In 1933, Dayton Daily News newspaper photographer Myron Scott of Dayton, Ohio had covered a race of boy-built cars in his home community and was so taken with the idea that he acquired rights to the event; the national-scale Soap Box Derby grew out of this idea. In 1934, Scott had managed to persuade fifty cities across the United States to hold soap box car races and send a champion each to Dayton for a major race, later held in Akron. Today's soapbox racing is still about first to the stripe, however, soapbox cars in recent years have hit speeds in the 50's. Thus, the gravity land speed racers were born. Todays soapbox derby cars have come light years in design and improvements and even have spawned an extreme class.
the Roger Hickey GF1 Cars
In September, 1990, Roger Hickey started tinkering with the idea of new type of race car. Borrowing from go-cart technology and bobsled design, the 33-year-old Hickey created Gravity Formula One, a motor less race car with the looks of a Grand Prix racer but without the deafening engine roar. Gravity Formula 1 was born and Hickey promoted a small racing series. Hickey was series champion numerous years. The GF1 racing series would end in 2006. Now, the cars now are highly sought after as collectibles by the gravity world. Very few are known to remain in existence. Although not designed as a flat out speed machine, in 2014 the machine proved it might be just that. Southern Californian speed merchant, Donnie Schoettler (USA) had purchased a Hickey GF1 car in early 2014, After updating the steering and chassis and some testing, that summer, Fast Donnie Schoettler took his Atom Splitter out and put up a mind boggling 88 mph reading on his onboard GPS that day in the Sierra's! Schoettler had just become a major player in the gravity speed game along with becoming the world's fastest (unofficial) gravity car. Schoettler's pass also proved that Hickey knew exactly how to build a wicked fast gravity machine. A side note , Roger Hickey was unofficially clocked at 91.547 mph in a GF1 car. In 2016, Fast Donnie Schoettler would drive his GF1 gravity car over 100 mph at the L'Ultime Descente in Canada becoming officially the fastest gravity car in the world at that time.
the Xtreme Gravity Racing Series
In 2000, the Xtreme Gravity Racing Series was started in Southern California. By 2006, the series had corporate involvement along with the automotive industry and design sponsorship. Major automotive companies spent thousands on research and development. Cars like Nissan, Volvo, and many others were absolutely phenomenal in design and execution. Still, the runs were only timed. However radar guns showed one car had a brush with 60 mph. To the dismay of the gravity scene, the cars were never really taken out to a big bad hill where they could stretch their legs and show their true performance. Sadly, the cars were auctioned off at Barrett/Jackson never to be see in public again. One of the cars, the 2005 Bentley Zen-Green, sold for $68,200. Below are just a few examples that competed in the XGR Series.
the Gravity Car Land Speed Racing Scene
In the UK, gravity racer derbies had recently become more popular, brought to the masses by large events such as the Red Bull races and a race that was held between 2000 and 2004 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Now, many small hilly communities organized their own races, such as the Catterline Cartie Challenge in Scotland and the Belchford Downhill Challenge in Lincolnshire, and there are now several dozen known races across the UK. Gravity car road racing has been going on throughout the world for quite some time. 50 and 60 mph speeds were considered fast during the turn of the century. For the most part, events are about elapsed time or duels to see who is first to cross the stripe at the bottom. There had never really been any emphasis on strictly MPH recordings. Nobody had really made it a point to up the speed until 2011. Stephen Thomas of the UK, while piloting his beautiful C12 missile, had touched 70 mph at the 2011 Caingorm gravity road race that was quite impressive. Throughout the rest a the world, gravity road race groups were running race series throughout the year. Steve Weem's S.U.C.K.E.R. group would run the fastest road racing series in the world, with speeds in the 70's commonplace and several courses producing big numbers in the 80's. It wasn't until 2014 that things heated up and turned serious for gravity car land speed racing.
