Ralph A. Hudson

Ralph Hudson (May 19, 1951 - September 6, 2020 ) was an American businessman and motorcycle racer who gained recognition for setting multiple AMA and FIM land-speed records at Bonneville between 2009 and 2020.

Over his career, Hudson set 39 records at Bonneville and El Mirage and won 3 SCTA motorcycle points championships. In recognition of his achievements, he was inducted into the Dry Lakes Racing Hall of Fame in 2017 and was later nominated for the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America of America.

Racing career Hudson first participated in Speed Week at the Bonneville Salt Flats in 1971 at the age of 20, racing a stock Kawasaki motorcycle.

After stepping away from racing for decades to focus on his career and family, Hudson returned to land speed racing at the age of 58 in 2009 with the purchase of a stock 2003 Suzuki GSX-R1000 on Craigslist, which he spent the next decade personally customizing.

Inspired by an idea he had conceived 30 years earlier, Hudson studied aerodynamics to develop a custom fiberglass bodywork for his motorcycle, which he fabricated in his Glendale, CA shop. The success of the design resulted in his first land-speed record, set at Bonneville in 2009 with an average speed of 210.623mph making him a member of the Bonneville 200 mph club.

Over the next decade, Hudson continued to refine the bodywork and mechanical features of his motorcycles and would go on to set numerous land speed records, many of which still stand.

Top 1 Oil Bolivia Speed Trials In 2018, Hudson participated in the Top 1 Oil Bolivia Speed Trials at the Uyuni Salt Flats with a goal of being the first traditional motorcycle to achieve an FIM record above 300mph.

Riding his Suzuki GSX-R1000, Hudson made a one-way run of 304 mph (489 km/h), the fastest recorded speed for a sit-on motorcycle, and set a land-speed record with an average speed of 297.970 mph, which remains the FIM world record as the top speed for a sit-on motorcycle.

Death

On August 14th, 2020, at the age of 69, Hudson crashed during his return run on a record attempt at Bonneville after a strong gust of wind blew him off course while traveling at a speed above 250mph. The accident resulted in Hudson's passing 23 days later on September 6th.

Land Speed Records

Bonneville Land Speed Records

El Mirage Land Speed Records

TOP 1 Oil Bolivia Speed Trials