How Fast Is Fast?
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How Fast is Fast? 311.94 MPH: WORLD'S FASTEST MOTORCYCLE ROLLS ON BST CARBON-FIBER WHEELS DAYTON, Ohio. (July 20, 2011) - NASA's there is a mile shutdown to slow the vehicles and Space Shuttle program may be winding down, but I used every bit of it. The bike was bouncing, hop- Bill Warner continues to reach for the stars. On ping, skipping and sliding. Needless to say, I got it Sunday, at Loring Air Force Base, in Limestone, stopped safely. It was a little scary." Maine, he became the first man to exceed 300 mph Not only did Warner blow away his former riding a sit-on motorcycle, with a stunning 311.94 top-speed record from Texas last year by 33.3 mph, mph run on the 1.5-mile course. but he also blew the minds of the land-speed-racing Becoming one with his turbocharged, metha- community. nol-fueled Hayabusa-based racebike designed to Joe Timney, President of the East Coast Timing harness 1000 horsepower, this mild-mannered fish Association, said: "We knew he had big speeds in farmer and marine biologist from Wimauma, Fla. store for Loring, but for god's sake, he didn't just smashed his top-speed record of 278.6 mph rolling clip 300 miles per hour, he buried it! This is a world on DOT-approved BST carbon-fiber street wheels. record of epic proportion. Bill went faster on a sit- The 586 lb., 8 ft. long bike was fitted with BST's on motorcycle than Don Vesco did when he broke heavy layup specification rear rim, which is 8.5 in. 300 in a streamliner; the hair stands up on my arms wide, with thicker-than-normal spokes, designed just thinking about it." for big, high-powered motorcycles using a 240-se- Here's what Dean Sabatinelli, who holds a class products and technical support from the following ries tire, and a standard BST front wheel. record at 269.7 mph, had to say: "I don't see anyone companies: AiM Sports dataloggers, Alisyn oil, Brock's Performance President Brock David- getting close to this record in the next five years, APE, ARP fasteners, Brock's Performance, BST son, a license-holding 200+ mph land-speed-racing even if they started right now and focused intently wheels, Continental tires, Crower rods, Dainese participant, is ecstatic with this achievement: "We on the task. Bill approaches land speed racing like leathers, Full Spectrum Power batteries, Garrett wanted to make sure that we had enough strength a scientist. There really are no words to describe his Turbo, Heads Up Performance, Injector Dynam- to deal with the potential power output and cen- determination." ics, Knecum Performance, Larry Forstall Racing, trifugal forces developed at these ridiculous speeds. Scott Guthrie, a fellow racer and team owner M&W ignitions, Marine Crankshaft, McIntosh Thanks to Bill's testing, BST's ILR wheels are now who has ridden to more than 200 land-speed Machine and Fab, Millennium Technologies, MTC available for race and street use to consumers." records, said, "When Don Vesco set the record in Engineering, NLR boost controller, Öhlins suspen- Warner, a veteran land-speed competitor, 1975, he had a full-on factory effort, with every- sion, R&D Transmissions, RCC Turbos, Spiegler, nonchalantly said that accelerating up the runway thing paid for,multiple factory engines and plenty Swain Tech Coatings, T1 Racing, Tial, Web Cam, at up to 152 yards per second wasn't very dramatic. of world-record experience. Bill is a privateer in the Weimer Welding, Weldon pumps, World Wide "In this situation it was very calm. I progressed my truest senseof the word, building his bikes at home- Bearings and Zip Sensors. speeds up from 180 mph over the past few years, so with help from friends and associates. While Bill is A list of specifications follows. For more it was not a traumatic thing to do. always short on cash,he is very long on brains, will information on BST wheels, Brock's Performance "The big part of it," he continued, "after the power and the desire to be the best in the world." products and other sportbike performance parts, go speed happens, is trying to stop the bike. At Loring, This record-setting bike was set up with to BrocksPerformance.com . GRHOF Announces 2011 Inductees (Continued from page 6) By the early part of May, Pritchett Pritchett name in racing. Daytona 500s, in 1984, 1985, 1986 found himself in sixth place in the Ken Ragan of Unadilla, Geor- and 1987. His best finish in the NASCAR point standings. gia, was born on Sept. 12, 1950 event was in ’84, when he finished On May 16, 1948, Pritchett was into a racing family. His father, 14th. racing in a non-NASCAR event at Hugh, owned race cars that raced Ragan’s best Sprint Cup effort the Jackson County Speedway near on Daytona Beach and at the famed came at Talladega Superspeedway in Jefferson, Georgia. He had won the Lakewood Speedway in Atlanta, 1984, where he finished 11th. Fame inducted its first class in 2002, trophy dash, the heat race and led among many others, in the 1940s After retiring from driving, Ragan and became a 501(c)3 non-profit every lap from the pole position in and 1950s, picking up an eighth worked to help establish Legends organization in 2010. The museum, the feature as he sped to victory. place finish on the beach in 1948. Cars of Georgia in 1997 and in 2001 recognized by the state legislature But on the cool down lap, Pritch- Ragan began his racing career would move to Charlotte, North Car- as the official home of the Georgia ett’s car collided with a lap car in the piloting high-speed go carts, win- olina to manage 600 Racing, which Racing Hall of Fame, recognizes first turn, sending Pritchett’s racer ning the World Karting Association manufactures and sponsors Legends prominent members of Georgia’s end over end. Pritchett was thrown Championship in 1978 after finish- cars around the world. Ragan was racing heritage. The Hall of Fame out of the car as it tumbled. ing as runner-up in 1977. After he instrumental in opening the door for also plays host to other events salut- Pritchett was still conscious when and his brother Marvin purchased a many drivers to have the opportunity ing the state’s racing history, includ- crew members reached him, and was sportsman car from Bobby Allison, to race, including several current ing the annual Lakewood Speedway taken to a hospital in nearby Com- Ragan began racing in sportsman NASCAR stars. reunion. The Hall of Fame and merce. He died soon thereafter of events across the southeast. Ken, his wife Beverly and eldest Museum are housed in the Dawson- internal injuries. Ragan won the final race held at son Adam recently relocated back ville City Municipal Complex just Swayne Pritchett was buried at Middle Georgia Raceway in Byron home to Unadilla, Georgia. His son outside of downtown Dawsonville, the Leatherwood Baptist Church Georgia, and competed around the David is currently the driver of the Georgia on Hwy. 53. The museum cemetery in Banks County. He nation. number 6 UPS Ford for Roush- is open Monday – Friday from 10 had turned 26 years old one month Ragan’s first major race was in an Fenway Racing, and won this year’s a.m. - 4 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. - 2 earlier. ARCA event at Talladega Super- Coke Zero 400 at Daytona Interna- p.m. and Sunday 12 a.m. - 4 p.m. Pritchett’s impact is still felt speedway in May of 1982. He made tional Speedway. Holiday and Summer hours vary. today. Both of his sons, C.L. and more than 50 NASCAR Sprint Cup About the Georgia Racing Hall For more information, call (706)216- Harold, would become champion starts throughout his career, as well of Fame - The Georgia Racing Hall RACE (7223) or go online to www. racers in their own right, winning as several Nationwide series and of Fame is owned by Dawsonville georgiaracinghof.com. across the southeast and keeping the ARCA starts. Ragan ran in four History Museum, INC. The Hall of www.FreeMSA.com • August 2011 • 11.