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the Land Speed Gravity Car Pilots
Steve Weems (USA)
In the summer of 2011, an American gravity car road racer/ race promoter of Southern California's S.U.C.K.E.R. group, named Steve Weems, became the first to really push the speed envelope, becoming one of the first true gravity car speed merchants. Weems put the gravity car world on notice serving up a blistering 74.2 mph GPS speed run in the California Sierra's becoming a WGSA GPS-70 member. Weems went on to go even faster, pushing that speed up even further into the high 70's later that year. He would later go on to eventually make it into the 80's. Weems unknowingly, with his 74 mph pass, had just made the first run of the great gravity car land speed race of the 21st century. The gravity car speed race was now on! Steve Weems had solidified himself as one of the gravity car racing greats.
Doug Anderson (USA)
In 2011, another American came along, Doug Anderson (USA) of Bodrodz Xtreme Gravity Racing from Fayetteville, GA. Anderson, who had been involved with street luge building and racing since 1998, took notice and was very impressed with Steve Weems speed accomplishment and what was happening in California. Anderson intriqued with the gravity car scene, set out to go faster and started building the Atomic Splinter that winter. Anderson would pilot his car, the Atomic Splinter, thru the 80 mph barrier with an 84.4 mph GPS speed! In 2016, Anderson and the Atomic Splinter were invited to the L'Ultime Descente Speed Challenge in Quebec Canada. At the speed challenge, Anderson was able to ring 92.55 miles an hour out of the Splinter for it's ultimate top speed. Anderson then watched his new teammate, Fast Donnie Schoettler drive thru the 100 mph barrier at the event which left him with only one option, build a new and faster car. The summer of 2017 Anderson and teammate Jason Camp would build the Bodrodz Scalpel top gravity streamliner. At the 2017 U'Ultime Descente, Anderson wowed the gravity land speed racing community posting a speed of 164.13 km/h 101.98 mph from a standing start!, winning top speed of the event and setting a WGSA top gravity streamliner record. This was also the highest speed ever officially recorded for a wheeled gravity vehicle at the time. This pass also gained him membership into the elite WGSA Century Club being the seventh person in history to pilot a wheeled gravity vehicle over 100 mph! Anderson had now confirmed a top spot in gravity car land speed racing world.
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"Fast Donnie" Schoettler (USA)
Southern California native, Fast Donnie Schoettler would jump into the land speed gravity car limelight in 2016 becoming the first gravity car thru the 100 mph barrier. Schoettler's gravity car career started in 2008 in the Los Angeles area in the outlaw soapbox scene, Fast D was involved with iconic soapbox groups like V.U.L.G.R. , S.C.I.S.R., and the world famous S.F.V.I.S.B.F. Schoettler would join Steve Weems S.U.C.K.E.R. group in 2012 and race a high speed outlaw road racing series in the high Sierras with speeds well into the high 80's. Fast Donnie would have numerous wins and take the gold at both the East and West Coast Challenges in 2015. He and Anderson now good friends, Fast Donnie would join Bodrodz Xtreme Gravity Racing in 2016 and set his sights on a gravity car speed record. He did just so, catapulting the team into gravity land speed racing history. Operating under Guinness Gravity Racer rules, which allow outside assistance at the start, with a push start from teammates Andy Ash and Jono Searby, Schoettler would crush Guy Martin's record posting a speed of an incredible 162.60 km/h 101.03 mph at the 2016 L'Ultime Descente Speed Challenge and would become the second member to be inducted into the WGSA Century Club. That weekend he would also set a WGSA gravity car record of 160.00 km/h 96.72 mph. In 2017, at the event, Fast Donnie would up his WGSA record to 160.41 km/h 99.41 mph. Fast Donnie Schoettler had established himself as one of the true gravity car speed legends!
