Good times at Salt Flats

[BertBeagle]

Great 3 days at Bonneville. The people - drivers, crews and officials - are very nice - tolerant of many questions and pictures. This is one of the last bastions of free thinking motorsports. No two cars are alike.


The pits are out there somewhere - just follow the cones.


The salt


neat cars everywhere


cool car


Cadillac - one of the nicest cars there. Pneumatics control dynamic ride height, front body work from doors forward all one piece aluminum - very nice , hood is original Cadillac part, built by a couple of guys from Georgia, engine guy from Ca.


Small streemliner with little ground clearance - under trailer for hauling
very clever


The short course starting line


Great times with friends I don't see nearly often enough


Streemliner went 350+ on Friday


Students from Ohio State University having the time of their lives with a electric / hydrogen fuel cell powered car. This was an incredible car. the one time I saw was 205.

[slodave]

That's cool. Are the pusher trucks provided for everyone (that need them)? From the pictures, it looks like you can go "snow blind" without sunglasses.

[BReyes]

I can't wait to go. Thanks for the pics.

[Rick V]

Way cool. Thanks.

[Jims5543]

I cannot wait to catch up with you again in Nov. awesome pics and you are correct that is one of the last bastions of free thinking motorsports.

[Skip Newsom]

My son and I went for the first time this year to the first day of speed week, the 12th of August. It was absolutely surreal! I was blown away by the whole experience... the vast open space, driving through a "puddle" just beyond where the pavement ends (more like driving into a lake 200+ yards across of unknown depth. Sure glad I was driving a rental), the people and the astounding variety of vehicles.
I think I may be hooked!

We ran into this guy at the last rest stop before hitting the salt:


We saw some great Rat rods:




And some interesting pit vehicles:


The only down side was that the wind picked up at about 11 am so they stopped all racing. I think it must have been a touch warmer when we were there compared to your group photo, When we got back in the rental to leave the thermometer was reading 102.

Now I have the itch to find out how fast my old 72 will really go!

[Venetian]

I"d love to go some time. Is the August meet the big event of the year or are there other big dates??

[rouxroux]

One of my college professors from 30 years ago still races there. He holds several records in Studebakers, and they built up a Miata for his wife to have fun in on the salt.

[scottmandue]

This is something I have to put on my "things to do before I die list"

Do they have a website that shows the dates they run?

I would love to take some crazy stupid highly modded junk yard dog out there and tear up the salt.

[BertBeagle]

Originally Posted by Venetian

I"d love to go some time. Is the August meet the big event of the year or are there other big dates??

Here is the site for info: http://www.scta-bni.org/

They run three times each year - August, Sept, October. October is a smaller event - 150 or so cars this time vs 600+ for August. But the weather, I am told, is much nicer in October. The only Sat morning photo in my post is the one of the 4 of us. The Temp dropped and the wind picked up. I am in SLC now and it is snowing!

I was amazed at how you can walk (even drive your car) right up to the start line as the cars go for a run. I probably took 300 pictures - it was incredible.

You will find very interesting people with good stories there. Some of the cars running have been there for 20 to 50 years and some are brand new and everything in between.

I will be back next year.

[URY914]

The Salt Flats and Pike Peak are two events that are true American traditions. One day I'll go to both.

[Rick Lee]

I was there when I was about 10 yrs. old, but didn't see any kind of organized event. I can't imagine how much salt gets on every surface of every vehicle out there. I wonder how my bike would fare there.

[Tobra]

Originally Posted by URY914

The Salt Flats and Pike Peak are two events that are true American traditions. One day I'll go to both.

that will be pretty busy day

[trekkor]

What does it take to run?


KT

[notfarnow]

SOOOOO jealous. I'm trying to talk my dad into going with me in '08. FWIW, there is a "soft" record that sometimes gets my gears turning.

I've spent a bit of time lurking on the landcaring.com forums:
http://www.landracing.com/forum/index.php
Pretty cool to follow the different builds. Everything from backyard/junkyard engineering to high-dollar sponsored vehicles. Really need cast of characters too.

Really good photo gallerie there too. Everything from special construction lakesters & streamliners to Mercedes Gullwings and Geo Metros

Originally Posted by trekkor

What does it take to run?
KT

I got the SCTA rulebook. They can be hard to find, but if you find an '05 or '06 copy (sometimes on ebay), you can get the updates and ammendments online. Motorcycles are the easiest way to go, because they don't require the level of safety gear. Cars are divided by class, and different classes & speeds require different levels of fire suppression, roll cages, scatter sheilds, safety restraints etc... The rule book can be a bit hard to interpret, and every year cars are turned away at safety scrutineering. They recommend going to watch scrutineering a year before you enter a car, just so you know what to expect.

The easiest way onto the salt is through the Utah Salt Flats Racing Association's 130 & 150 club. Aside from some basic safety equipment, pretty much "run what ya brung".