https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pApvlM3ZTgs&t=2s
Could you imagine holding onto a rocket while it shoots down the drag strip? Well, that's what "Rocketman" Eric Teboul did when he broke this world record on his rocket bike back in September 2019. The racer is certainly no stranger to this type of high-octane motorsport. He's made countless passes in drag racing, and he looked comfortable as ever as he set up at the starting line that day.
The action took place at Santa Pod Raceway in England during the FIA FIM European Finals. Even though there were some strong winds on this day, that didn't scare Teboul. The man was determined to make his pass on his hydrogen peroxide rocket bike.
Now, one of the craziest things that was explained during the buildup before the race was when they mentioned that there is no throttle on this bike. Basically, the race crew needs to make sure there is the exact amount of fuel in the rockets so that the reaction finishes right as Teboul crosses the finish line. That's some risky business, because if they overfilled it, he would go shooting right off the track at some insane speeds. Luckily, they nailed the fuel levels on this run.
The previous record was actually held by Larry "Spiderman" McBride, when he raced his Top Fuel dragster bike down the quarter mile with a time of 5.61. Eric Teboul was all focus during his run, smashing the world record at the Euro Finals with a time of 5.58 at 223 MPH! That is just absolutely insane speeds to be holding onto a bike! This guy must be completely fearless.
At the end of the race, Teboul kind of goes out of sight, but we are assured that he does stop safely at the end. If you noticed, Teboul didn't actually have anyone racing next to him during the drag run. That's likely because no one else is crazy enough to do this stunt at these speeds. I love watching people break records, because it constantly sets the bar higher for others in the future. It'll be interesting to see who goes after this record next!
This post was originally published on June 8, 2020.