Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials Set for Aug. 23-28
For those who dream of speed, Bonneville is a must attend event. For six days, August 23–28, 2014, the collective eyes of speed freaks world-wide will be focused on the famed Utah salt flats as constructors and riders race for national and world records at the recently renamed Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials. Continuing the relationship the American Motorcyclist Association maintained over the past 10 years during the BUB Motorcycle Speed Trials, the AMA will clock top-speed runs in every class of motorcycle, ranging from 50cc mini-bikes to high-dispacement streamliners.
Taking over the running of the event from AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Denis Manning, Delvene Manning, owner of Deliciate Promotions LLC and the Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials and former daughter-in-law of long-time event promoter Manning, looks forward to improving the event during this period of growth and increased attention.
“Denis shepherded land-speed racing into a new era, drawing competitors from all corners of the country and all backgrounds to chase their place in the record books,” said Delvene Manning. ”We have everyone from weekend warriors to fully backed factory teams at this event, and we’re looking forward to carrying on the grand tradition of AMA championship land-speed racing on the Bonneville Salt Flats.”
“The Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials, also known as the AMA Land Speed Grand Championships, is one of the most unique competition events that we sanction,” said AMA Track Racing Manager Ken Saillant. “Land-speed racing, and this event in particular, attracts an incredible diversity of motorcycles and racers. Every year the competition gets even more fierce, and we expect 2014 to be one of the most challenging ever.”
As many enthusiasts know, 2014 looks to be an impressive event when the competitors who are expected to attempt to break the current record of 376.363 mph set by rider Rocky Robinson and builder Mike Akatiff in 2010.
Among the builders and riders who may make and attempt at this record is former Daytona 200 winner Jason DiSalvo in the Castrol Rocket, a 1,000-horsepower motorcycle backed by Castrol and Triumph. Constructed of two Triumph Rocket III engines, 25-foot long x 2-foot wide x 3-foot high streamliner built by Hot Rod Conspiracy/Carpenter Racing Castrol Rocket faces potential competition from perennial competitor Sam Wheeler and the EZ Hook streamliner he has been working on for years.
While the competitors for the outright land-speed record garner the most attention, the parade of motorcycles assembled at the staging area for runs on the glistening white salt is a gear head’s dream. To find out more about the Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials, visit the event website.
[Source: AMA]
Like most of the best happenings in his life, Evans stumbled into his motojournalism career. While on his way to a planned life in academia, he applied for a job at a motorcycle magazine, thinking he’d get the opportunity to write some freelance articles. Instead, he was offered a full-time job in which he discovered he could actually get paid to ride other people’s motorcycles – and he’s never looked back. Over the 25 years he’s been in the motorcycle industry, Evans has written two books, 101 Sportbike Performance Projects and How to Modify Your Metric Cruiser, and has ridden just about every production motorcycle manufactured. Evans has a deep love of motorcycles and believes they are a force for good in the world.
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