Great Beginnings
by Court Canfield, 09.19.2000

For months now, anticipation has mounted, effort has crescendoed and the collective focus of Buell owner's around the world has sharpened, all in anticipation of the day TEAM ELVES would roll into the Bonneville Salt Flats of Utah with Buell RR-1000 #50.

It started as a joke but took only weeks before game faces began to grace folks like Crew Chief Aaron Wilson.  It started as a fun topic on the internet www.badweatherbikers.com site and quickly mounted to a credible effort to recapture the World Land Speed Record in the Production Push Rod Gas class.  Through the years, I've watched as Erik Buell sculpted a dream as a artist would a piece of clay, all the time adding and watching it grow as it took shape.  The group of folks, arriving at various times today, virtually guarantees that we, and our confederates in cyberspace, are writing the next chapter in the book of great Buell happenings.

As the event begins to unfold I'll be lending a bit of "Gonzo-Journalistic" twist to insure that you're treated to an accurate, entertaining and relatively factual account of what's happening.  With that, let's get to the meat of things.  

In the beginning there was the RR-1000.  Aaron looked at it and deemed it should not stand still..  Long before Erik Buell's genius knew any outside influence of corporate positioning or commercial considerations the RR-1000 was born .  Simple, elegant and a quest for the perfect way to achieve parity for a "down on power" motor.  Aaron Wilson was, as Erik would have been, uncomfortable with the idea of this bike becoming "art" in his pristine collection.  In the world of speed there is one, and only one, The Bonneville Salt Flats.  Literally, the "home" of speed.  There was racing here years before automobiles were invented.  The wheels were in motion.

Now you've got the background, lets' fast forward to today.  

Not long after that sunrise I was in Cruise America taking delivery of the mobile "Elf-Quarters" and heading to the airport to collect Henrik and the Nallins.

The 130 mile drive to Bonneville provided just enough time to instill in me both a deep respect and a degree of fear of the Nallin's.  Folks, there guys live and breath racing.  I'll sum it up by providing 2 facts.  In a recent "street encounter" Richard was driving, Brian was in the passenger seat holding a Nitrous Bottle and waving at the competition.  The second thing, and germane to our current pursuit, were Richard's words at dinner . . "I came to win".  My sense is that his focus and Aaron's light years beyond anal-retentive preparation insure we are prepared to do just that.

Tidbits of information you'll need to know and that may dispel rumors.

Our chef, Art "Birdman" Bjornstead, showed up with a truck load of wine, imported meats and who knows what.  Within minutes the Team Elves Gourmet Compound consumed more square feet than most race teams.  In another 20 minutes the blender was running, sausage and pepper appetizers were being served and we'd become the envy of the Salt Flats.  No fast food for this group.

In the "good things just got great" category, it was most excellent to see an entire crowd of Buellers here for dinner tonight.  Watch for incriminating photos tomorrow!

And . . .lest you get to thinking that my job is a breeze.  Take a look at this picture and you'll see the first challenge I faced as manager.  Hey . . I am a victim of this sport!

Ride safe, lean much and smile more,

Court

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