COLORADOANS SET RECORDS AT BONNEVILLE

MORE PHOTOS IN THE GALLERIES

By Tim Anderson

The Bonneville Salt Flats claimed another “addict” last month. Better yet, that “addict” is Colorado Springs, Colorado, resident Jerry Pokorny, and he is now the proud holder of a land speed record.

“It’s addicting,” Pokorny enthused. “I can’t wait to go back…it’s just a great experience. Everything about it was incredible.”

Pokorny, with the help of his mechanic, Kevin “Hillbilly” Shipe of Ridge Runner Restorations and Repair in Denver set the record with a blistering verified speed of 45.608 mph in the 350 cc Production – Production Vintage (pre 1956 stock equipment) class on his vintage 1945 Triumph 3HW--a rigid tail and Springer front end 350 cc overhead valve single.

Pokorny wasn’t alone in his adventure on the Flats. Cascade, Colorado, resident Jack Bergman answered the call of the salt again this year after skipping the event in 2007. Bergman went to Utah to better his own record in two different classes. He succeeded.
Riding a 1970 triumph 250cc Trophy, Bergman came home with two records: 100.98 mph in the Modified Partial Streamlined-Pushrod Gas class, and 91.3 mph in the Modified Pushrod Gas class. Both marks were set on the same bike, but for the streamlined class, a faring was mounted on the Triumph.

“I first set records at Bonneville in 2004, and I keep going back,” Bergman explained. “It’s a sickness…it’s addicting. You always want to go back and go faster.”

Neither man had an easy time of it. Pokorny said his bike died right after leaving the start line on his first run.

“I went about 100 yards and the bike stopped,” he said. “I had a clogged petcock. We cleaned that out, got back in line and made our qualifying run.”

Bergman too, had a stopping problem.

“Right about at the one mile mark the bike sputtered and died,” Bergman explained. “A wire had rattled or worn loose and killed the motor. We went back, fixed it, and went back out to make the qualifying run.”

Both men qualified, and ran again the next day, setting the records.

“I just couldn’t get the rpm’s out of the motor,” Bergman said of his record runs. “I kept increasing the sprocket size before each attempt until I finally got the speed, but I think I can get more out of that motor. I might have to work on that.”

Bergman eventually made the record passes with a 46-tooth sprocket or the 100.98 mph mark, and a 48-tooth for the 91.3 mark. He broke his own record in both classes with the new marks.

Pokorny’s story was a little different. The class he was riding in was open…there was no established speed record. In 60 years, no one had seen fit to make the ride set the record.

On his first pass, Pokorny turned a 50.725 mph mark. The next day, conditions had changed—air density, wind, and salt (track) conditions all conspired to make things a little slower. Pokorny’s World War II era bike managed to pull 40.492 mph for the record re-run. The SCTA averages the times together for the two runs and the resulting record for the class is 45.608 mph.

The Triumph 3HW was one of some 50,000 OHV and Side Valve machines produced by Triumph for World War II use by dispatch riders and truck convoy escorts in Europe as well as other theatres of operation. It was never meant to be a rocket ship but was designed to be robust and enduring under battlefield conditions. Now, the 3HW can add land speed record holder to its resume at more than 60 years of age.

As important as the records are, both Pokorny and Bergman said the experience of being at Bonneville, and riding there, was even better.

“It’s one of the highlights of my life,” Pokorny said. “It was the total experience…being out on the flats at sunrise, waiting for the starter to give the go ahead, that big, flat, white expanse with only two black lines for reference…it’s awesome. You can do as much as can be demanded of yourself and your machine. Just being there is exhilarating in it’s own way.”

Bergman, too, said the experience of being at Bonneville in some ways surpassed the record rides.

“It can be humbling at times,” Bergman explained. “You have to be ready before 7am, and then you roll up to that start line and everything you’re worked for over the past year or more comes down to that moment. It can be pretty intense.”

Pokorny agreed.

“Everything comes down to you sitting at the start line,” he said. “I had major butterflies, but no fear. It’s the excitement of the whole thing—the introduction, the people watching, everyone wanting you to go faster and waiting to see if you will. I was jazzed o the max…and it all comes down to when you twist the throttle.”

Pokorny had an easy comparison to describe the overall experience.

“The movie, ‘The World’s Fastest Indian,’ was dead on,” he said. “Everything about being there is unlike anything else. It’s a week of people who all love the same thing, pursuing the same thing. Everyone is real friendly and willing to help each other out. That movie really captured the spirit of what goes on at Bonneville. It’s just a great experience. ”

Bergman echoed Pokorny’s sentiment.

“For me, it’s what racing there in the 60’s was like,” Bergman said, “or at least what I think it was like. Even though it’s a competition, it’s more of camaraderie. The competition is with the clock, and everyone wants to beat it. Everyone there goes out of their way to help each other out. Everyone there wants to go faster…whether it’s them or someone else. Going faster is what it’s all about.”

Both Bergman and Pokorny have plans to return to Bonneville Speed Week next year.
“I’m going back next year,” Pokorny said. There are two new classes I want to enter. We’ll se what happens. It’ll be fun”

Bergman has plans to run the same bike in yet another class in 2009.
“I’m going to go after the production record,” Bergman explained. “ The bike has to appear stock on the outside, so I’ll have to make some changes. The record is currently about 79 or 80 miles per hour. I think I have a chance at the record.”

But it’s not just about records; it’s about going faster.

“It’s kind of funny,” said Bergman. “You don’t get any money or anything, you just get a trophy. You just want to figure out how to go faster. It’s fun.”