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Guy Martin (GBR)
Guy Martin, no stranger to speed, who has 17 podium finishes in the Isle of Man TT race and numerous speed world records, would jump into the gravity car land speed racing world with a Guinness world record attempt in late 2014. Martin had taken notice of Doug Anderson's GPS speed of 135.8 km/h 84.4 mph and would attempt to beat it and set a Guinness world record in doing so. Dr. Heather Driscoll and Sheffield Hallam University would design and build Guy Martin's gravity car for the Guinness attempt in an incredible four months. Guinness Gravity Racer rules allow a human assisted push at the start and Martin would have two women trained by a bobsled team aid with a push at the start of his record attempt. On November 16, 2014 Guy would make the attempt at Mont Ventoux, in Southern France, a regular feature on the Tour de France. On that day, Martin would set the Guinness Soapbox Racer world record of 137.8 km/h 85.6 mph and would officially beat Anderson's GPS speed. 10 kg short of the allowable 200 kg weight limit, the team decides to add weight in an attempt to go faster only cause a handling problem and a subsequent crash causing major damage to the car, however Martin was able to walk away uninjured. Another record for Guy Martin and a spot in gravity car land speed racing history.
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Andy Ash (GBR)
Andy Ash made gravity car land speed racing headlines at the 2017 L'Ultime Descente Speed Challenge. Ash already one of Europe's top gravity car designer/builder/drivers, had been involved with gravity racing since since 2001. Andy started competing in the Red Bull UK races, then stepped up to the more serious gravity road racing arena, winning his first race, Belchford Lincolnshire. Ash from there would go on to win numerous races such as Castle Forbes, Border Bogies, Windmill Hill, the list goes on and on. If not winning, he always was making a podium appearance. Andy would also drive the iconic Lola gravity car at the Goodwood Festival of Speed and now owns the iconic car. Ash, Anderson, and Schoettler would become great friends after road racing each other at the East Coast Challenge in 2015. Ash would become a Bodrodz team member in 2016 and was instrumental in helping Fast Donnie thru the 100 mph barrier. A driving slot opened in 2017 for a new Bodrodz build and Andy jumped at the opportunity. The car, an Anderson/Camp build, was to be a full bodied nine foot streamliner, however, time ran out. A small nose and tail sectioned were fabbed and the car would run as a Limited 200 open wheel open cockpit class with aerodynamics that really couldn't get much dirtier. With Ash piloting the totally untested car, he would wheel it into the history books setting a new WGSA world record of 147.94 km/h 91.96 mph. Ash was now the fastest gravity car pilot in Europe and would beat his countryman, Guy Martin's Guinness world record. Andy Ash now had a solid position as one of the gravity land speed racing superstars.
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Iain Rooney (SCO)
Iain Rooney joined the ranks of the gravity car land speed racing arena in 2017. Iain was a well known driver in Europe for his high speed road racing competition in such races like the historic Cairngorm Extreme Championship. Rooney along with Team Rooket team member Paul Janson would ship their equipment across the pond from Scotland to compete in the 2017 L'Ultime Descente Speed Challenge in Quebec Canada. Iain would be piloting a gravity car of his own design and build, running in the WGSA 200 Limited OWC (open wheel canopy) class. On Rooney's first pass on the big Canadian road, disaster would strike and a there was a loss of control in the bottom end lights. The ensuing crash would cause moderate damage to the car however, Iain was lucky and would walk away. The rough road surface and minimal tire contact area may have been the culprit for the high speed upset. He and teammate Paul Janson would now thrash until dark to get the car back into shape for another WGSA world record attempt the following day. Rooney, undaunted, would jump back in the cockpit and go on to set a WGSA world record on Sept 16, 2017. Iain would stop the clocks with 113.20 km/h 70.33 mph pass. Iain Rooney without a doubt, had earned a place in the gravity car land speed racing history books.
