It was 42 years ago that Bob Leppan left Bonneville in an ambulance, his arm severely damaged from a crash at well over 270 miles per hour. Last week, both Leppan and the partially-restored Gyronaut returned to the same salt that nearly cost him his life...
It was in 1970 that the Gyronaut's reign as the World's Fastest Motorcycle came to an end. First, Don Vesco upped the Gyronaut's 4 year old record to 251 miles per hour and then, just a few weeks later, Denis Manning's Harley-Davidson ridden by Cal Rayborn added another 14 mph on top of Vesco's speed. In an effort to reclaim their title, the Gyronaut team joined the Harley on the salt for a run on pure methanol and managed to trip the clocks at 264.437 mph. At left, a confident Leppan signals his initial success, knowing that the addition of nitro to the fuel mixture should provide the necessary added horsepower to reclaim its crown. But the hopeful celebration was short-lived.
As Leppan reflected back on what went wrong, he thinks the long run-up to get to the starting line at speed contrbuted to the front suspension failure. In order to get a head-start, he had begun his run almost a mile away from the starting line. This allowed him to get to the starting line at about 200 mph, but the rough terrain probably cracked the axle support. It decided to let go 5 miles later within the measured mile. The USAC timer, the legendary Joe Petrali, had timed Leppan's wreck going through the clocks at over 264 mph.
Leppan was rushed to the hospital, five pints short, but in a remarkable marathon surgery lasting 10 hours, his arm was repaired with muscle and skin grafts. Today, those scars are a graphic reminder to the courage and drive that all the Bonneville racers share.
As for the Gyronaut, it sustained some minor damage, but remained virtually intact. The most damage was to the fiberglass canopy and tail. Those pieces were retrieved from the course and used to repair the body like a giant jigsaw puzzle. The canopy was deemed beyond repair.
As for the Gyronaut, it sustained some minor damage, but remained virtually intact. The most damage was to the fiberglass canopy and tail. Those pieces were retrieved from the course and used to repair the body like a giant jigsaw puzzle. The canopy was deemed beyond repair.
| In this short video, the damage to the nosecone, nearly invisible since its repair in 1970, can still be seen by shining a light from within, just like an x-ray. The violence of the crash can be graphically seen in the side of the body where the left front suspension tore a hole in the bodywork. The current photos of the body have been reversed to line up with the same view in the vintage photograph. |
Returning to the scene of the crash with the Gyroanut brought back dramatic memories of that fateful day. Fortunately, Leppan's recollections of his many years at Bonneville have been captured for an upcoming documentary about the Gyronaut and the unique team that brought their vision to reality. At left, "Boys of Bonneville" director Curt Wallin captures Bob Leppan recounting his moments on the salt with Steve Tremulis, nephew of the Gyronaut's original body designer Alex Tremulis.
You can help be a part of this remarkable story. If you have any vintage photos or film of the Gyronaut, Bob Leppan or Alex Tremulis in action, please contact us. We'd love to include it in the film...
You can help be a part of this remarkable story. If you have any vintage photos or film of the Gyronaut, Bob Leppan or Alex Tremulis in action, please contact us. We'd love to include it in the film...
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