex and I'm from New Zealand. I've done a small number of motorsport events many years ago, a couple of classic car racing/club racing events and a hillclimb and I'm interested in learning more about landspeed racing. My background is in Telecoms engineering, so probably a lot closer to IT than what most people would call engineering.

We don't have any dry lake or salt flat racing in New Zealand. The nearest would be Lake Gairdner in Australia. but we do have Goudies Road near Reporoa. This has 6.9 km/4.3 mile of straight flat bitumen surface and middle 402m/quarter mile is used for timing.

[bearingburner]

Sounds like a good spot to start. We run on an old Air Force base in Maine and they time you at 1 and 1.5 miles. The fastest sit on motorcycle set the track record at 311MPH

[StreetProz]

Hello I'm Dean.

 This is my first login since joining. Not sure if this is the correct location but here goes.
I'm from Illinois despite what this site shows as my location. I can't seem to correct this.

I've never attended a land speed race before purchasing a streamliner two weeks ago. My earliest remembrances were my dad and uncles racing the flying mile. These races were on expressway's prior to being open to the public at night. Some were out in the country along I-80 and I-57 which at the time were fairly desolate in usage. The beauty at the time was both cars running at 60 mph to start, clear of traffic in front of them. The winner was the first to reach the cars parked at one mile.

At any rate after college, I went on to race a turbo Kawasaki motorcycle in Drag Bike for a few years. This was years after my family ran a dual engine Shovelhead Harley. After some time, I switched to hot rods my fastest was a big tire 68 Carmaro with 632 ci BB engine. Best pass was 7.30s @ 180 mph.

My streamliner is powered by a Yamaha R1 engine. It was tech and pass for I/FS in 2010 and 2011 at a ECTA event. I've reached out to the association for records of the runs but unfortunately, the organization only maintains records of cars that actually set a record. However, I do have 2 copied time sheets indicating 1 pass of 200.239 mph. This is not gospel; no identifying car number or name was indicated on the sheets.

This car was for sale for several years prior to my purchase as I was told after the fact

That said the car will be in pieces within the next two weeks. The long haul of updating, changing and modifying this car will take a full year to complete at a minimum. 

Thanks Dean   
 

[Speed Limit 1000]

Welcome to our group. Wow a streamliner, nothing like just jumping into the deep end of the pool.
Please tell us a little about your car, size of the car could be a start. The rule books are different between the ECTA and the SCTA. The Bonneville record for I/FS is 266.166 set in 10/12. Start a thread about your car so that we can join you on your quest

John

[Stainless1]

Dean, welcome.  You should be able to go to profile settings and change info there... don't forget to scroll to the bottom and save changes.  The site owner and head handlebar holder enjoys filling in info that folks fail to put in when they join... I moved you from RI to IL.... but it is up to you to pick a town other than Flaming George 
As suggested, start a build diary... folks here can help steer you in the right direction... check the rules for the organization you plan to run in... most are about the same but be diligent and be sure.
Be Safe, have fun and then go fast

[MAYOMAN]

Dean, good to hear from an Illinois land speed racer. Even though you are a south sider, White Sox guy. Nice story about Dad.
Back in the day, the Illinois speed limit was "reasonable and proper".
On the North side we raced out of the Pie Pan parking lot at Cicero and Peterson. I-94, under construction, began about there going North. The race began under the Devon Avenue overpass and ended under the Pratt Avenue overpass.
Before the I-roads, Skip's Drive-In in Melrose Park was the center for illegal street racing. At the intersection of First Avenue and North Avenue, the carhops had the information on which road was safe from law enforcement timing. Skip's owner was a retired stripper who designed the carhop uniforms (very skimpy for the 1950s). Friday night was race night.

[StreetProz]

Thanks for the info. I like the idea of a diary except for including cost as I've convinced my better half the cost of updating the car will be minimal! The beauty is she believed her man

In all seriousness I will diffidently welcome any guidance. My first question is about a diary location. I have started my normal log in the shop. That said is there a special place on the site to post? The car is getting on the scales tomorrow evening.

Thanks again guys.     

[Seldom Seen Slim]

http://www.landracing.com/forum/index.php?board=12.0