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Scott Holsenback (USA)
Scott Holsenback, one of the original four of Bodrodz Xtreme Gravity Racing in 1998, was always comfortable going fast. With numerous wins and podium finishes as a pro street luger including a poduim finsh at the X-Games, he was a natural shoe-in as a gravity car pilot. Scott would drive the Bodrodz Bullet at the 2016 L'Ultime Descente. The Bullet had always seemed to be a bit unruly and somewhat of a handful to drive. Anderson decided to reshape the tail section and add a canopy for the 200 Limited CWC WGSA record attempt in 2016. After the first lap on the hill Scott stated we might have a big problem. Scott confirmed it on the next pass. "It's like driving on ice". The team would go thru the car that night and snug few things up. The next day, Scott stayed with it and thought if it was just happening at a certain speed range he could possibly drive thru it. Scott barely avoided disaster. The aero mods had turned the car into a high lift wing section, the car was now trying to literally takeoff and fly. On that pass, halfway down the high speed section, the car made a hard move to the left and was not responding to any steering input what so ever. The chute deployment returned control back to Holsenback and the car was brought to a safe stop. Scott would tip toe the ill handling Bullet on the next pass to a WGSA world record posting a speed of 115.71 km/h 71.89 mph. The Bullet has since been scrapped. Holsenback had wrestled his way to a WGSA world record and proved he was a true gravity land speed merchant.
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the 2014 Ultimate GPS Gravity Car Land Speed Challenge
Bodrodz Xtreme Gravity Racing hosted the 2014 Ultimate Speed Challenge that was an ongoing speed event that finished up on July 31, 2014. What had started out as friendly bet, morphed into an event that was to acknowledge GPS gravity car speeds for the year with proper documentation from anywhere in the world. The outcome of the event surprised everyone. The event was won by Doug Anderson (USA) with only an 84 mph pass, 2nd when to Ed Bryant (USA) 82.5 mph followed by Donnie Schoettler (USA) 81 mph, another S.U.C.K.E.R. driver. The event had come down to the wire and the top three entrants were all plagued with some type of problem or another in the end . Anderson conceding that the Splinter would most likely be at the bottom of the top three. The car compared to the other contenders, was aerodynamically inferior. Anderson could no longer wait for his thin air day, decided to make his run. Flat out, 84 was all he could squeeze out of the Splinter in the moderately thick air and knew that it probably wouldn't be enough to hang onto top mph. Bryant, who was piloting the twitchy, ill handling Bodrodz Bullet, had been fighting steering issues all day, decided to take a shot at the Challenge and tip-toed the Bullet down the hill at a cautious 82.5 mph at sundown. The Vegas odds were on Schoettler to win. Schoettler who had made two 88 mph runs in the last month of the Challenge, only to be disappointed, having to settle for an earlier 81 mph pass because of documentation errors which disqualified the taller runs. The first 88 mph run, Schoettler was in his older car, a documentation error denied the run. Then driving his new GF1 car, the Atom Splitter, it to also ran a stout 88 mph pass out of the box in the last week of the Challenge, only to have a video failure, again robbing him of first place. Thou finishing third, Schoettler had made it known, he was VERY FAST and a true contender for a world record. Not to leave out any other entries, Isaac Newton of North Whales, UK turned in a very impressive 63.5 mph on only a 7% grade! Surprisingly, there where no other drivers to step up to the plate and make any speed postings from around the world, And so ended the 2014 Bodrodz Ultimate Speed Challenge.
the First Gravity Car World Record?
Ultimately, in late 2014, the first certified gravity racer world record was set by Guy Martin of the UK. Martin recorded a certified speed by Guinness World Records of 85.6 mph. That same day, Martin tried to up the speed by adding weight, only to loose control of the car in the shutdown process. The ensuing crash caused major damage to the car. Martin was able to walk away and was unhurt in the accident. The speed was quite an accomplishment since the car was built in only 4 months time. However, there still is some controversy about the run being a pure gravity speed record because of Martin's starting roll off , which was aided by the push of two women with bobsled team training. Granted, there were no gravity car rules in place and the Martin team basically set the rules for future Guinness gravity car record attempts. The WGSA does not recognize Martin's speed as a WGSA world record because of the human assisted start voiding the run as a pure gravity land speed record.
