I thought I'd share the following article:
Kevin Bird has been a deputy with the Roanoke Sheriff’s Office since 2004, serving on Watch III, and also as a member of the Sheriff’s Office Tactical Team.
The week of Aug. 14-20, Kevin participated in the 2010 Bonneville Speed Week at the famous Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, sponsored by the Southern California Timing Association (SCTA).
Kevin has been riding motorcycles for 16 years. “I always thought it would
be cool to ride a bike,†Kevin said. “I bought my first bike when I was 19; it was a 1984 Kawasaki 750.â€
Kevin began land speed racing in October 2008 in Maxton, N.C., and was licensed to race up to 200 mph. His second race was in April 2009; Kevin broke 200 mph and was licensed for 200-250 mph races.
Dennis Zainfeld of Salem invited Kevin to join the 11-member WZBD Racing team at Bonneville this year. Even though Kevin was licensed for 200-250 mph races, he had to be licensed again to race at Bonneville.
After Kevin completed his three licensing runs and was at the starting line for his first race, he was told his leather racing gear did not meet the requirements! “I didn’t have another set of leathers and I didn’t have the money to buy new ones,†he said. “I stood at the starting line for an hour in
95-98 degrees, wearing black leather, waiting for a decision.†His gear did not pass because it was not all leather. However, he was allowed to glue leather over the cloth areas to pass inspection. “Another driver allowed me to cut
up his leather laptop case to glue over the cloth.
The inspectors didn’t like the way the zipper attached my jacket to the pants — there was too big a gap. I begged them to allow me to use duct
tape. They agreed and finally I was permitted to race.â€
The Flats spread out for some 30,000 acres about 88 miles west of Salt Lake City near the Utah-Nevada border. Racers have been setting speed records there since the early 1900s. This was Kevin’s fi rst time racing on salt. “The difference in salt and pavement is salt is smoother and slicker. You have to worry about wheel spin,†Kevin said.
Because it is such a unique geological area, the Flats are overseen by the
U.S. Bureau of Land Management. “We were only allowed to drive on the salt flats while racing. Afterward, the race crew came out and picked me up.â€
Kevin’s motorcycle was a stock 2008 Suzuki Hayabusa. “People told me I couldn’t break 200 on it, but I broke 200 and the record previously held by Fred Vance. If it hadn’t been for Dennis Zainfeld and the WZBD Racing team, I couldn’t have done it. They made it all possible and I can’t thank them enough.â€
Kevin was inducted into the Bonneville 200 Mile an Hour Club. The Club sets the speed you have to go in order to be accepted. The speed for his class was 215 mph. Kevin’s high speed was 218.710 mph and the record was 213.9 mph.
“It was a real honor to be accepted my first time racing at Bonneville†he said. Kevin will receive his award at the 2011 Speed Week Awards Banquet.
Sheriff’s Deputy Kevin Bird prepares to race at the Bonneville Salt Flats
in Utah during the annual Speed Week in August.
off the clock
by Patricia Johnson
Kevin Bird has been a deputy with the Roanoke Sheriff’s Office since 2004, serving on Watch III, and also as a member of the Sheriff’s Office Tactical Team.
The week of Aug. 14-20, Kevin participated in the 2010 Bonneville Speed Week at the famous Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, sponsored by the Southern California Timing Association (SCTA).
Kevin has been riding motorcycles for 16 years. “I always thought it would
be cool to ride a bike,†Kevin said. “I bought my first bike when I was 19; it was a 1984 Kawasaki 750.â€
Kevin began land speed racing in October 2008 in Maxton, N.C., and was licensed to race up to 200 mph. His second race was in April 2009; Kevin broke 200 mph and was licensed for 200-250 mph races.
Dennis Zainfeld of Salem invited Kevin to join the 11-member WZBD Racing team at Bonneville this year. Even though Kevin was licensed for 200-250 mph races, he had to be licensed again to race at Bonneville.
After Kevin completed his three licensing runs and was at the starting line for his first race, he was told his leather racing gear did not meet the requirements! “I didn’t have another set of leathers and I didn’t have the money to buy new ones,†he said. “I stood at the starting line for an hour in
95-98 degrees, wearing black leather, waiting for a decision.†His gear did not pass because it was not all leather. However, he was allowed to glue leather over the cloth areas to pass inspection. “Another driver allowed me to cut
up his leather laptop case to glue over the cloth.
The inspectors didn’t like the way the zipper attached my jacket to the pants — there was too big a gap. I begged them to allow me to use duct
tape. They agreed and finally I was permitted to race.â€
The Flats spread out for some 30,000 acres about 88 miles west of Salt Lake City near the Utah-Nevada border. Racers have been setting speed records there since the early 1900s. This was Kevin’s fi rst time racing on salt. “The difference in salt and pavement is salt is smoother and slicker. You have to worry about wheel spin,†Kevin said.
Because it is such a unique geological area, the Flats are overseen by the
U.S. Bureau of Land Management. “We were only allowed to drive on the salt flats while racing. Afterward, the race crew came out and picked me up.â€
Kevin’s motorcycle was a stock 2008 Suzuki Hayabusa. “People told me I couldn’t break 200 on it, but I broke 200 and the record previously held by Fred Vance. If it hadn’t been for Dennis Zainfeld and the WZBD Racing team, I couldn’t have done it. They made it all possible and I can’t thank them enough.â€
Kevin was inducted into the Bonneville 200 Mile an Hour Club. The Club sets the speed you have to go in order to be accepted. The speed for his class was 215 mph. Kevin’s high speed was 218.710 mph and the record was 213.9 mph.
“It was a real honor to be accepted my first time racing at Bonneville†he said. Kevin will receive his award at the 2011 Speed Week Awards Banquet.
Sheriff’s Deputy Kevin Bird prepares to race at the Bonneville Salt Flats
in Utah during the annual Speed Week in August.
off the clock
by Patricia Johnson
Last edited:
WTG Kev
