Speed quest stifled
BONNEVILLE, UTAH — Rob Freyvogel's quest for a speed record was stifled, but not destroyed, Saturday when his vehicle ran into mechanical difficulties.
Freyvogel of Butler Township is competing at the Southern California Timing Association's 69th annual Speed Week at the Bonneville Salt Flats.
He is driving a car called the “Carbiliner,” which is 28 feet long, 3,000 pounds and has a 2,600 horsepower engine.
Freyvogel hit the track Saturday to race. The vehicle reached 361 mph, but due to poor conditions the Carbiliner's suspension dropped, which caused the car to bottom out and sustain heavy body damage.
Freyvogel and his team spent 1½ days repairing the vehicle, and were set to race Monday. However, high winds and an overcast sky kept anyone from racing.
“The week is still young,” Freyvogel said. “We only got to have two good runs back-to-back, and hopefully tomorrow will be the first of those two.”
Freyvogel is racing in the Double AA/Blown Fuel Streamliner class, which has a record of 417 mph.
He would like to break that record, and to do so would need to reach record-setting speeds in back-to-back races. Freyvogel said he and his team were not deterred by the Carbiliner's mechanical issues.
“It's stuff we expect,” he said.
There are about 450 entrants at Speed Week, which will run through Friday.
