Setting a World Land Speed Record!

I just returned from a quick trip to the Bonneville Salt Flats to crew my brother's attempt to set a new world land speed record with his Volkswagen Beetle powered by a Harley-Davidson V-Twin motorcycle engine. He invented an adapter to allow the motorcycle engine to be installed in a Volkswagen frame and replace the original factory installed motor. He has been working on the concept for several years and plans to soon go into commercial production. Intense interest has been generated in the USA, Mexico, Brazil and throughout Europe.

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We arrived on the salt just before sunrise and encountered perfect conditions. The temperature was in the low 70's, the wind was calm, and the course was groomed and dry. After a brief orientation one of the race directors led a caravan of hopeful racers out to the marked racecourse. Each registered driver would be given 6 attempts to reach their vehicle's top speed.

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Russell was second in line for his first attempt and the crew could sense his intense focus and excitement about the task ahead of him. He had been rained out in 2023 and the moment for him to prove his concept was at hand. As soon as the first racer had safely cleared the one-mile course the race director signaled that it was his turn and the course was ready. He donned his racing helmet, strapped himself into the driver's seat and after an exchange of thumbs up with the race director roared down the track. Within seconds the sound of the Harley V Twin was fading in the distance and the blue bug quickly appeared smaller and smaller. I knew my brother, a lifelong racer, was in bat-out of-hell Nirvana.

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After less than a minute we saw the distant blue dot exit the racecourse and turn onto the return road stopping by the timer's station to collect his official speed receipt. When he arrived at the start area he quickly hopped out of his car and with a broad smile announced his results...80 mph! A new world land speed record for a Volkswagen bug powered by a Harley-Davidson motorcycle engine. The fact that it is the only known Volkswagen bug powered by a Harley-Davidson engine is irrelevant, because, in the near future, there will be hundreds more around the world, and they will have the opportunity to unseat the champ. Bring it on!