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Wes Potter asked the question about private time ........
"I've wondered why people like Malcolm and the jet motorcycle or Dennis
Manning with his streamliner bike or even Nolan White chose to run on
private, restricted access, solo meets rather than piggyback on our events.
There are always people to stay and run a meet like that and the
infrastructure is already in place. The wire and eyes are there and the
clocks have been proven to work well. It certainly worked for the racers
on
the salt in the 1930's."
The answer for Team Maximum Impulse was that the governing Authority on
behalf of the FIM was the American Motorcycle Association (AMA). (Somewhat
reluctantly with a triple rocket powered two wheeler, I have to say). None
of the other salt organisations appear to be recognised by the FIM. The
AMA nominated Jack Dolan as their timekeeper and as he was the timer for
Bub Mannings bike only meeting that September, for the first four days of
our US visit, we 'piggybacked' on those events arrangements.
The FIM nominated their Steward from Switzerland and he flew in at a time
when we were getting up to speed ready for a crack at the FIM Outright
record and Bub and the other racers had gone home because the track was
partly under water at the Wendover cayseway end. Anyone was welcome to
join us on the salt - although not many did come throught the water - Don
Vesco, John Ackroyd, the Shearers, Lou Kirkman from the BLM. There was no
restricted access.
(The day after we packed up it rained and the USFRA World of Speed meeting
had to be cancelled. We had the weather window but not the 'luck').
The Brits are used to 'solo' efforts (and funding 100% of the costs) as we
do not have a car or bike speedweek equivalent over here.
Malcolm Pittwood, Derby, England
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