Motorsports Racing News & Blog Articles
Land speed racers set records in Maine
Episode 373
September 5, 2021
Loring Timing Association Harvest Event 2021
According to race official Joe Daly, the number of entries for the fall race was in the 30’s. He felt the low number was due to lack of Canadian entries, COVID concerns, and a weather forecast that was not great. Though the number of entries may have been down, I enjoyed talking to almost every team and the stories were interesting.
My most impressive car was the 2021 Ford Mustang Shelby GT 500 belonging to Madawaska’s Kraig Dumais. This was his 13th Mustang and was according to him, was the most impressive. I have limited first-hand experience with these types of ultra-high-performance street cars so you may argue that other cars accelerate harder.
That car with cats removed and a mild tune grabbed my attention as he thundered away from the start line with his exhaust in the race mode. His starting line leave reminded me of Ron and Bob Keselowski when they were at LTA Summer Events. The pounding exhaust could be heard the full length of the track as he hammered down the 1.5-mile track.
Kraig Dumais, Madawaska, at LTA Harvest event 2021 with his 2021 Shelby GT 500. The car packs 760 horsepower and 625 ft.lbs. torque from its supercharged 5.2-liter V8. The engine is backed by a dual-clutch 7-speed Tremec auto/manual transmission. To reach maximum performance Dumais used ETS Racing Fuel and locally sourced race fuel. He estimated fuel costs alone was near $200. Cool temperatures and headwinds greeted racers on Saturday. (HTF Motorsports photo)
A video of Dumais courtesy Gary Saucier, Fort Fairfield https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgiJRnDXAwQ
At speed on the land speed track at the former Loring Air Force Base in Limestone, Kraig Dumais 2021 Shelby roared to a one-mile speed of 186.505 mph and 195.935 mph in the 1.5 mile. Note the size of the huge 16-inch Brembo brakes in the front of his car. The front calipers have six pistons clamping those massive discs. All this and a 3-year warranty to boot! (Stephen Cyr photo) Ferrari sighting
A Ferrari in northern Maine is very rare. Ferraris at LTA also rare. Bob Kumpan from Johnstown, New York brought his 2021 Ferrari F8 Tributo. The car was not only good looking, it was quick with a mile speed of 208. The twin turbo 238 cid V8 with a 7-speed transmission was ranked the number one supercar by Car & Driver Magazine. Bob drove his car to and from the northern Maine race. Kumpan said his next car will be a McLaren 720s. (HTF Motorsports photo)
Being able to glimpse at the engine compartment of a Ferrari is not a common everyday occurrence. The twin turbo V8 is nicely packaged into its mid-engine location. Ferrari rates this engine at 710 horsepower. It was interesting that Kumpan and Dumais each had their car delivered on July 23, 2021 after an extended waiting period. Kumpan waited 301 days for his Ferrari while Dumais had a six-month wait for the Shelby. (HTF Motorsports photo)
Rick Prosser Motorsports goal top speed for championship
Rick Prosser in a former Robert Yates Racing built NASCAR Daytona car skinned as a Chevy Monte Carlo. Prosser and crew plan to challenge Jason White for top speed honors (currently 269 mph) when they return in 2022. (Stephen Cyr photo)
Rick Prosser Motorsports crew making the switch from race gas to methanol as they methodically crept up the development latter on their way to challenging for top speed for cars. Supercharging will be next in 2022. Rick said, “I love this place. People go out of their way to be friendly to you. The track is world class. You bet we will be back in 22.” The team attained a top speed of 237 mph. Imagine this car, Jason White’s Corvette, the two Keselowski brothers, Ron and Bob, with their land speed cars battling it out during the Summer of 2022 event. That would draw a crowd. (HTF Motorsports photo)
Local race rookie
Several Aroostook County residents tried out their street vehicles on the land speed track including Woodland’s Eric Soucy. The parts salesman at Theriault Equipment, Presque Isle, owns one of the former shop trucks, a 2017 Ford F150 3.5 Eco-Boost twin turbo. Soucy’s truck is in the background right. LTA official Shari John congratulates Soucy at the end of his runs.(129.952 in mile and 133.829 mph in 1.5 miles) Interesting enough, that same truck the next day was transporting his family to the coast of Maine to go fishing. (HTF Motorsports photo)
Specialty Vehicle Engineering built local super truck
Josh Clayton, Ashland, pulls to the start line with his Specialty Vehicle Engineering (SVE) https://specialtyvehicleengineering.com/about-sve/ 2021 GMC Syclone. One of only 50 built by the New Jersey company, the truck is full-time all-wheel drive with a 5.3 V8 and Hamburger brand supercharger producing 750 hp. The truck started as a GMC Canyon. With a headwind the truck went 141 in the 1.5 mile. (HTF Motorsports)
Josh Clayton SVE Syclone airbox autographed by Ed Hamburger and his son David. Older race fans will remember Ed Hamburger who gained notoriety as one of the first Mopar Direct Connection distributors and builder of Hamburger oil pans early in his racing career. (HTF Motorsports photo)
From top speed to search for the century mark.
