Some reports on Lightning Racing

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National 24 Hour
Great Western Bike Rally
Texas Ironbutt 24 Hour (1999)

A racing report from the field... Lighting and Ultra-Racing in National 24 hour!

Dear Tim:

Just thought you might be interested that 5 of the 7 single recumbents which competed in the National 24-hour Challenge near Grand Rapids, Michigan this year were Lightning P-38s! And four of them were red. We all finished, and here are unofficial mileage totals:

Gene Oliver, Virginia 345 miles (winner of recumbent division)
Paul Pancella, Kalamazoo 214
Wally Kiehler, Detroit 214
Bob Krewinski, Ann Arbor 207
Steve Retz, Joliet, Illinois 207

This competition was sponsored by the Rapid Wheelmen Bicycle Club this past weekend, and was the 17th annual.

Gene received a gold medal, as the organizers have recognized a separate category for recumbents since 1996. I believe his total would have been good for at least third place in his age group (50-55) among all the men. I will know for sure when I receive the official results book. Wally's and my total was good for third place because Larry White of Lansing put about 288 miles on his Tour Easy.

The five Lightnings averaged 237 miles in the 24 hours, over 10 miles more than the average of all of the guys on uprights. I have no particular physical handicaps, but I know I could not have done half that many miles if I had been on my diamond frame road bike.

Thanks again for a great machine!

Paul Pancella

Tim Brummer and Lightning do the Great Western Bike Rally!

At the rally, which had a number of competitive events, Tim Brummer, inventor of the Lightning bicycle lineup, and still an avid performance rider, rode the Lightning F-90 in the 10 mile time trial, and had the fastest time at 22:30, over 1 minute faster than second place. The F-90 is a custom racing bike, using an R-84 chassis with a fiber and sailcloth fairing.

They also have a hill climb--a 0.15 mile long 18% grade! Several recumbents competed in this event along with all the uprights.

Times for recumbent riders were:

Zach Kaplan (age 28), Speed Ross, 1:28
Tim (age 45), Lightning Thunderbolt (stock with kickstand, chain disc and tubes), 1:36
Ron Bobb (age 53), Gold Rush (aluminum frame Tour Easy), 1:52
14 year old kid on Rans Rocket, 2:14

Fastest time was a USCF racer at 0:41!

What's amazing is that the Thunderbolt is Lightning's most basic model, retailing for well under $1000, and it still climbs with Lightning's legendary speed!

Texas Ironbutt 24 Hour

In other racing news, a Lightning P-38 took 2nd place overall in the Texas Ironbutt 24 hour race over Memorial Day weekend. The rider, Barclay Brown, was the first to ride a recumbent in the 6 year history of the event!

Lightning Sets New Records 
at UMCA World 24 Hour!

The first ever Lightning P-38 Voyager, ridden by Barclay Brown, won the recumbent division at the recent Ultramarathon Cycling Associations World 24 Hour Championships in Eldridge, Iowa. Barclay beat the previous years UMCA recumbent 12 and 24 hour records by some 25 miles!

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