We resume our coverage of the last 5 record breaking years with 1986. The CD of all the buggy book scans is coming along nicely, and will be available on raceday.
1986 was a record setting year, but history was made on a number of fronts. On day 1, ATO had a fire in their truck that came frighteningly close to a serious catastrophe that could have threatened the future of buggy. The incident prompted school administration including Anne Witchner to convene a committee of alumni to create a new body of rules to protect the participants. This work most likely saved buggy and provides the base of rules that still govern the sport.
After a dropping pushbar failure on hill 1 of their finals heat in 1985 took them out of contention, PiKA came back strong in ’86 to set the record at 2:08.67.
The PiKA win was historic and their 4th of the decade, but a newcomer would factor heavily into it also being their last until the 90’s. Spirit entered the race for the first time and finished 4th in men’s and winning women’s- immediately catching the attention of those in the know and foreshadowing the beginning of a new power structure in buggy.