They Call Him the Michigan Madman
They Call Him the MICHIGAN MADMAN
B.R. NICHOLLS
PRIDE OF PLACE this month goes to a visitor from Stateside, who came over as the only two-wheeled member of the U.S. Commando Drag Racing team. Some shudder at the thought of drag racing being part of our sport; similarly, others condemn scooters and mini bikes; but for me, if it has two wheels and an internal combustion engine, it's worth looking at.
First the man. He is E. J. Potter of Ithaca, N.Y., who refuses to dilvulge his first name, thus preserving the image created by the title of "The Michigan Madman" that follows him.
One look at the V8 5.3 liter fuel-injected Chevrolet engine is sufficient to feel the title is justified, but a closer look and a talk with the man, himself, leaves no doubt that "Eejay" has a canny sense for cashing in on the spectacular, for that is exactly what he has done. Banned by the National Hot Rod Association, he gives demonstration runs on the rival American Hot Rod Association strips, and the sight of his standing start quarter mile leaves no doubt as to his courage. It is the Wild West brought up to date with the smell of burning rubber and alcohol fuel, instead of horses and the you-know-what of the corral.
A standard 6.70 x 15 rear tire lasts for three runs and can be kept spinning all the way in the 440-yard, eleven-second dash. But don't look for a straight line of tell-tale tortured rubber on the strip — that thing weaves in demented fashion and should have the Skater's Waltz as its signature tune.
In a battle against the clock, with English ace Alf Hagon on his 1240cc supercharged JAP V-twin weighing just under 300 pounds, Hagon did the best run of his career at 10.18 seconds on a bumpy strip to which the Madman, with his 725-pound monster, could only counter with 10.96 seconds. The following day Potter did a 10.48 second run before crashing spectacularly, believed to be caused by a sheared rear wheel adjuster nut. But the battle really proved nothing; Hagon is convinced that "Eejay" could make mincemeat of 10 seconds and Potter is the first to admit that he's there for spectacle. Why else would he have had plans for a new bike powered by two V8 Buick engines before he wrecked the Chevy?
