June 2015 - SCTA El Mirage dry lake bed
This weekend, Steve Huff Motorsports Race Team took the Destination Harley Davidson Buell XBRR to the SCTA Timing Association event at El Mirage dry lake bed to attempt another record in the dirt. The target was set on the 1350-APS-PF record, one that has stood at 194.117 mph for nearly twenty years. "We changed everything after Mojave and added the air shifter," said Huff pointing out, "when you spend 200 man hours working on the bike, there's 200 hours that mistakes can be made".
The first pass out of the trailer was at over 191 mph it was clear, no mistakes were made. The bike ran perfect and only improved from there. The team made a gear change to account for the higher than usual amount of tire spin. Unfortunately, Sunday's pass in the 117°F heat wasn't enough as Huff ran 193.646 mph.
"It was everything we brought, we just didn't bring enough" said Huff. "The air was bad, the dirt was bad, and the wind didn't do us any favors. I missed the record by .471 mph, and there is no second place. You get a record or you don't, period."
After looking at all of the data, Steve and the team, Mike "Mad Dash" Watson and John Kuglar, will know what to do when they return to get the record. "Our team worked great and worked hard, we had some help from some old friends, Cameron and James, and I never lifted. We have lots to be proud of, and we can't forget, this was our first attempt at this record and the first time we really ran the nitrous. Hell, anytime you can hold the (nitrous) button for 20 seconds at a time, run after run, and not hurt anything, you've done great."
The good news is that everything from the tuning to the handling worked perfect and the wobble is finally gone, the bike just didn't have quite enough traction. Later this summer at the scheduled Bonneville events, the team will add more weight. The 200mph mark is definitely within reach. "The success we had with the bike this weekend was all due to preparation. We have the balance correct, the tune is right on and the bike is just plain happy. It was a pleasure to ride now that the rear end wobbling is gone. I think we’re right there, ½mph isn't that hard to find, we'll just spray it a little harder if we have to. The tune is soft right now and there's a lot more in it, we got this!", said Huff.
Huge thanks to Destination Harley Davidson, the Des Moines Dog House, and Garage Asylum for getting us to the track and to NGK, PBI Sprockets, Performance Coatings, Worldwide Bearings, Vision Graphics, Joe's Racing Products, EVO Suspension, EVS, Kent Ritches, and the San Diego Roaster Club for keeping us on the track.
On a personal note from Steve:
“I want to thank my Doctors, Physical Therapists, Surgeons, and all of the medical professionals and their staffs that have helped in my recovery from last year’s accident. There's not enough room here to thank you all individually, but your support and help, along with over 20 hours of physical therapy related treatments per week, got me back to a point where I can race and do what I love. It wasn't just the spinal injections that got me to the track, it is a whole team of specialists dedicated to their jobs that are getting me back in racing condition. Thank you all."
-Steve Huff
