Carpenter Racing continues to impress at all-out land speed events with Ralph Hudson setting a new all-motor record for 1000cc motorcycles at the 2012 Bonneville Speed Week.

Hudson recorded an average speed of 239.976 mph to break his own record in the APS-G1000 class on his partially streamlined, Carpenter Racing-equipped Suzuki GSXR-1000. Hudson’s previous record, set in 2011, was 225.596 mph.

“We were hoping to set the record at over 230,” said Hudson, who noted that his fastest recorded speed of the event was 242.481 mph.  “I wasn’t running the bike the full five miles because I was concerned about it overheating.  When I came to see that we were 24 thousandths of a mile per hour away from a 240 mph record I wish I would have pushed it.”

Ralph Hudson on his GSXR-1000

Hudson’s GSXR-1000 runs an off-the-shelf Carpenter Racing head and cam package.

“I just sent the head to Bob, he sent it back and told us how to set the lobe centers,” continued Hudson.  “The engine is stock from the head gasket down.”

“Ralph runs our big-valve, big-cam package,” said Bob Carpenter. “The fact that he is running over 240 with the only upgrade being our head is amazing.”

“We run faster than the 1300cc Hayabusas,” Hudson added.

Hudson also runs a GSXR-600 with a Carpenter head and cam package. The bike brought Hudson the SCTA El Mirage 2011 championship in the APS-G650 class. It currently holds records of 196.62 in APS-G650 and 202.570 in APS-F650. Hudson ran the bike in Bonneville to a 197 clocking in the gas class but decided not to claim the record.

Ralph Hudson on his GSXR-600

“We are not going to claim that record until its over 200 mph,” he said.      

“We are very satisfied with Carpenter Racing,” Hudson continued.  “We get the heads and we don’t touch them, we just bolt them on. He gives us advice on how to set them up and it must be good advice because they run so well.”