Guy Martin breaks 'wall of death' record
Could there be a more fitting daredevil to set the new wooden bowl benchmark, which now stands at 78.15mphGarrulous Isle of Man-winning motorcycle racer Guy Martin has set a new world speed record for riding a modified Indian Scout around a Wall of Death, hitting a top speed of 78.15mph (125.77km/h) as he crept up onto a completely vertical surface.
The thrill seeker and author had to hit 60mph and descend to a safe stop around the wooden bowl to break the record, but he accelerated to just under 80mph. And he remained conscious the whole time, despite the significant g-forces.
"They don't call it the Wall of Death for nothing," Guy Martin told the U.K.'s Mirror. "The biggest risk is crashing off the top. That's when it gets really messy. I'd end up in the rafters. There's no way that ends well."
At 78mph Martin was pulling over 6g's, which is more than astronauts endure on lift-off. To prepare for the Wall of Death ride, Martin flew in a stunt plane.
The 37-metre diameter Wall of Death is located in an abandoned aircraft carrier in Lincolnshire, England. Fifty shipping containers were stood on end and locked into position to provide a frame for the wooden boards that make up the riding surface.
"It is pretty scary because Guy keeps talking about going 100 miles an hour, which is faster than the track has been built for," Hugh Hunt, the mechanical engineer who designed the cylindrical track, told The Guardian. "That would be crazy. But then he is fairly crazy."
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