Local teacher aims to race for bike speed record

Clarksville industrial tech teacher Ralph Longus is hoping to compete at the 69th annual Speed Week at the Bonneville Salt Flats in August 2017, where he will attempt to set a new record for a certain class of bike.
Longus attended the 68th annual Speed Week, hosted by the Southern California Timing Association, which started on Aug. 13 and continued throughout the following week. His goal was to successfully complete Saturday’s “rookie school” which everyone must go through who has never raced at the Salt Flats.
“My first pass (ride) was on the 2 mile rookie course,” Longus said.
“All initial rookie runs must be under 150mph; I had to run between 125mph and 150mph to earn my ‘D’ level license, and on my pass my average speed was 127, which qualified for the D license and allows me to race up to 150mph. The next day, Sunday, I ran on the 3-mile short course, averaging 138.429 mph, well within my D license. The 500cc bike’s record is just over 132mph, so I am now licensed to ride it next year in an effort to break that record.”
Read the full article in the September 22 edition of the papers.