Matt Markstaller, Bob Carpenter, and Jason DiSalvo have pulled together a team of people to restore Triumph Motorcycles’ legacy in landspeed racing. Man’s passion has always launched innovation, and these three men have set out to design, build and ride the world’s most advanced streamliner, the Castrol Rocket.
Markstaller serves as aerodynamic engineer; Carpenter is the high-peformance engine builder; and Daytona 200 winner and Bonneville class record holder DiSalvo bravely pilots Triumph’s latest entry. This cross-country team converges on the Bonneville Salt Flats, a 40 square mile salt pan in northwestern Utah, with the goal of a 400 mph plus record-breaking run.
Triumph held the title of “World’s Fastest Motorcycle” from 1955 to 1970 with the exception of a brief 33-day period. The Triumph streamliners to carry world records were Devil’s Arrow, Texas Cee-gar and Gyronaut X1, the last being at 245.60 mph (395.28 km/h). Today’s bar now sits at 376.363 mph (605.697 km/h).
The 2013 edition Castrol Rocket features Carbon Kevlar monocoque construction with two turbocharged Triumph Rocket III engines producing a combined 1,000+ HP. It is 25.5′ long, 2′ wide and 3′ tall, a true rocket on two wheels powered by methanol fuel and filled with Castrol 4T 10W40 full synthetic oil.
Catching Up With Sara Pettersson
Age: 22 Hometown: Kumla, Sweden Sponsors: VJP Iveco, Dainese, AGV Helmets, Tom Crain/Ankle Savers, Tim Slayton, Mom and Dad
Interview by Sarah DiMare/Photos by Kardas, Antonovich, Lutes, Emter
Swedish born Sara Pettersson started racing motocross at the age of seven. She was part of an accomplished and nationally ranked youth soccer team throughout her youth, as well as … More
I haven’t really given it that much thought, but apparently there’s a gap between the moped and the small motorcycle, and it’s kind of hard to find a new moped anyway. Santa Cruz inventor Cam Woods felt that way, anyway, so in 2008 he designed his own moped kit, using sturdy downhill mountain bike components and a clean-running, reliable Honda XR50 motor. It’s pretty trick—it uses a lot of off-the-shelf bicycle parts, and can use any motor in the Z50 pantheon, which includes inexpensive Chinese-built knockoffs and trick 190cc racing mills and all kinds of stuff in between—a gearhead’s dream … More
ANSR Rider’s Conquer Loretta’s and come home with some precious hardware. HUGE shout out to Casey Cochran, Josh Cartwright, Aiden Tijero and Tauan Brenner on their titles this year.