Ernest Eldridge: fearless thrill-seeker from land speed record's golden age
The irrepressible Ernest Eldridge was an unstoppable force in matters of velocity, becoming the last man to set a land speed record on an open road in 1924
Guy Martin and Triumph Motorcycles are to team up for a new motorcycle world land speed record attempt on August 23-24, aiming to break the current record of 376.383mph on the Bonneville salt flats in Utah. Martin’s initial attempt was postponed following his Ulster Grand Prix crash in 2015.
Triumph has produced the methanol-fueled Infor Rocket Streamliner for the record run, a 25-foot-long streamlined ‘bike powered by two turbocharged Rocket III engines that combine for 1,000bhp.
The Infor Rocket is the latest in a line of Triumph streamliners – the British marque held the record for all but 33 days of a 15 year period between 1955 and 1970, being pushed to record-breaking lengths by rivals NSU. Devil’s Arrow, Texas Cee-gar, Dudek Streamliner and Gyrinaut X1 all set new benchmarks with Triumph power, though the current record is held by Rocky Ronison and his Suzuki Hyabusa-based Top Oil-Ack Attack streamliner.
TT podium-finisher Guy Martin said: “I can’t wait to take the Triumph Infor Rocket Streamliner onto the salt at Bonneville for the first time this summer. The Triumph engineers have built an amazing machine, giving us the very best chance to beat the two-wheeled land speed record.”
Martin himself has a penchant for breaking records. He holds the Guiness world record for the fastest speed on a gravity powered snow sled, the fastest speed in a soapbox, the highest speed on a Wall of Death, plus the British record for the fastest hovercraft and the British and Commonwealth record for motor-paced cycling.
To follow the progress of the world land speed record attempt, visit www.Triumph.co.uk
The irrepressible Ernest Eldridge was an unstoppable force in matters of velocity, becoming the last man to set a land speed record on an open road in 1924
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