Lake Gairdner record attempt unsuccessful

FIM land speed record attempt at Lake Gairdner unsuccessful

Australia's chance of hosting a new FIM land speed record has been gazumped by the rarest of outback occurrences -- precipitation.

The planned attempt, using an American-backed, Suzuki Hayabusa-engined Streamliner, was to have taken place during the 2006 Lake Gairdner Speed Trials from March 6-10, but excessive surface water on the 160-long lake -- after 30mm of pre-event rain - meant that conditions were just too hazardous for the 900 horsepower TOP-1 Ack Attack to show its full potential.

"The conditions at the lake were such that we could not make a serious attempt at the record, and we will be returning to Bonneville this summer for another FIM attempt," said project honcho Mike Akatiff. "On the upside, we found the people of Australia... willing to help us in any way possible. We now hope to return some day."

The quickest pass for the TOP-1 Ack Attack, on day four, was 251.144mph (404.166kmh) -- way short of American Dave Campos' 16-year-old benchmark of 322.165mph (518.450).

However, that pass was made on a 'short' circuit by 62-year-old Streamliner stalwart Sam Wheeler, which heightened expectations that a successful attempt would be made on the final day. That was until excessive winds picked from the north-west on the afternoon of March 10, shifting water back onto the circuit. The operation was then abandoned shortly after.

-www.ma.org.au