1978 Vetter Racing Skateboard
One day in 1977 Jackie Smith, a Pismo Beach skateboarder (snowboarder and sandboarder), asked if I would sponsor the design and construction of a racing skateboard. He said that a big race was going to be held at Signal Hill (near Los Angeles) to see who was the fastest. "Sounds good to me," I said. I like a good contest. Cycle magazine graciously donated some money and we were on our way.

I had no idea of what we were in for.
There were very strict rules for this contest. But the idea for going fast, as always, was to minimize the frontal area, keep it aerodynamically slippery and minimize rolling resistance. For good handling, you must also keep the weight as far up front as possible. Of course, it was required that you had brakes. We used a parachute and skuff pads that rubbed on the road (aero space and wagon wheel technology).

Jackie Smith, taped in, ready to go

Good weight distribution meant riding on your stomach. Personally, I would never do this. Pretty scary.

Jackie in the Vetter Skateboard on Signal Hill June 11, 1978
Signal Hill is very steep. The picture does not do it justice. At the bottom is an intersection of another road with a hump which could launch the faster boards into the air and cock them sideways. If you were not exactly in the center of the road, you would go head first into the curb. Many contestants and skateboards were shattered there. Jackie and the Vetter Streamliner Skateboard ran true. We took third place, running 59.27 mph. First place was 59.92 mph.

Twelve contestants were hurt that day, one critically. The skateboards raced one final time at Derby Downs the following week where we took second. These things were too dangerous. They don't do this anymore.
Updated April 19, 2002
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