Sunshine helps riders and drivers to top speeds at Straighliners event
Petrol heads from near and far put their cars and motorbikes to the test at Kintyre’s latest Straightliners top speed event.
Local and visiting drivers and riders timed their vehicles over standing start quarter-mile and mile distances on the runway at MACC Business park – one of Europe’s longest – last Saturday and Sunday.
The now annual ‘run what you brung’ top speed event is organised by Straightliners and the UK & International Timing Adjudication, which runs more than 40 events a year, from sprints and drag racing events to top speed days and British and international record attempts.
On Saturday, the fastest quarter-mile time and the only time under 10 seconds was recorded by Scott Glen, taking his Kawasaki Ninja H2 to a best 9.99 seconds at 158mph.
Seumus Kelly – on his Honda Fireblade he won in a competition – was second quickest with 10.40 seconds at 146mph and third fastest was Martin Belan on his Yamaha R1 with 10.45 seconds at 140mph.
In the car class, Barry Sutherland took the top spot in his Ultima GTR, the only car to get under 12 seconds, with an 11.93 seconds at 131mph best.
Ross Campbell was second quickest with his BMW 335D on 12.21 seconds at 113mph, with Robert Gauld just 6/100ths behind on 12.27 seconds at 110mph.
Over the mile distance, Peter Slater recorded the fastest bike time of 234.311mph on his Turbo Hayabusa which, incidentally, he uses as his road bike.
Steve Bland, also on a Turbo Hayabusa, posted 230.606mph, with Scott Glen on his Kawasaki Ninja H2 clocking in at 212.968mph.
Fastest in a car was Barry Sutherland in his Ultima which managed 184.1mph, with Euan McLean third in his Audi RS3 at 157.509mph.
On Sunday, sunshine and a tail wind helped riders and drivers to achieve some top speeds and personal bests.
Over the quarter-mile, John McTaggart’s BMW M3 was the quickest car, with an 11.37 second run at 127mph.
Alison Mather, all the way from Islay, put in some blistering starts in her Audi S4 and took second with 11.62 seconds at 119mph, and Barry Sutherland, in his Ultima, was third on 11.78 seconds at 132mph.
On the bikes, Peter Slater took top spot on his Turbo Hayabusa, with 9.69 seconds at 168mph.
Saturday’s top quarter-miler, Scott Glen, had to settle for second place on Sunday, just 4/100ths behind Peter with a 9.73 second run at 160mph. David Cleminson grabbed third place with 10.19 seconds at 159mph.
Over the mile, Barry Sutherland upped his speed in his Ultima to 186.314mph. Second quickest was John McTaggart in his BMW M3 with 177.331mph, and Alison Mather, in her Audi S4, was third at 168.313mph. She was awarded a trophy for fastest lady, much to her surprise.
On the bikes, Peter Slater put down a new personal best on his Turbo Hayabusa, tantalisingly close to 250mph with a 249.054mph run over the mile. His 250mph run will have to wait another day as he had machine problems on his last run.
Another delighted rider, Scott Glen, also posted a new personal best with 219.817mph on his H2 Kawasaki, and David Cleminson’s 215.475mph on his Turbo Hayabusa landed him third spot.
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