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2016 New Records Set And "Fast Donnie" Schoettler Drives The First Gravity Car Over 100 MPH!
On Sept 9 - 11 2016, the gravity car land speed world changed dramatically. New records were set and a gravity car went thru the 100 mph barrier. On a road in Quebec, Canada, the 2016 L'Ultime Descente Ultimate Speed Challenge took place. By invitation, Bodrodz Xtreme Gravity Racing was in attendance with three cars. Doug Anderson, Donnie Schoettler, and Scott Holsenback would pilot the cars at the event.
Holsenback driving the Bodrodz Bullet, had encountered a handling issue that would only get worse as the speed increased. The car had been untested before the speed challenge after major aero work had been done and was headed for disaster. The new aero work had induced a handling issue. Holsenback commented " this thing is just like driving on ice at speed. We've got a real problem". Because of the new body design and profile, the Bullet was now trying to literally takeoff and fly. Frustrated, Scott managed to cautiously pilot the car to a WGSA 200 Limited CWC (closed wheel canopy) class record of 115.71 km/h 71.89 mph before the team threw in the towel on the Bullet The car would be before sidelined for the rest of the event.
Anderson would wheel the Bodrodz Atomic Splinter to 148.94 km/h 92.55 mph at the event. This would be Anderson's career best and the fastest the Splinter had gone. Anderson was happy with the car performance and conceded that's all it had in it because of it's dimensions and aero package. The Bodrodz Atomic Splinter has since been retired. Doug Anderson driving the Atomic Splinter. The car would run 92.55 mph at it's best in 2016.
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Holsenback stopping the ill handling Bodrodz Bullet 2016
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Bodrodz Fast Donnie Schoettler driving his GF1 car would upset the gravity car land speed world running over 97 mph right out of the box eclipsing Guy Martin's Guinness world record. Schoettler, driving under the Guinness Gravity Racer rules, which allows a human assisted push at the start, would chase the 100 MPH barrier. Friday's speed session ended with the car just two miles per hour short of the Century Club and wondering if it was going to be possible. A higher baro predicted for the next day was not going to help. Bodrodz team members of the UK, Steve Thomas, along with Andy Ash and Jono Searby, worked their aero magic on Saturday and history would be made. Fast Donnie's first run would produce 160.38 km/h 99.65 mph with rear aero work. Steve and teammates would go to work on the cockpit area and the rest is history. With a push at the start from teammates Andy Ash and Jono Searby, Schoettler would pilot his GF1 gravity car thru the beams clocking 162.60 km/h 101.03, while running under the Guinness Gravity Racer rules and would become the second member of the elite WGSA Century Club.
Now Schoettler, the newest member of the elite WGSA Century Club, he would now concentrate on setting the WGSA 200 Limited CW (closed wheel) class record on Sunday. The Sunday's weather proved to be far less than favorable for a WGSA record attempt. A cold front with wind and rain blasted thru that night leaving behind wicked crosswinds down the course. Fast Donnie managed to set a WGSA class record of 155.67 km/h 96.72 mph while being blown all over the road on the way down. Schoettler now has his future sights set on a 100 mph WGSA record at the next gravity land speed challenge.
Bodrodz "Fast Donnie" Schoettler WGSA World Record Holder 2016 155.67 km/h 96.72 mph
First to 100 mph 162.60 km/h 101.03 mph (Guinness Soapbox Racer Rules)
First to 100 mph 162.60 km/h 101.03 mph (Guinness Soapbox Racer Rules)
2017 Gravity Cars Set All New Class Records And Anderson Pilots The Bodrodz Scalpel To Become Fastest Gravity Car In The World
2017 would prove to be fastest in history for the gravity car land speed scene. In 2017 the WGSA Century Club would also induct a new member into the group, who piloted his gravity car thru the 100 mph barrier. All these new records and milestones would take place at the 2017 L'Ultime Descente Speed Challenge held in Quebec, Canada, on Sept. 15 - 17. This hill has proven itself to be the fastest gravity course on all of planet earth and has become the icon event of gravity land speed racing. On Saturday, Sept. 16 would be a gravity racers dream day with excellent speed racing weather. In fact, all the gravity records were set on the 16th.
