The Carpenter
Racing-equipped “Guppy” land speed Hayabusa owned by Larry
Forstall recently recorded the fastest run ever for a
normally-aspirated motorcycle under 2000cc. Rider Mark
DeLuca rode the Guppy to the Southern California Timing
Association (SCTA) record of 252.066 mph at the Bonneville
Salt Flats in September 2010.
“This was as significant as
Billy Vose running the first six second run on a Hayabusa-powered
dragbike,” said Forstall, referencing the Carpenter
Racing-equipped Pro Mod of Rob Bush that ran 6.95 seconds at
the AMA/Prostar World Finals in 2005 with Vose at the
controls.
“In our class nobody had
even run 230 mph," continued Forstall. "We were the first
over 230, the first over 240 and the first over 250.”
The bike competes in the APS-G/2000 class (Altered chassis
Partial Streamliner – Gas 2000cc maximum). It has a 1697 cc
(85mm x 73mm) motor built by Steve Knecum. The chassis has a
5º rake on the front end and solid rear suspension. The
streamlined fiberglass body was fabricated by Tom deAngeli.
At the heart of the motor is a performance Carpenter Racing
port and cam package utilizing stock throttle bodies. This
is the same cylinder head package Carpenter makes available
for street Hayabusas.
“I have been a client of Carpenter Racing for years,” said
Forstall. “We need the cutting edge of performance and for
me there is no other choice. Nobody does it better than Bob.
He gets the most out of these motors.”
The 252 mph record was set following a 254.597 mph recorded
average speed run over the one-mile speed trap. A GPS unit
on the bike indicated a peak speed of over 256 mph. This at
Bonneville, with a 4200-foot elevation.
Knecum and DeLuca after the 254 mph
run. Photos by Laura Willis.
The Forstall/DeLuca/Knecum
team also competes at asphalt land speed events on Carpenter
Racing-equipped Hayabusa.
At the Loring Timing Association (LTA) events, contested at
Loring Air Force Base in Maine, DeLuca holds the
MPS/G-1650/4 record at 237.742 mph, set in 2009. With Knecum
riding, the team also holds the A/BF-1350/4 record at
248.467 mph on a turbo Busa and the MPS/F-3000/4 record at
235.189 mph on nitrous.
The pair also holds a total of 20 records in the East Coast
Timing Association (ECTA) run at Maxton, North Carolina.
The Pavement Land Speed Busas at Loring. Left to right:
Normally Aspirated, Nitrous and Turbo.
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