Saturday, August 05, 2006

Twin Jugs Racing

www.ecta-lsr.com

Okay, now that I have your attention let me direct you to ECTA Racing. ECTA is the East Coast Timing Association which runs in Laurinburg/Maxton North Carolina. I've been to this track a few years ago when I helped out with the BicWig Land Speed team of Jim Bodenheimer. I can even remember my initiation into the realms of a full fledged team member and the long nights but that's a different story.

A bit about the ECTA track is that it is what used to be an airstrip back in 1943 or so. The runway that is used for the land speed course was part of the Maxton Army base where glider pilots trained for the invasion of Normandy in WWII.
After years of non-use, the ECTA group found the abandoned as well as overgrown runway, leased it and hauled off tons of debri and repaired the 1.9 mile strip. On my visit, not only did the vast expanse of open space take me in but the awe of just envisioning the pilots of years ago walking these same grounds as I. Several foundations of the men's quarters still dot the location as do the pads that tied down the aircraft.

Racers such as Todd Dross, the pilot of the Twin Jugs Land Speed Sportster, ran 140.937 mph here in May of 06. Another rider, Karen Batts, set a Land Speed record on her Buell back on 4/03 at 151.037 mph.
There are several Harley powered land speed racers that show up at this event every year with some impressive speeds. But there are also plenty of makes of motorcycles from every make and engine category from which to choose. The bike I didn't see was the Worlds Fastest Indian. Or any other Indians for that matter.

You know about the Worlds Fastest Indian don't you? It is piloted by Burt Munro from New Zealand. The reason I mention all this about the Land speed racing in North Carolina is because I have only recently seen the movie myself. Of course, Burt raced out in Utah breaking the 200 mph record and ECTA wasn't even a gleam in anyone's eye then. The movie brought back memories of many who race at ECTA on a shoe string budget just to get their fix for speed. This was something I could relate to in the movie about some putting everything into the racer even if it means skipping a meal or two. The hunger for speed for these on a shoe string takes a backseat to the hunger in the belly. Ah yes. The Burt Munro spirit lives on in many a motorcycle racer just like Burt.
If you want to race your own bike, be it stock or modified, on the east coast then visit the www.ecta-lsr.com site to get your fix. If you want to see a great movie about land speed motorcycle racing then see The Worlds Fastest Indian.

Lets see now, I have a 500 Yamaha just sitting around collecting dust. HMMMM, I wonder how fast I could make it run. Hmmmm....

WooleyB

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