What does a 370mph crash look like?
American George Poteet had the ride of his life at Bonneville recently – but for all the wrong reasons. But he came out unscathedYesterday we brought your news of a new electric motorcycle land speed record set on the salt flats of Bonneville recently, but that new benchmark was overshadowed by a 370mph rollover from one of the streamliner cars.
The 2300-plus horsepower ‘Speed Demon’ driven by long-time Bonneville racer George Poteet tipped at 592km/h, and the driver – and most of the car for that matter – came out the other side in remarkable condition.
Most importantly, Poteet was unhurt, and the other salvageables included the engine, drive train, fuel system, wheel, tyres and a host of auxiliary components. The body is knackered, but Speed Demon will most likely get rebuilt and placed in Poteet’s museum.
The Mike Cook Bonneville Shootout where Poteet crashed had been hit by rain during the lead up, but apparently the salt was not soft – and even the best track is ‘edgy’ when you're smacking it with 2300hp. And the black lines that Poteet left when he was taking off indicate the surface was fairly dry!
Poteet was building up to a mark of around 458mph when he crashed at 370mph, with crew and professional emergency vehicles on the crash scene in less than 15 seconds.
Check out the two videos below.
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