Whats better than the Texas Mile?

[eastcoastbumps]

The Maine Mile +.5

Land Speed Racing Comes to Maine for 2009 By Brian Lohnes Posted 01/08/09

After several years of hard work and planning, the Loring Timing Association will be hosting its first land speed racing event in Loring, Maine, during the weekend of August 1st and 2nd, 2009. This event represents the culmination of lots of time by enthusiasts and great collaboration among other timing organizations (such as the ECTA).

One of the neat things about this venue that we have been hearing is that the runs will be 1.5-mile shots instead of the 1-mile runs made at Maxton. This is possible due to the extremely long runways on the former Loring Air Force Base.

This base was home to strategic nuclear bombers that flew long missions on the Russian air space border loaded with enough boom to vaporize large chunks of the country in a single whack. Those massive planes, laden with all that ordinance, required a lot of real estate to achieve takeoff speed. The resulting runway space is a boon to racers.

The base is actually located in a town called Limestone, Maine, some 400 miles north of Boston, Massachusetts (7 hour drive). Essentially, if you make a wrong turn in Limestone, you better have a passport, because you’ll be crossing into Canada. Its right up on the border with New Brunswick.

LTA leaders Bob Wanner and Bob Jepson were able to put on a demonstration event for local media, government, and other decision makers back in August of 2008 and that show proved to be a smashing success, paving the way for the August date this coming summer.

There are some “threatened” bird species that restrict when events can be scheduled, but the fact remains, this is huge news for any gearhead in the Northeast or Eastern Canada who has ever had a thirst for speed.

We’re looking forward to being at the inaugural event this coming summer and if we can get a wireless signal, providing some live results from the pits!

http://freiburgersjunkyard.com/blog/Lan ... -2009.html

Anyone up for going? One of the organizers is touting it as 'Woodstock on Wheels' I'd like to go and one of my friends says hes in too. For safety equipment you'll need a 4 point for 150mph, 6 point 175, full cage over 175mph. A covert. automatically bumps you up 1 level of protection. For example, for 135 you need a 4 point and for 150 you need a 6 point. For any speed over 135mph a fire suit is needed. Over 150mph you need fire suppression. Theres more to it, but thats the basics, so I've been told.

[breakaway500]

If it did not conflict with the COM schedule,I would be up for this.

[jadams]

That sounds cool, but how are you supposed to know what class you fall into? I have no idea if my car would break 175. I have to believe that it should be highly probable to break the 175 barrier, but certainly haven't tried it before. I suppose that I could just make sure that I could just slow down before going past 175 to avoid being "illegal" without a full cage. Then again, maybe it is really stupid to try it without a full cage! Who knows, maybe a wheel will fall off or something!

[DanDarcy]

Seems to me Joel, we've seen your wheels fall off Including the hub and brake

[lou m]

That sounds awesome, I've seen a supercar exposed episode on Speed that covered the TX event. JA- I hit 160 in a stock Z28. There was more but the limiter kicked in. With stock 3:43 rear I was closing in on 6K in 5th. That may be your limiting factor. In 6th 2000 rpm is 80 mph so according to some of the LSX boards the cars can go 240...... Oh yeah and according to a dodge intrepid board, (there actually is one) a guy raced and beat a mustang GT. I replied asking the Intrepid owner if the Mustang owner knew that they were racing.