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| Contributed photo/Tom Hale Caribou’s Jesse Michaud, at the 2013 Maine Event in July, attempted to become the fastest dirt bike on the planet, but the engine failed. Michaud will be at this weekend’s Harvest Event on his GSXR 1000 motorcycle, attempting to reach the 170 mph mark. Approximately 50 racers have signed up for the third annual event, which is being held at the former Loring Air Force Base in Limestone. |
By Tom Hale
Special to the Aroostook Republican and News
LIMESTONE — Racers from Maine, Canada and throughout the Northeast will converge on the Loring Commerce Center this weekend for Loring Timing Association’s third annual Harvest Event.
“We have got good early signups for the Harvest Event,” said motorcycle tech inspector Joe Daly. “We are approaching 50 racers, which we typically have for the fall event. Everything is ready to go.”
The tragic death of Bill Warner at the summer event in July seems to have left some considering what the event means to them.
Dave Sleeper of Bangor, who set his personal best speed of over 200 miles per hour in 2012 at the age of 75, is ending his land speed racing career. During the summer’s main event, Sleeper blew the engine in his motorcycle. Fortunately it blew up at low speed and did not result in a tragic crash.
“I plan to take up drag racing,” said Sleeper. “In order to get my drag racing license I had to run a time of less than 10 seconds. I turned a 9.40 second run at 153 miles per hour in the quarter mile at Epping, New Hampshire and earned my National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) motorcycle drag racing license.”
Jesse Michaud of Caribou, a motorcycle racer had a different view. He is quoted on the Land Speed Racing forum, “Who’s ready to go racing? I am, I actually have never been this anxious to get back down the track … not sure why. I won’t be setting any records in September but something is really pushing me. After July, I didn’t know when I would race again, now it seems as though I am in deeper than ever. Maybe it is redemption for Bill (Warner) … maybe.”
Frank John of Brooklin, who is the electric vehicle technical inspector will not have his electric motorcycle ready for the event since he is awaiting a critical component that will not arrive until too late. Instead, he will continue as a volunteer and race his 1974 Kawasaki H2 motorcycle.
“I am a volunteer along with my wife Shari,” John said. “We enjoy the atmosphere and the people at the fall event. It is not ultra-competitive.”
John went 125 miles per hour on his motorcycle and hopes to exceed that speed at the Harvest Event. In addition to tech inspecting and racing, he serves as the race controller, radioing the starter from the one-mile mark to tell him when the track is clear and ready to race.
The fastest man in The County, Jason Theriault of Caribou, will bring his 1995 turbocharged Nissan to the event.
“My goal is to run 200 in the mile and 225 in the mile and a half. I have turned up the boost and turned up the timing,” Theriault said.
Caribou native Carl Theriault now living in Northboro, Mass. blew the engine in his JRT Customs-built Ford Mustang and is unable to get the engine rebuilt in time for the weekend. However, he will race his Harley Davidson motorcycle in the Harvest Event.
Adrian Tauer from Caribou has registered his 2007 turbocharged Toyota Yaris. Tauer went 143 miles per hour in last year’s event.
Racing will take place on Saturday, Aug. 31 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 1 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Spectators are welcome both days. A weekend pass is $15 and a daily pass is $10.
For more information, contact the Loring Timing Association through its website www.lta-lsr.com.
