New Zealand's Fastest Couple Just Got Faster - Shakedown

Los Angeles–based Doug and Miriam Macmillan of Hondata once again made their mark at the 63rd Annual SpeedWeek, as the pair drove their Acura RSX and Honda CRX to three new records and new personal bests at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. Miriam Macmillan, in her ’90 CRX (turbo 1.5L), boosted her way to a new record of 220.258 mph, averaged over two runs on successive days. Miriam’s exit speed at the end of the fourth mile of 234.6 mph is a personal best, up from her peak speed of 207 mph in 2010 when she earned her crown as New Zealand’s Queen of Speed. “My CRX has a lot more in it,” Miriam said. “Had the driver’s window not been sucked out of the car and smashed I would have run again and continued to the fifth mile.”

Doug’s co-driver, Daniel Butler (700hp twin supercharged 2.0L) in his RSX earned an extra 12 mph over the previous record to achieve 230.761 mph. Doug’s runs were not quite as smooth, as switching to the fuel class by adding a 100 shot of nitrous required taller gearing with a larger pair of front tires. Unfortunately, the tires shredded at 225 mph requiring a change back to the smaller rubber. On the next run, however, a rod cap let go, punched a hole in the block, and set fire to the car just a few seconds before the finish! Despite all of this, Doug’s RSX broke the previous record with a 232.546-mph run, the team’s fastest timed mile for the week. Unfortunately, with a blown engine the record could not be backed up. “The RSX with its 100 shot of nitrous was pulling very strong. With better tires and taller gearing we’ll be shooting for more than 240 mph in the RSX next year,” Doug said. “I think the CRX has the most untapped potential, though. Our goal for the CRX is to hit 250 mph.”
hondata.com