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2004 WHPSC Monday Racing Pictures
and Results
Words by Dave "FLJS" Larrington.
 Monday's
Results
Conditions on Muleshoe Road
were perfect
for qualifying in the morning, with four new rider/machine combinations
to run. These being:
- Ellen van Vugt /
Varnowski
- Ron Layman / Velox
Solium
- Frank Geyer / Big Gun
- Tom Nowak / Rotator
Super 7
Ron and Ellen both made two
runs; Ellen without
the windshield on the first before making a more serious attempt second
time around. Ron's machine, the latest Cal Poly ASME competitor,
unshipped its chain on the first run, but they were able to get the
machine
back to the start in time to make a second run. Frank said he was
unaware of the very presence of the timing system while making his very
first run in Steve Delaire's Big Gun, while Tom Nowak had a good run in
his Rotator Super 7. Click on the pictures below for a higher
resolution image.
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Al and Alice
Krause steady the Varnowski prior to extracting Ellen van Vugt.
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The catchers
gather around Tom Novak's Rotator Super 7.
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Al and Alice,
Mike Sova (in hat) and Paul Krieg hold the Big Gun.
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The team prepares
to free Ron Layman from the Velox Solium.
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Speeds were thus:
- Ellen van Vugt - 46 mph
- Ron Layman - 43.79 mph
- Frank Geyer - 35.01 mph
- Tom Nowak - 37.8 mph
By the evening, though, the
wind had picked
up to exciting levels and unlike the usual behavior of the climate in
Battle Mountain, it failed to drop as sunrise approached. In the
event, only five riders elected to run; Tom Nowak declining to go after
his exertions of the morning and Hans Wessels in the WhiteHawk because
of the strength of the wind. Opinions of the conditions varied,
but
no-one had a kind word for the weather. "Windy!" said
Ellen.
Fast Freddy was more forthcoming. "That sucked!" he said.
Sam
Whittingham said that tonight was the slowest he'd ever been down the
course,
as well as being "definitely the scariest".
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Detail of the
Velox Solium's rear air vent.
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Steve Delaire
fettles the Big Gun prior to launch. Pilot Frank Geyer (in hat
and dark shirt) tries to pretend he's not nervous...
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While preparing
the Varna Mephisto, Freddy Markham was visited by the P+nct+r+
Fairy. Better here than five miles down the course at 75 mph...
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Sam Whittingham
catches some rays.
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Hans van Vugt
(right) and Steve Nash tape Ellen into the Varnowski.
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Ryan Fowler (on
the ground) and Larry Lem close up the Velox Solium; Carole Leone and
Tom Nowak steady the bike.
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Carole
Leone and Jonathan Whittingham prepare the Varna Diablo for launch.
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Roadkill-eye view
of the Big Gun.
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| Rider
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Vehicle
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Time
(s)
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Speed
(MPH)
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Legal
Wind?
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| Ellen van Vugt
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Varnowski
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9.80
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45.65
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N
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| Ron
Layman
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Velox Solium
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10.39
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43.07
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N
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| Sam
Whittinghan
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Varna Diablo
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9.65
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46.38
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N
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| Freddy Markham
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Varna Mephisto
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12.12
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36.92
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N
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| Frank Geyer
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Big Gun
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11.96
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37.41
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N
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All riders found themselves
coping with
a combination of head- and cross-winds, hence the low speeds. No
run was made with IHPVA-legal wind.
You don't really want to know about
my trip here, do you? You do? OK, I drove 1500 miles in three
days to get here from Denver, narrowly avoided a speeding ticket from Lander
County's finest and have very little skin left on my nose and forehead,
which happens when one neglects to put on sunscreen and/or a hat when driving
a convertible with the lid off.
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