Bodrodz Xtreme Gravity Racing would arrive at the event with three new untested cars along with Iain Rooney of Team Rooket of Scotland who shipped his car over just for the event. The four gravity cars would set four new WGSA class world records at the big Canadian hill.
Iain Rooney (SCO) of Team Rooket, would have his hands full on his very first pass at the event with a high speed upset. Rooney would get out of shape in the lights and would crash into the bales, resulting in only minor damage to the car and Iain walked away unscathed. He and teammate Paul Janson, would thrash the rest of the day and into the night to get the car ready for the next days speed sessions. On Sept. 16, Iain would be back in the cockpit and would wheel his car to a new WGSA 200 Limited OWC world record 113.20 km/h 70.30 mph!
Bodrodz Andy Ash (GBR) would jump into a new Anderson/Camp built gravity car that he had never seen, let alone the car had never rolled down a hill. The car was slated for a full body but Anderson and Camp ran out of time before the event. The two would fab up a nose and tail section for some aero dirty at best and the car would run in the WGSA open wheel class. Ash would cautiously let the speed ramp up with every lap until letting the Bodrodz Atomic Sliver run flat out from the top, setting a new WGSA gravity car world record, late Saturday afternoon. Ash would pilot it to a WGSA 200 Limited OW world record of 147.94 km/h 91.92 mph! With this speed performance, Ash would return home to the UK as the fastest gravity car pilot in European history, crushing Guy Martin's Guinness record of 137.75 km/h 85.6 mph.
Bodrodz Fastdonnie Schoettler (USA) would show up on the hill with a brand new highly modified GF1 car that was finished up on the event's first day speed sessions. Fastdonnie would make a couple a shake down passes that day after lunch. He would go after the WGSA 100 mph barrier on the next day. That Saturday Schoettler would reset his WGSA 200 Limited CW record to 160.00 km/h 99.41 mph. Sunday, the last day of the event, was full of crosswinds and a high barometer dashing any efforts to go into the triple digits.
Bodrodz Doug Anderson (USA) would arrive at the event with his new untested top gravity streamliner that he and Bodrodz teammate, Jason Camp built thru the summer of 2017. Anderson searched for a deceit line down the hill after almost loosing the steamliner in the speed trap on his second pass Friday. Anderson, on Saturday afternoon, who was still using lots of brake during the runs to get acclimated to the new car, releases the brakes and let the car run free just before half track. This incredible pass would yield the highest speed ever recorded to date for a wheeled gravity vehicle and put Anderson into the gravity land speed history books. The Bodrodz Scalpel would trip the lights at 164.13 km/h 101.98 mph! This would be the first gravity car to run in excess of 100 mph from a standing start without any type of assistance at the start of the run. This pass would set the new WGSA Top Gravity Streamliner world record! With that lap, Anderson and the Atomic Scalpel would also take the top speed honors at the 2017 L'Ultime Descente Speed Challenge and he would become the seventh member to join the exclusive WGSA Century Club.
What does the future hold for gravity car land speed racing? With interest on the rise for these gravity speed machines, no doubt the next L'Ultime Descente Speed Challenge will see new and faster cars to roll down the hill. Rumor of a European top gravity streamliner record attempt is already underway and with Anderson claiming to have never let his Scalpel run flat out, we're sure to see bigger numbers and new WGSA speed records at the next Canadian event. GO FAST
2017 would prove to be fastest in history for the gravity car land speed scene. In 2017 the WGSA Century Club would also induct a new member into the group, who piloted his gravity car thru the 100 mph barrier. All these new records and milestones would take place at the 2017 L'Ultime Descente Speed Challenge held in Quebec, Canada, on Sept. 15 - 17. This hill has proven itself to be the fastest gravity course on all of planet earth and has become the icon event of gravity land speed racing. On Saturday, Sept. 16 would be a gravity racers dream day with excellent speed racing weather. In fact, all the gravity records were set on the 16th.
