With 2,000 in attendance and a top speed of 273 mph, the event was a hit
By Natalie Bazinet
Staff Writer
LIMESTONE — The need for speed was met for approximately 2,000 people who visited the Loring runway on July 31 and Aug. 1 for the second annual Land Speed Racing event held by the Loring Timing Association. The fastest speed recorded during the two-day event was 273 miles per hour, reached by Bill Warner of Wimauma, Florida on his motorcycle.
Aroostook Republican photo/Natalie Bazinet
While it seemed that nothing could keep up with the vehicles racing on the Loring runway over the weekend, speed itself can catch up to the vehicles which, like this 1980 Camero, have tested their speedometer needles at speeds well over 200 miles per hour. At left, David Freiburger, editor in chief of Hotrod magazine, checks to see if he can figure out what ails the magnificent vehicle.
The top speed from last year’s races — 265 mph on a motorcycle — was surpassed twice.
The highest four-wheel speed attained last weekend was 218 miles per hour in a Ford GT40, driven by 73-year-old Bob Self from Ambler, Pennsylvania.
With high speeds, high expense equipment and high goals set for racers it would seem that a high stress environment would be inevitable, but that’s not so, said Race Director of the East Coast Timing Association Keith Turk.
“Unlike most racing, land speed racing is one man against the record for that particular class and that time, so racers are running against a record and not an individual and the competitors have a tendency to be incredibly friendly toward one another,” he explained, adding that racers are often eager and willing to help their competitors out any way that they can.
The reasoning behind the cooperation and encouragement between racers, simply explained, is not only funny but true: “If your junk is faster than my junk, than I need to get better junk,” Turk said.
Finding a place to sit near the Loring runway during the Land Speed Racing event on Saturday and Sunday wasn’t a problem for Nicholas Stanley, 6, of Gray; the lap of Steve Stanley made the perfect lawn chair.
Fueled through speed-oriented friendly camaraderie, land speed racing seems to have landed in a perfect home at the Loring runway as racers raved about the facilities and the friendly communities.
“We love the people, we love the facilities and we love the weather,” said six-year Land Speed Racer Doug Kenny of Tampa, driver for PCS Racing. “We really love it and we can’t say enough about how much fun it is,” he added, emphasizing just how great the 2.5-mile runway is for the sport.
Kenny participated in first land speed racing event last year at Loring and knew he’d be back.
“We were here last year for the inaugural event and though ‘we’ve got to go back again,’” he recalled, “and we did well this year so that makes even more of an incentive to come back next year.” The 1931 Roadster Kenny drove down the runway reached a top speed of 210.
Many racers had the same reaction as Kenny, and the former Air Force base continues to grow progressively stronger on the radar of the land speed racing scene.
Turk came to Loring this year to assist the Loring Timing Association with the relatively new event, particularly in the area of rookie orientation and the establishment of a new land speed racing venue.
“The event is fabulous, the facilities are spectacular and the townspeople have been genuinely magnificent — it’s just a very polite and kind place and it’s been fun.” Turk said, mentioning that the racetrack itself has incredible potential.
This 2006 Ford GT, driven by Dave Rudan Jr. sped down the runway at 218 miles per hour.
If the Loring Timing Association and the Loring runway were out-of-the-ordinarily good, Tuck would know. Aside from his position and experience with the East Coast Timing Association, he’s a member of six 200-mph clubs, which means that he’s driven over 200 miles per hour during six land speed racing events which is as much a rarity as it is an accomplishment.
“The bottom line is that the Loring Timing Association has done a wonderfully in reaching out to find people who have performed and done land speed racing in other places,” he added. “Bob Warner and Mark Sotomayor have truly done an excellent job.”
While the racers and the spectators totaling over certainly enjoyed the event, the surrounding communities themselves also experienced multifaceted enjoy from the land speed racing, particularly from economic standpoint.
“We think [that the LTA’s Land Speed Racing event] has been a boost for the region because it draws people from all over the country to our neck of the woods who would otherwise have no reason to venture into Maine, much less northern Maine,” said President and CEO of the Loring Development Authority Carl Flora. “The event grew this year versus last year in terms of the number of participants as well as spectators and pending, discussions with LTA organizers, we expect that there will be an interest in returning the event next year.”
While the date may change, LTA organizer Mark Sotomayor certainly plans on bringing another round of racing to Loring next year; despite the excellence of the event described by participants, Sotomayor is always looking for ways to expand.
“Each year we’re trying to improve the overall experience for racers and spectators,” he said. This year’s event had the addition of multiple vendors and a speaker system to keep spectators informed on racers and speeds, but Sotomayor has received a couple of suggestions from seasoned racers that he’s looking to implement next year.
Donovan, 6, and Norman Cote of Fort Fairfield watched a 1931 Roadster, closeup below, driven by Doug Kenny of Tampa, Florida take off down the Loring runway during the Land Speed Racing event on Saturday and Sunday coordinated by the Loring Timing Association. Kenny and the Roadster are a part of PCS racing.
While Scott Cote of Fort Fairfield enjoyed the event, he expressed slight dissatisfaction with a time lag between racers that he said reached up to 20 minutes at one point.
Keeping safety the top priority for the event can lead to a lag in action, particularly on Sunday morning when a stubborn moose seemed determined to ‘reclaim’ the track, pestering race officials and keeping racers idle until a bit of siren action from the on-site emergency vehicles persuaded the animal to seek greener pastures. Other lesser ‘only in Maine’ moments were provided by a meandering black bear that kept its distance.
Aside from the wildlife incidents, emergency personnel had a pretty uneventful weekend at the races, which is always a good thing.
Information about the Loring Timing Association can be obtained by visiting www.lta-lsr.com.
