ONE FAST GUY.................... MEET MR BANKS

[WB9MCW]

Fast Company

The company founder, Gale Banks, a legendary name in endurance racing and engine performance, serves as hands-on President. Since the 60s, Gale's futuristic high-performance engines have broken new ground while shattering world records, and incredibly, withstood repeated speed trials without wearing out! His marine engines propelled racing boats to national and world championships, and in military mode, Banks' marine engines were chosen to power US Navy Seal covert-action boats. After decades of racing, Gale Banks Engineering remains the only company to have set records at Bonneville in both automobile and truck classes, including World's Fastest Pickup Truck, World's Fastest Piston-engine Automobile and World's Fastest Passenger Car, among many others.



Picking Up Speed

Having created the power for numerous land-speed and marine national and world champions, the name Gale Banks has earned legendary status in endurance racing. Banks Engineering owns the current records for World's Fastest Pickup Truck and World's Fastest Piston-engine Automobile. For 10 years, Banks held the unbroken record for World's Fastest Passenger Car—an 1800-hp twin-turbo Firebird that blistered the Bonneville Salt Flats in 1987 and took the championship. This "stock-body door-slammer with optional tilt-wheel, power windows and AM-FM with cassette" ran 287 miles an hour, burning nothing but straight gasoline.



1981

Banks twin-turbo 454 powers a '68 Corvette to 240 mph at Bonneville, earning the right to reign as World's Fastest Passenger Car.

1984

The first 200-mph street-worthy machine is Banks twin-turbo GT Trans Am, as tested and proven by Car and Driver magazine.

"Speak Power. Well, Gale Banks and his engines do just that." —Car and Driver

1987

Running on nothing but straight gasoline, this Banks twin-turbocharged Firebird scorches the Salt at 287 mph to become the new World's Fastest Passenger Car. Despite dozens of challenges, Banks 'Bird held the title for 10 years.

"The three-year buildup paid off during the 38th annual Bonneville Speed Trials when the Banks 'Bird nabbed the class win, making it the World's Fastest Passenger Car. And that was on gas with 'only' 22 pounds of boost; the twin hairdryers will generate a maximum of 38 pounds of boost!" —Hot Rod Yearbook

1990

Despite possessing the aerodynamics of a brick, Banks/GMC Syclone pickup truck tops 210 mph, becoming both World's Fastest Pickup Truck and the first pickup to exceed 200 mph.

"Banks team of Bonneville veterans' fine-tuned race strategy tweaked the truck to top performance. It put GMC in a very exclusive club. When you consider they took a stock, compact pickup with a stock engine, using only modifications that are available off-the-shelf today — Banks adapted that truck and made it capable of going over 200 mph, that is quite an achievement...Two attempts. Two records." —Assault on the Salt (television)

"At 210 mph, this V6-powered GMC S-15 is the World's Fastest Pickup. The actual record attempt was overseen by one of Bonneville's top operators, Gale Banks. With his skilled crew, Banks prepared, operated and maintained the S-15 on the Salt. In the process, they smashed a car record held by Porsche. —Popular Hot Rodding

"Banks is recognized as one of the world's foremost authorities on turbocharging technology for diesel and gasoline engines. Banks has worked directly with the Big Three automakers in product development and has even been called upon to head up several speed and racing campaigns, including a GMC Syclone that ran more than 200 mph at Bonneville." —Sport Truck

1997

At 432 mph, this streamliner is the World's Fastest Piston-engine Automobile. Partners Teague, Welch and Banks vow "no rest" till they hit 500 mph

1998

World's Fastest Motorhome: yes, you read that right. Banks PowerPacked Ford 6.8L V-10 Class-C Chinook blasts past General Motors', to a new record at 99.8 mph.

1999

Return of the streamliner, outfitted with a 530-ci blown-nitro AA motor, ran past a new class at the Bonneville World Finals. Al Teague backed it up and took another run, proving at 407 mph it still has plenty of adrenaline. The Teague-Welch-Banks team patiently waits for "Good Salt" so they can really lay down the power.

From the rear-view mirror: Gale Banks writes about Bonneville






http://www.bankspower.com/racing.cfm