Gerald Beatch is heading to the Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trails in Utah where he could reach speeds of over 320km/hr on his motorcycle. Ross Lavigne/CHAT News

By Jesse Gill

Medicine Hat man heads to world’s fastest race track to bike in speed trials

Aug 16, 2024 | 5:41 PM

An opportunity to race his motorcycle on the salt flats in Utah is something Gerald Beatch of Medicine Hat couldn’t pass up.

Beatch, 55, said racing at the Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials is his top bucket list item, and a new challenge with racing on what is claimed to be the world fastest race track.

“Millions of years ago was a saltwater lake, it dried up and it is dead flat and it goes for miles and miles,” Beatch said.

“Speed demons from around the world bring their cars trucks motorcycles because it’s the best place to run.”

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Beatch said he owns one of the most aerodynamic and powerful motorcycles ever built.

He will put it to use on a three-mile course, with a one mile run to build up momentum and with two miles to record a time and speed.

If he does well, he will move on to a five-mile course.

Beatch will then see if he can reach a speed of 320 km/hr, something he looks forward to.

“It’s a huge rush, but it’s surprisingly calming. When I went over 300, that time it was so eerily quiet and not scary at all,” Beatch said.

It was just calm it was just you know, pretty wild looking at the speedometer and seeing where it was pegged at and pretty wild.”

If Beatch reaches the five mile track, he will have an opportunity to run against records.

Hundreds of riders from around the world are expected to make their way to the Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials, which run Aug. 24-29.

Beatch said he has been on motorcycles since he was seven-years old.

“I did my first race when I was 12, was a grass drags up in Slave Lake and did a little like motocross and grass drags and been on the drag strip here [at Medicine Hat],” Beatch said.

“31 years I’ve been drag racing, I used to do 24-hour endurance ice racing did that for eight years. So quite a different variety of racing I’ve done,” he added.

“The Bonneville thing will be something new and just a new challenge again.”

Beatch added another benefit of riding at this track is having proof of reaching such a high speed.

“I’ll get you know certificate time slip saying that I actually did it.”