Records Set at 2023 Return to Bolivia
A
fter a five-year hiatus, FIM
Land Speed World Records
made a return to the Salar de
Uyuni in Bolivia for another run.
It was a week of extremes, with
high altitude, low temperatures
and logistical challenges that
come with competing in a re
-
mote location, but of the seven
motorcycle entries, two were
able to achieve new FIM Land
Speed World Records at the
2023 Bolivia Speed Trials.
Mike Garcia and the Gar
-
cia Sims Racing team, were
overjoyed to accomplish their
decade-long goal of capturing an
FIM World Record aboard his par
-
tially streamlined 1350cc turbo-
charged Hayabusa motorcycle on
the final day of the competition.
Garcia averaged a two-way speed
of 265 mph (426 km/h) to best
the previous record of 261 mph.
It was an emotional day for the
whole paddock, as Garcia was
running against the record held
by fellow Bolivian competitor
Richard Assen, who was hospital
-
ized following a crash at over 200
mph only days earlier.
"I was running on Richard's re-
cord and before I left, Richard told
those guys to tell me to go for it
and good luck," said Garcia. "I just
can't thank him enough and I wish
he was here. I'm glad he's okay. I
can't even put it into words."
Land speed veteran Jamie
Williams was the only other
rider to set a new record at the
2023 event, his coming aboard
a turbine-powered MTT 420RR
motorcycle. Williams ran against
an open record, meaning any
speeds would do, and although
he knows the 420-horsepower
superbike, powered by an Allison
Rolls Royce C20B gas-turbine
engine, is capable of much faster,
their pair of passes at 134 mph
(216 km/h) and 127 mph (204
km/h) set a new world record.
"In both those runs, the motor
would shut off," Williams ex
-
plained. "It had an override on
the rpms. So that's why I coast-
ed through both (timed mile)
exits on my runs. I guess the
numbers are the numbers, right?
It's a little bit of going through
the motions, learning what it's
about. I've never had a turbine
bike before. It's pretty cool."
Jean Turner
WIND
IN THE
P44
Mike Garcia
celebrates his
first Bolivia FIM
Land Speed World
Record.
PHOTO:
JEAN TURNER/FIM