Bodrodz Xtreme Gravity Racing would arrive at the event with three new untested cars along with Iain Rooney of Team Rooket of Scotland who shipped his car over just for the event. The four gravity cars would set four new WGSA class world records at the big Canadian hill.
Iain Rooney (SCO) of Team Rooket, would have his hands full on his very first pass at the event with a high speed upset. Rooney would get out of shape in the lights and would crash into the bales, resulting in only minor damage to the car and Iain walked away unscathed. He and teammate Paul Janson, would thrash the rest of the day and into the night to get the car ready for the next days speed sessions. On Sept. 16, Iain would be back in the cockpit and would wheel his car to a new WGSA 200 Limited OWC world record 113.20 km/h 70.30 mph!
Bodrodz Andy Ash (GBR) would jump into a new Anderson/Camp built gravity car that he had never seen, let alone the car had never rolled down a hill. The car was slated for a full body but Anderson and Camp ran out of time before the event. The two would fab up a nose and tail section for some aero dirty at best and the car would run in the WGSA open wheel class. Ash would cautiously let the speed ramp up with every lap until letting the Bodrodz Atomic Sliver run flat out from the top, setting a new WGSA gravity car world record, late Saturday afternoon. Ash would pilot it to a WGSA 200 Limited OW world record of 147.94 km/h 91.92 mph! With this speed performance, Ash would return home to the UK as the fastest gravity car pilot in European history, crushing Guy Martin's Guinness record of 137.75 km/h 85.6 mph.
Bodrodz Fastdonnie Schoettler (USA) would show up on the hill with a brand new highly modified GF1 car that was finished up on the event's first day speed sessions. Fastdonnie would make a couple a shake down passes that day after lunch. He would go after the WGSA 100 mph barrier on the next day. That Saturday Schoettler would reset his WGSA 200 Limited CW record to 160.00 km/h 99.41 mph. Sunday, the last day of the event, was full of crosswinds and a high barometer dashing any efforts to go into the triple digits.
Bodrodz Doug Anderson (USA) would arrive at the event with his new untested top gravity streamliner that he and Bodrodz teammate, Jason Camp built thru the summer of 2017. Anderson searched for a deceit line down the hill after almost loosing the steamliner in the speed trap on his second pass Friday. Anderson, on Saturday afternoon, who was still using lots of brake during the runs to get acclimated to the new car, releases the brakes and let the car run free just before half track. This incredible pass would yield the highest speed ever recorded to date for a wheeled gravity vehicle and put Anderson into the gravity land speed history books. The Bodrodz Scalpel would trip the lights at 164.13 km/h 101.98 mph! This would be the first gravity car to run in excess of 100 mph from a standing start without any type of assistance at the start of the run. This pass would set the new WGSA Top Gravity Streamliner world record! With that lap, Anderson and the Atomic Scalpel would also take the top speed honors at the 2017 L'Ultime Descente Speed Challenge and he would become the seventh member to join the exclusive WGSA Century Club.
What does the future hold for gravity car land speed racing? With interest on the rise for these gravity speed machines, no doubt the next L'Ultime Descente Speed Challenge will see new and faster cars to roll down the hill. Rumor of a European top gravity streamliner record attempt is already underway and with Anderson claiming to have never let his Scalpel run flat out, we're sure to see bigger numbers and new WGSA speed records at the next Canadian event. GO FAST
Doug Anderson & the Bodrodz Scalpel 164.13 km/h 101.98 mph
The 2017 worlds fastest gravity car
The 2017 worlds fastest gravity car