Speed Record Club

speed on wheels, water and wings

Just for the Record - November 2009

For the major organisations that conduct speed trials the second or ‘back up’ run is as important as the first to ensure a credible record is achieved. What this has meant down the years is that some runs, now known as one way passes, have been meritorious in their speed, but the riders or drivers or pilots have not set a record. Every country has them; the author leaves you to pick your favourite.

During the speed trials season of 2009 there have been some new ‘one way’ passes that were recorded but could not be backed up. (It is a ‘fact’ of mechanical life that an internal combustion racing engine gives of its best output a few seconds before it self destructs).

Joe Amo rode his one litre capacity motorcycle at World of Speed to a middle mile speed of 272.610 mph. The class designation for this bike is “1000cc APS - BF” which translates to a Special Construction Partial Streamlined bike with engine capacity of 1,000 cc with supercharging and running on fuel. A purposed designed racing motorcycle that Joe sat on.

George Poteet at the controls of club member Ron Main’s “Speed Demon” streamliner (SCTA class D/BFS) achieved a kilometre speed of 436.067 mph and a mile speed of 435.685 mph. In place of the four cylinder engine Ron and George were using a single V8 of 298ci displacement. The engine capacity in ‘D’ is 261 thru 305 cid or in Europe terms above 4.27 litres but under five (5) litres and with forced induction (‘blown’ to our American cousins) and on fuel.

Curtis Halverson drove the Mormon Missile - a diesel powered streamliner - into the FIA record books (subject to FIA ratification) in Category A group III class 10. Even with a cubic capacity disadvantage to the JCB Dieselmax that was driven by SRC Honorary Member Andy Green, Curtis achieved average speeds of 341.360 mph through the kilo and 341.167 mph through the mile. These are just nine miles per hour short of the yellow and black JCB streamliner record speeds at the same location.

For lovers of alternative energy vehicles the Ohio State University team (Roger Schroer the driver) with their Buckeye Bullet 2 streamliner, became the first with a hydrogen fuel cell to exceed 300 mph. Average speeds were 302.877 mph in the mile and 303.025 mph in the kilo on 25th September. (Records subject to FIA ratification).