With little more than a chassis, engine, wheels, and seat, these belly tankers (also referred to as “Lakesters”) demonstrated their capabilities at land-speed events and became common sights at places like Bonneville. This AMA-sanctioned event, which also includes Fédération Internationale de Motocylisme recognition, offers competitors the opportunity to clinch AMA national and FIM world records aboard machines from 50cc mini-bikes to 3,000cc.During World War II, long-range fighter and bomber aircraft were equipped with “Belly Tanks” or “Drop Tanks” full of fuel which extended their range for long-distance flights.Īfter the war, the tanks’ streamlined housings became the go-to choice for hotrodders looking for an aerodynamic body for their Salt Flat racers. The AMA Land Speed Grand Championship, also known as the Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials, is the premier motorcycle land-speed racing event in the world. Some classes are more serious than others, with participants ranging from weekend enthusiasts chasing double-digit mph speed records on small-bore motorcycles to professional race teams fielding million-dollar engineering masterworks. Classes are determined by engine displacement, modification levels and various degrees of streamlining, and encompass everything from small-displacement racers to high-powered, custom-built streamliners made for the sole purpose of topping 400 mph. Land-speed trials are all about going faster than anyone has gone before on a mile-long course over perfectly level terrain at Bonneville Salt Flats.
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