Gary Perkinson

So after my April adventure, where I took my HP Tuned '07 N/A 2.4 automatic to Wilmington, OH, for the season's first ECTA land-speed event and ran the standing mile at 114 mph, I drove in the opposite direction this past weekend to Loring, Maine. The Loring Timing Association (LTA) event is 1.5 miles instead of a mile (it's run on the 13,000-foot runway at the former Loring AFB), so I was hoping to gain at least a few mph with the extra half mile. And sure enough, I made five passes on Friday and Saturday and ran 119 mph and change EVERY TIME. That means I either have an extremely consistent car, or I discovered exactly where the rev limiter is--and we know what the answer is. In fact, I could feel the car nose over whenever I hit 6,700 rpm (I think some people have said the limiter is at 6,750), and I just couldn't put it over the top to 120. I know some people have said that they've run the car over 7,000 rpm without a problem, but since I had to drive 600 miles home in the car, I figured I could live with the speed I managed to get in exchange for no engine problems. In any case, if anyone's interested, I'll post my time slips when I get a chance--they all pretty much look the same!

On a somber note, land-speed motorcyclist Bill Warner--who rode his Hayabusa to a conventional motorcycle record of 311 mph in 2011 (also at Loring)--was killed when he lost control of his bike at 285 mph on Sunday morning. I had already left on Saturday afternoon (although I had seen three of his runs on Friday and Saturday), so I'm glad I was spared having to witness that, but land-speed racing lost a real hero with Bill's death. The land-speed bikers are completely nuts--I wouldn't get near one of those bikes--but those guys and gals sure do have balls. Here's a video about his crash:

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/07/15/l...rash-at-285-m/

Oldblue

Great runs for you, but very sad news about Bill Warner

db/sb

That brought back an unplesant race memory where I did, unfortunately, witness Tim Capaldi die at the boat drags almost 20 years ago. A vendor for his sponsor, Mission Tortilla Products, had given us the tickets as he did every year. I worked at Ralph's Grocery Co. then. I haven't been to the boat races since.

http://articles.latimes.com/1994-04-...80_1_drag-boat

badassbowtie

Not bad for 2.4l. I've hit 130 a couple times in the SS. Had plenty left but I was on the highway so I let off

I wonder what the 2.4 would do unturned, or what kind of gain you got for the 2.4

Gary Perkinson

Hey, Badass: You should take your SS to the next ECTA land-speed event in Wilmington, Ohio--that shouldn't be too bad of a drive from Buffalo. The last meet of the year's at the end of September. If you keep it under 135, all you need is a full-face helmet (although I use a firesuit and gloves, too). No cage required, and you can just run your stock three-point seat belts. It's a lot of fun, the people are great, and there are some awesome cars and bikes there. And the best part is, you don't have to worry about cops or other cars--the runway is all yours!

Gary Perkinson

Yeah, I know that sick feeling--I used to drag race a little, and at my last race, a guy named Ian Landies crashed his Comp Eliminator roadster and died at Cecil County Dragway in Maryland. Racing definitely loses a lot of its allure when those things happen...