VOL. 54 ISSUE 33 AUGUST 22, 2017 P101
the timed mile (between Miles 7
and 8), there was nothing but the
sound of salt crunching beneath
shuffling feet, and the soft beep-
ing of cameras preparing to focus
until the Ack Attack finally came
howling onto the horizon.
"Mile 12," the radio crackled.
A white blur was barely visible
on the horizon, the rooster tail of
salt coming from the Ack.
"Mile 11…"
A distant shimmering image of
the Ack emerged on the horizon.
"Mile 10."
"Oh no," Akatiff's wife Kristy
softly muttered. "That's too long
between miles."
Speed seemed to pick up
slightly between miles 10 and 9,
but just as the Ack broke into the
trap, the chute deployed. Robin-
was simply not an option.
At long last, and with little more
than two hours of daylight remain-
ing (just enough for a turnaround
run), the Ack Attack once again
headed down the course to Mile
15. This would be their last shot
at a new world record. But this
was the Hail Mary that the team is
notorious for. It just had to work.
"We're moving," came Mike
Cook's voice over the radio.
Watching from the tower at
(Right) Al Lamb
takes a breather
before his run.
(Above) Mike
Cook shows the
way as Ralph
Hudson gets a
push start.
(Right) Think
a naturally
aspirated bike
can't race at
12,000 feet?
Mike Salimbeni
and his Aprilia
beg to differ.
