October 17, 2004

FAST PIZZA

Antonio Pizzonia was recently clocked at 369.9 km/h (229.7 mph), the highest speed recorded in Formula One. And here was me all impressed with myself because lately I’ve pushed my personal best to 225 km/h (140 mph). Check the comments at that link; I'm still at the slow end of the spectrum.

Posted by Tim Blair at October 17, 2004 03:08 AM
Comments

"...I'm still at the slow end of the spectrum..."

Nope. Not gonna do it. Too easy. Nuh-uh.

But it ain't easy....

Posted by: richard mcenroe at October 17, 2004 at 03:36 AM

I'm such a coward - I've never surpassed 140 km/h. Then again, considering the condition of the roads here in Newfoundland, maybe I'm not such a coward.

Posted by: Damian P. at October 17, 2004 at 04:00 AM

My grandmother could've hit 250 where I was driving, Damian. Big fat straight road, downhill, vision forever. I changed CDs at 200.

You have got to visit Australia. We'll tour the few cop-free roads I've found ...

Posted by: tim at October 17, 2004 at 04:33 AM

Tim, you're a wuss. I've hit 140 on a motorcycle...here's the real question. If Rossi moves from MotoGP to Formula One, how long before he's competitive?


A.L.

Posted by: Armed Liberal at October 17, 2004 at 08:03 AM

My story, not personal but fully authenticated, involves a mate of mine in 1979/80 in a GHTO Phase 3 (Candy Apple Red, of course!). He'd spent a motzilla MODIFYING the HO, and was taking it for a quick spin between Brisbane and Rockhampton.

About half way, he had to re-fuel, and as he was topping off, he heard a siren in the distance. Police car with lights ablaze fishtails into garage forecourt, and stops behind old mate.

Sergeant Plod gets out of the driver's side, and Young Plod from the bombadier's seat. Police car's radiator erupts with steam.

Sergeant Plod roars the balls off old mate, threatens him with all sorts of offences if he's ever seen again, and stomps back to police car.

Young Plod, still gazing with unconcealed lust/awe at the HO, said to old mate:

"Geez you're lucky Sarge didn't write you a ticket. How fast were you really going?"

Old mate: "Oh, 140, 145 I guess."

Young Plod: "Shit, that's 90 mph!"

Old mate: "No, officer, it's about 240 km/h".

True story.

Posted by: Kaboom at October 17, 2004 at 08:50 AM

Hmmm.

I'm jealous. Here in New Jersey, USA, you can't go really fast anywhere. You can try on a couple of the bigger toll roads but God help you if you get caught. The fines around here are positively medieval.

Oh well. I guess I'll have to get myself into Kart racing. It looks really fun and it'll be at least legal.

Posted by: ed at October 17, 2004 at 12:59 PM

c'mon guys, everybody knows that you get used to top end speed - the real thrill is acceleration! lets hear some zero to 100 mph times (cars only! bikes are cheetin')

Posted by: Penisis at October 17, 2004 at 07:08 PM

Don't talk to me about it. Just got back from Phillip Island on Saturday for the Grand Prix practice. The trip down bored me to tears on the BMW R1100S, as there were police everywhere. The worst part is, I have just returned from a month in Europe, driving on roads worse than ours at up to 200Km/h (German Autobahn - unlimited) and cruising through France at 145km/h coz that was the speed that gave us 40 mpg (new Peugeot 407 Diesel Turbo - quite a good device). I do have official paperwork crediting me with 176 km/h over 4.7 km, but that was after I slowed down from showing a 351 Ford Hardtop how slow his car really was compared to a GPz900R Kawasaki (brand new at the time).

Posted by: SezaGeoff at October 17, 2004 at 07:22 PM

Seems Clapton was trying to catch up when the police caught him.

Eric Clapton won't be driving in France for a while.

Posted by: Cynic at October 17, 2004 at 09:12 PM

Yo Tony! Great news baby! Now, how many F1 wins? How many points? Just asking. Seems some German guy along with his South American #2 have been somewhat better-I'm thinking.

Posted by: YoJimbo at October 18, 2004 at 10:33 AM

H3 on Oahu, Hawaii. 3am, eva bound (downhill, trades at my back). Yamaha V-Max w/NOS. Last time I had the nerve to look at the speedo before flaps up, I had hit 160 mph.

It took three weeks for my balls to drop...

Posted by: Holden McGroyn at October 18, 2004 at 10:42 AM

Honda CBR 1000 ==> 235 Km/Hr on Kwinan Freeway (Perth)
Falcon XR6 ==> 210 Km/Hr same place (diff'rent time) and got flagged by cops, bullshitted them that it wasn't me, saying I had a crook spark lead (I did) pulled the bonnet and it really was loose (as were my legs until I got home! I got away with it!!!

Cool 'eh

Posted by: Fat_Pat at October 18, 2004 at 08:36 PM

northern territory roads, no speed limits, red dust, eternal horizons

you haven't lived

Posted by: ilibcc at October 18, 2004 at 11:02 PM

Isn't that kind of speed pretty routine at the the Indy 500?

Posted by: Don Mynack at October 19, 2004 at 03:28 AM