What are the chances for the Vincent streamliner that I call Black Lightning, to exceed the speed of all others and wear the coveted crown with the title "The World's Fastest"?

Here are some statistics the way I perceive them. There are four motorcycle streamliners that are capable of coming out on top. They are the EZ Hook, The Ack Attack, The Bub Special, and Black Lightning.

SPEEDS TO DATE
1. EZ Hook
2. Ack Attack
3. Bub Special
4. Black Lightning

FRONTAL AREA
1. Black Lightning
2. EZ Hook
3. Bub Special
4. Ack Attack

HORSEPOWER
1. Ack Attack
2. Black Lightning
3. Bub Special
4. EZ Hook

TRACTION
1. Black Lightning
2. EZ Hook
3. Bub Special
4. Ack Attack

CREW EXPERIENCE
1. EZ Hook
2. Bub Special
3. Black Lightning
4. Ack Attack

RIDER EXPERIENCE
1. EZ Hook
2. Bub Special
3. Black Lightning
4. Ack Attack (two new riders for 2005)

TOTAL RUNS MADE
1. EZ Hook--made all three Bonneville events for twelve years. The EZ Hook has made more runs than any other streamliner, many test runs.
2. Bub Special--several weeks of private salt time, many test runs.
3. Ack Attack--has his own place to test. It probably has made many test runs.
4. Black Lightning--two runs in '96 with Don Vesco riding, clutch problems; no runs in '97 Stu Rogers crashed first run; '98 Don Angel crashed on third run while pulling a deployed parachute at over 150 mph, wheel slippage, rpm indicating speeds near 300 mph; 2002, with Dave Campos riding, four aborted runs, four runs under 135 mph, one run 173 mph and last run 191 mph, crankshaft broke. 2004 one run limited by the scrutineers to 150 mph, went 153 at the 2 1/4. The fastest 2 1/4 time ever recorded. All of these were test runs conducted during Speed Week. Black Lightning has never had the resources to pay the $4,000 a day for private salt time.

FINANCIAL BACKING
1. Bub Special
2. Ack Attack
3. EZ Hook
4. Black Lightning

AERODYNAMICS
1. Black Lightning
2. EZ Hook
3. Bub Special
4. Ack Attack

WEIGHT ADVANTAGE
1. EZ Hook
2. Black Lightning
3. Bub Special
4. Ack Attack

AVAILABLE WORK FORCE
1. Ack Attack
2. Bub Special
3. EZ Hook
4. Black Lightning

DEDICATION

There's no one who competes in this arena and at this world class level without having total, even obsessive dedication.

When you write it all down Black Lightning is definitely in the running to be the World's Fastest. Black Lightning has some serious handicaps to overcome but I'll tell all the nay sayers that the handicaps will be overcome. JC, I agree. this could very well be the year.

The crew's best, the riders' best, and my best will someday make it happen.