Whilst the UK doesn't have a Bonneville salt flats, we do have a site of huge historical land speed record significance, Pendine Sands.
Since the early 1900's people have taken car and bikes to try and achieve the worlds fastest speeds in a stretch of sand that can on a good year be over 5 miles long. This weekend, Straightliners, a UK sports club organized a top speed event on the hallowed beach. i was one of 17 cheerful souls who paid their money and lined up to race along a stretch of sand that 2 hours earlier had been under 6 foot of water.
Historically, Donald Campbell and John Cobb have both set world land speed records on this beach, so it was a privilege to line up on the same sand as such champions of the land speed cause.
Not all had gone to plan and i was meant to be racing an East German MZ 250cc bike that i am preparing for our 12 hour record stint next year, but starting issues meant i had run out of time, so i pressed into action my absolutely stock and beautiful Benelli 250 2C twin from 1975.
I wont deny i didn't want to damage this bike, and i was quite scared of racing on sand for the first time, but at 1.30pm yesterday i lined up and was 6th away down the beach, and whilst it wasn't quick i was far from the slowest. 2 further runs and the bike decided its Italian electrics had had enough of the salty spray and called time on ignition, so i had a ride in the "Trailer of shame" back to the pits, BUT job done.
I have set 2 records for the top speed at the 1/2 mile and full mile in the Production Classic (Pre-1981) gas class, so am well happy to have run on Pendine sands, met some great people and set records in a Covid restricted year.
