FEATURE I TOP OF THE WORLD LAND SPEED SHOOTOUT
P114
in my head on both runs. I don't
think I could have done it with-
out him sitting on my shoulder. I
can't even put it into words."
It was a bittersweet moment
for Assen's crew, but McGrath
and Brown didn't report any
mixed emotions. "Today was a
lesson in sportsmanship," said
Brown. "Mike couldn't believe
that we were helping him break
our mate's record, but that's
sportsmanship. If the guy's got a
good enough bike to do it, it's his
record. It doesn't matter whether
we're friends with who or what.
He got the bike, he tried four
times and he got close, and he
tried one last time and he got it.
That was a very emotional thing
to watch. They were bawling
their eyes out when it happened.
That's sportsmanship. You don't
see enough of that anymore."
Assen sent his congratula
-
tions from his hospital bed in
Cochabamba. "All I can say is
I can totally relate to his emo-
tions as mine were very similar
in 2011 when I initially set the
record," said Assen. "Congratu-
lations to Mike and Erin (Gar-
cias' wife)—he deserves it and I
am so happy such a good man
got the record."
"Come get it back, Richard,"
Garcia replied.
THE TURBINE
BULLET
The first record of the meet
went to Jamie Williams, a
seasoned veteran of land-speed
racing but a first-time com-
petitor on the Salar. Williams
brought several machines with
Al Lamb gets a push start
on "Big Red," his Dallas Honda-
backed CBR1000RR.
Two blown motors and technical
issues all week didn't deter Williams.
He'll be back, possibly in 2024.
