Setting a Land Speed Record: Preparation (Part 3) - Preparation

I had been in contact with the officials at the Loring Timing Association for some time leading up to the event, and they were all extremely helpful with my preparations. For several months I went back and forth with Tim Kelly, the Race Director, about what I needed to legalize the bike and what I should expect. Between the rule book and his advice, I was able to track down appropriate safety clothing and fireproofing materials, and tweak the bike to perfection. Amazingly, the basic layout of the bike was done in 3 months, but the various safety modifications took almost a year to design and install.

Figure 1 - Overlooking Mount Katahdin

No one else had attempted to run an alternate fuel vehicle at their venue before, so the next hurdle was figuring out which class I would enter under. In previous years, the only provision for non-Otto cycle vehicles was referred to as "class Omega". Strictly speaking, this class referred to any alternative, including turbines, steam, and electric. When the new 2011 rule books came in, we discovered that a new class had been created: class AF, Alternate Fuel.

Figure 2 - Tech Inspection

One thing I had never considered during the build was the logistics of actually GETTING there. By comparison, the bike was easy. Sorting out hotels, food, parts to bring along, and the nearly 10 hour drive just to get there was exhausting. Maine is an unbelievably large state. We were excited as we passed the state line and entered Portland, only to realize that there was still at least 6 hours of driving ahead. We arrived at our hotel at sunset, and woke up early on Friday to go to tech inspection.

Photo Credits: Daniel Falkenstrom

Editor's Note: Just joining this series? Then check out Part 1 and Part 2.