Anybody want to go for the record?

[pwd72s]

From this morning's Portland Yellow Pages, aka THE OREGONIAN:

Triple-digit driver may face fine of four figures
Stealthy state police pursuit of a car rolling at 142 mph on I-205 ends with the arrest of a 19-year-old Oregon City man
Thursday, March 31, 2005
EMILY TSAO
OREGON CITY -- State trooper Matt Klare patrolled Interstate 205 early Wednesday watching for "high rollers" -- nighttime speeders who like empty roads.

Shortly after midnight, he saw headlights getting brighter. He knew it would be a fast one.

The trooper clocked a 1992 Honda Civic headed north at 138 mph. Then the car sped up. A second reading locked in at 142 mph.

Not a record -- that would be 159 mph, set by a 1991 Acura in 1993 on the Astoria Megler Bridge -- but second place for the Oregon State Police.

And way too fast for a 55 mph zone.

As the speeding car wove in and out of traffic, Klare followed stealthily -- no lights or sirens. As he raced to catch up, Klare saw a streak of brake lights cut across lanes of traffic before exiting at Foster Road.

At the bottom of the ramp sat Ryan Allan Champ, 19, of Oregon City, waiting for a stoplight. The entire incident had lasted about a minute.

Klare flashed his lights and approached the vehicle.

"He told me he was going 140," Klare said of the driver, who Klare said was driving without insurance and with a suspended license.

According to Klare, Champ, who was alone in the vehicle, said he was trying to catch up to someone who had thrown a bottle at his car.

Champ was arrested on an accusation of reckless driving and taken to Clackamas County Jail. The charge carries a maximum penalty of up to one year in jail and a fine of $6,250, police said.

Champ did not return a phone message left with his mother, who declined to comment.

From 2000 to 2004, Oregon State Police cited 2,647 drivers for speeds of 100 mph or more. An additional 21,791 drivers were cited for speeds of 90 to 99 mph.

The Honda Civic had been customized with racing accessories including a special engine, seatbelt and car doors that lifted up, Klare said. Champ told police he had plans to race the car at Portland International Raceway.

Emily Tsao: 503-294-5928; emilytsao@news.oregonian.com

[Oh Haha]

He ain't gonna race it anywhere now!! At least it wasn't a Porsche.

[gaijindabe]

24,438 cited for going 90MPH+??

And they all lived to get the ticket?

It is funny, this weeks auto show is filled with hundredss of cars that can cruise all day safely at those speeds - and if you actually do it and get caught you are public enemy #1.

A year in jail and a $6 grand fine?? The kid should mug people for kicks, the penalties are less...

[widebody911]

When you mug someone, the state doesn't stand to get a cut of the action.

[speeder]

It's kind of weird that an old Honda Civic or Acura could walk all over a big-block 'vette or other muscle car on an open road, though.

[kaisen]

So why would the trooper follow at such a high rate of speed with no lights or sirens? It sounds like there was traffic..... the cop should be given a ticket too! Unsafe is unsafe.

While we're talking about it, here in Minnesota our record was just set by a kid on a motorcycle at......are you ready..... 205 mph.
I don't think anyone will go for that record.

E

[Overpaid Slacker]

I bought the 78 930 in Chico, CA from a CHP. We're out on those wide open roads for my shakedown drive before we sign papers, doing about 165, and the p/o (sitting in the passenger seat) just starts giggling and says "oh, you're gonna get arrested."

"But... you're a cop." I offer, lamely.

"Oh, I can't help you now." he says, giggling.

"If you can't get me out of it, aren't you some kind of accessory?"

giggling stops. "Look, you know now she'll do 180, right... how 'bout we slow down some..."

E -- was it a Hayabusa? Off the showroom floor they're good for 200, and there's a turbo kit out for it in case you're in a hurry.

JP

[singpilot]

OS;

The bike was a Honda CBR1000F Hurricane.

Same as one of the ones in my garage. Yes, it will do it.

M.

[Overpaid Slacker]

I LOVE those CBR1000s. They're a good size for guys our size.

But, heck, the new R1s will do 200 out-of-the-box now... 180hp in a 350lb bike ...? I don't know where line of sanity/responsibility in motorcycle design is, but it's definitely in the rearview mirror at this point.

JP

[djmcmath]

Mr 110lb room-mate bought one of those R1s. Sanity? You've got to be kidding me.

[cegerer]

If the dumba$$ was doing those speeds and weaving in and out of traffic, he deserves everything he got. However, I have a real problem with cops out patroling "empty roads" at night for speeders. How about patroling crowded highways during the day for minivan-driving moms talking on cellphones and feeding the kids their Happy Meals while obliviously careening down the road at 75MPH!!!!!!!

[Oh Haha]

I got my free pass today on I75. State trooper hiding behind an overpass. DOH!!!!
He got the TWO cars behind me. I was running around 79-80 with traffic.
Uh, I was in the Vibe, by the way. They can all freakin' pass me now. I'm sticking to 70-72MPH on the freeway for a while.