Page 42 - 100% Biker (January 2020)

SPECIAL FEATURE
TEAM WILDCARD
CONQUER BONNEVILLE
Here at Casa 100%, we love a Land Speed Record attempt. When
that involves the Bonneville Salt Flats, British riders and classic
Triumphs—well, it doesn’t get much better than that!
WORDS : BLUE AND TEAM WILDCARD PHOTOS: TEAM WILDCARD
Miki Sprosen at Bonneville.
e are delighted to tell you that, last autumn, Phil
Betty and Miki Sprosen achieved their aim of
breaking American Land Speed Records on the
legendary salt flats in Utah, which is a long way
W from their homes in Cornwall. Phil and Miki are
Team Wildcard and they’ve both been vintage and classic
clubman racers for over twenty years, racing with British
Historic Racing. But, four years ago, they decided to have
a crack at land speed racing, thanks to the opportunities
afforded by Straightliners at Pendine Sands and Elvington.
They turned out to be rather good at it, quickly snapping up
UK records and then setting their sights on the racing Mecca
that is Bonneville.
Also in their sights were two particular records. Phil was
aiming to beat the 350 push rod twin petrol class, while Miki
would take a crack at the 650 push rod twin petrol record. Both
would be riding Triumphs and there was a bit of national pride
and honour at stake because the standing 350 record was held
by a Moto Morini and the 650 record by a Kawasaki W650.
Miki says, “Bonneville is an iconic place, a mecca for racers
across the world. Anyone watching The World’s Fastest Indian
would want to give that a shot. After we started straightlining
and achieved our initial aims and records at both Pendine
Sands and Elvington, we knew it was now or never. We made
the decision to go a few years ago and in between we have
been saving the money while researching all of the details and
preparing our two Triumphs.”
Helping them in their ambition was Monty’s Classic
Motorcycles in the Tamar Valley. Phil would be riding a 1957 T21
42 | 100% Biker | issue 256 | www.100-biker.com
Miki playing brolly dolly for Phil.
350cc Triumph, while Miki would be on a 1971 Bonneville T120R.
Phil says; “As with all racing, you spend hundreds of hours in
the shed building and re-building the bikes, then testing them,
and there’s all the logistics to get you there and back to consider.
All this for a few minutes on the track. But those few minutes
are what inspire you to do it all again next time. We were both
ready, and hungry, for the Bonneville adventure—and prepared
to go out and get those records back for Triumph.”
Following months of research, both flew out to Salt Lake City
in Utah, eager to see the bikes which had been air freighted via
Seaborne Freight. There was a palpable relief in the air when
they found both bikes and all of the tools and gear ready and
waiting, safe and sound in an industrial unit on the edge of the
city. The team then journeyed across Western Utah to get their
first view of the hallowed Bonneville Salt Flats and meet the
volunteers who create this global racing phenomenon.
After the first two days of racing, the bikes were just off the
existing record times, so both guys worked on their bikes well
into the night, making changes to valve timing and compression.
Then, on day three, after a 5am alarm call, they went out onto
the salt in the cooler morning conditions. That morning, Phil
took two seconds off the existing record, recording over 98mph
on the little Triumph, a bike which had originally rolled off the
Meriden production line with the idea that its days would be
spent in gentle daily commutes to and from work.
Miki followed quickly behind, initially taking two seconds off
of the standing 650cc record of 101mph, and then returning each
day to continue to break his own record, taking the final speed
to over 106mph. You’re not allowed to modify bikes in the