IN
THE
WIND
P40
Records And Wreckage At
SCTA Speed Week
W
hile many land speed rac-
ing events around the world
have been canceled due to the
Covid-19 pandemic, the South-
ern California Timing Association
opted to move forward with the
72nd annual Speed Week at the
Bonneville Salt Flats, which took
place August 8-14. Less than half
the normal number of competi-
tors showed up, but those who
did were greeted by a record-
breaking week.
The big news of the meet was
from the four-wheel side. Speed
Demon, piloted by 71-year-old
George Poteet, set a scorch-
ing new record of 470 mph, the
fastest ever recorded speed for
a piston-powered vehicle. The
blown-fuel streamliner powered
by a twin-turbo Chevy big block
allowed Poteet to reclaim the re-
cord, previously taken by Danny
Thompson and Challenger II in
2018.
On the motorcycle side,
69-year-old Ralph Hudson set
the fastest time of the week for a
new SCTA record with a 263-
mph average aboard his Iron-
wood Racing 1000cc partially
streamlined motorcycle. It also
marked an all-time record for a
sit-on motorcycle at the Bonnev-
ille Salt Flats. However, Hudson
unfortunately suffered a high-
speed crash on Friday, August
14, the final day of the meet,
after coming off of a 260-mph
run. A crosswind reportedly sent
him into a tank slapper causing
him to high-side at an estimated
250 mph. The Glendale, Cali-
fornia resident remains in critical
condition at Intermountain Medi-
cal Center in Salt Lake City. The
family is requesting privacy but
reported on Sunday, August 16,
that Hudson "arrived in serious
condition but has stabilized over
the last two days." Hudson is the
current FIM World Record holder
for the fastest sit-on motorcycle
(non-streamliner) at 297 mph, set
in Bolivia in 2018.
Jean Turner
Ralph Hudson set an
all-time Bonneville Salt
Flats record for a sit-
on motorcycle at the
72nd annual Speed
Week but crashed on
the final day of the
meet. Hudson remains
in critical condition.
(FILE PHOTO)
