Local trio sets records on vintage motorcycle

ASHEVILLE — Just because a motorcycle is 70 years old doesn’t mean its racing days are over.

Buncombe County residents Harold Seagle, Dottie Mattern and Scott Olofson proved that point last month during a land speed race in Maxton.

Riding Olofson’s 1937 Indian Scout, Seagle and Mattern each broke a class record within the East Coast Timing Association (ECTA) on May 18-19 at an abandoned military airstrip in Maxton, which is 100 miles southeast of Charlotte.

A racing novice, Mattern turned in the fastest speed (91.74 miles per hour) for the vintage (manufactured before 1955), fuel-powered, 500CC bike.

Olofson also entered the machine in the 650CC category, and Seagle promptly broke the record in that category with a speed of 91.01 mph.

ECTA president Joe Timney said motorcycles can be entered in a heavier weight category for a fee, but they cannot move down to a lighter weight.

The ECTA does not include records from automotive speed trials in Bonneville, Utah, where faster times have been set in both categories that Olofson’s Scout participated in last month.

Mattern, a member of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America and owner of a 1936 Indian Scout, estimated that 95 percent of vintage motorcycle owners either display or leisurely ride their antiques.

Her ’36 Scout is on exhibit at the Wheels Through Time museum in Maggie Valley, and she frequently takes sightseeing rides on old bikes.

When Olofson asked her to ride his modified racing Scout in Maxton, she felt both excited and uneasy.

“My biggest concern was that I didn’t want to blow up someone else’s valuable machine,” Mattern said. “I remember seeing the cones flash by, then the half-mile sign, then the three-quarter mile sign.

“… I looked up for the timing tower and tried to be as smooth and compact as I could.

“It was so exhilarating,” she said. “I loved riding that old motorcycle.”

Seagle and Mattern said the Scout vibrated wildly while reaching its peak speed, but both said the end result made the bumpy ride worthwhile.

“I was very pleased,” said Seagle, who also set a pair of ECTA records in his Porsche 911SC rally car.

“The mixture of breaking the record and going over 90 miles an hour on a 70-year-old motorcycle was just a lot of fun.”