Davey Jacobs, Wernersville, Pennsylvania, checks spark plugs on his Model T speedster with a Model A engine under the watchful eye of land speed veteran Frank Walka, Reading, Pennsylvania. Jacobs’ goal was 100 mph for the meet. (HTF Motorsports photo)
The search for smooth aero shape sometimes requires non-conventional materials. As Brian Cholerton stated, “CAD…Cardboard Assisted Design” utilized in the quest for 100. Despite the fancy aero additions Jacobs came soooooo close with 99.44 mph in mile and 98.687 in mile and one-half. Jacobs said he will be back. (Marcia Buck Barker photo)
Though not at Loring event, I liked this Stan Carbaugh photo of Davey Jacobs in the #69 and Marcia Buck Barker in the Flying 7 going head-to-head at Latimore Valley Fairgrounds, York Springs, Pennsylvania. (Stan Carbaugh Photography)
Fastest overall street winner from Brewer, Maine
Mark Maybury, Brewer, Maine, brought his car hauler loaded with Factory Five Shelby Daytona Coupes to Loring with intent to go fast. In addition to the coupe he raced, he brought his father’s version of the car which remained on the upper deck of his trailer. His Daytona Coupe had several aero tricks to aid him in his quest for 220 mph.
While I was talking to him, they were discussing what more they might do to allow them to get down the track a tiny bit faster. One modification they did was raise the nose of the car slightly by adjusting the coil-over shocks since the tires were rubbing the underside of the front fenders. (See the accompanying photo)
The tire rub on bottom of the Maybury Daytona Coupe. Though not a serious tire rub, it was rectified by raising the chassis ride height. (HTF Motorsports photo)
Brewer’s Mark Maybury awaits LTA starter Janie Daly’s signal to begin his run. The push truck is a chopped and channeled 1948 Chevy Panel Truck that has its own story. Maybury got very close to his 220 mph goal with a 219.239 mph pass. This netted him fastest street legal vehicle for the event. (HTF Motorsports photo)
Fine tuning for blind racer continues
Jason White, Northwood, New Hampshire, the current record holder at LTA with his C6 Corvette (269.6 mph) is helping Dan Parker get his Corvette ready for a world record for a blind driver attempt in the next few months once the Covid situation gets settled. https://www.facebook.com/DanParkerQuestForTheSalt White and Kevin Peckham, Fitchburg, Massachusetts, volunteer their time for this effort. (HTF Motorsports photo)
Purging the nitrous prior to his run at LTA Fall event, Jason White shakes down the Corvette to be used by blind Dan Parker in a world record attempt. Though goal of 200 mph was not reached due to a frost plug exiting the engine at speed, White and Peckham were satisfied with the venture. Both will accompany Parker when the record attempt is made in New Mexico. (HTF Motorsports photo)
Jason White designed a magnet to be towed behind a 4-wheeler to gather track debris. Kevin Peckham gathered this debris from the LTA track. (HTF Motorsports photo)
Quest for 200 begins for this motorcycle racer
Cliff Daly, New York, said this about his bike, “The top speed for the bike at the event was 159mph with a stock engine in it. Now that I’m comfortable on the frame and worked out all the kinks in the bike, it’s time for the built motor and nitrous to make it go 200. It’s a Kawasaki ZX10r engine with a frame built around it by Joe Daly”. Joe is his uncle. Cliff has helped with the LTA events almost since its inception. (Stephan Cyr photo)
Volunteer gets it done on the track
Behind the scenes at the LTA event for many years is timing guru Frank John who has his own racer. He converted a SCCA Formula 500 to battery power. Any question about batteries and electrical motors being hot rods simply need to look at this photo of a recent burn out at Winterport Dragway where he races on a regular basis. John set the LTA record in A2/EL at 153.599 in the mile and 155.455 in the mile and one half. (Stacy Robey photo)
Shoot-out winnersSuper Street Class Wendell Washington, New York,1980ish Mustang
Supercar Class Damian Bonkowski, New Jersey, Dodge Hellcat
Street Car Shoutout Mark Marbury, Maine, Shelby Daytona Coupe
Top Speed of the Meet, Rick Prosser Ohio, NASCAR Monte Carlo SS
Tidbits
Austin Theriault mentored Landon Lewis, 15, in his second ARCA start Saturday evening with a win at DuQuoin State Fairgrounds, DuQuoin, Illinois. Lewis also took the General Tire Qualifying award in only his second ARCA start. Lewis led every lap! In 2017 Theriault also won his first dirt track race at this track four years ago when he was ARCA Champion. (Austin Theriault Racing Development photo)
Team RTM Racing driver Mike Coventry with team owner Don Rideout on right at the unveiling of Black Betty’s Child Chevy Blazer at Northern Maine Fair 2021. The Tough Truck entry finished third. (HTF Motorsports photo)
On display at Northern Maine Fair was this innovative display of his 2000 Jeep Wrangler Sport TJ by Tyler Raymond, Caribou. Several comments noted this would make a good car wax example. (Tyler Raymond Racing photo)
Let’s go racing,Tom Hale
Soli Deo Gloria (Matthew 5:16)
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