Bogley

[Iceaxe]

Quote: so why is the black rock desert where the current land speed records are held?

The Potash mining companies nearly destroyed the salt flats by draining the brine to extract potash. The Salt Flats were nearly lost and the salt was not deep enough or big enough to race on from the 80's to about 2000.

About 5 years ago an agreement was reached with the local mining company and they begin to pump the brine back onto the flats after they had extracted the potash and the salt flats began to recover.

Until this year the Salt has not been good enough to attempt the big records. if things keep improving the Salt Flats should again rein king of speed.

You can read more about the battle to save the salt here:
http://www.saltflats.com/save%20the%20salt.html

And I just want some of the tree huggers to realize the salt flats would now be gone if it were not for the gearheads stepping in to save them.

[Iceaxe]

There appears to be a lot of interest in this topic so I started a new thread titled

Anatomy of a LSR attempt.
http://uutah.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=24124

I get the JCB Dieselmax team diaries emailed to me and I'll try and keep them up-to-date. I think some of you will find this fascinating.

[stefan]

Iceaxe wrote: And I just want some of the tree huggers to realize the salt flats would now be gone if it were not for the gearheads stepping in to save them.


i knew about some of the issues with salt, i guess i didn't realize how it made it difficult to perform for major speed records.
3 cheers for RACING SAVING THE SALT :clap: :clap: :clap:


damn potash :bandit2:

[accadacca]

Yeah man, I have really enjoyed reading this stuff. :popcorn:

[Iceaxe]

GM Engineer is Safe and Sound after Bonneville Speed Week Incident
For Release: August 14, 2006

WENDOVER, Utah – GM engineer and driver Jim Minneker is in good condition after an incident at the Bonneville Salt Flats today while making a qualifying run in the Chevy So-Cal HHR.

Minneker was beating the previous record of 226.835 in the G/BFCC class (G Class/Blown Fuel Competition Coupe) with a qualifying run of 246.686 mph when the HHR lost traction after parachute deployment at the five mile mark of the long course. The vehicle’s terminal speed at the time was 249.793 mph.

Minneker was able to walk away from the incident with nothing more than a stiff neck.

“We take any kind of racing very seriously, and the safety of our race drivers is always of paramount importance,” said GM Performance Division Executive Director Bob Kruse. “GM’s technology, equipment and procedures for racing are world class and today’s incident is a prime example. The special structure of the HHR was outstanding, and it performed exactly as it was intended for this ultra high speed type of incident.”

Fabricated at the So-Cal Speed Shop by Robin “Silky” Silk and Paul Rivera, the HHR’s specialized tubular chassis was inspired by the Pro Mod chassis used in drag racing and patterned after some of the top fuel drag racers in the world.

Per Southern California Timing Association (SCTA) and Bonneville Nationals Incorporated (BNI) rules, when an on-course incident of this nature occurs, the vehicle becomes the property of the sanctioning committee until a thorough assessment and tech inspection of the vehicle can be completed.

A technical committee made up of SCTA-BNI inspectors and officials, and GM and So-Cal representatives will determine what happened and will make whatever recommendations might be appropriate.

# # #

Phil Colley
GM Performance Division Communications
Ph: 586.492.2302
Email: phil.colley@gm.com

[Iceaxe]

Speed Week: Numerous records set
The Salt Lake Tribune

BONNEVILLE SALT FLATS - Steve Atuell drove the "Hot Rod Magazine Special" to a 246.011 mph record Thursday at Speed Week on the salt flats. He was among several drivers setting records on the smooth hard salt.

Although Speed Week ends today, the British JCB DieselMax team will continue running until the end of the month in an attempt to break the diesel powered land-speed record.

Many old-timers expressed the opinion that the salt was like it was 40 years ago. Despite the great condition, the starting line was moved one mile to the east in the morning to give the cars better traction in the first mile.

This year's Speed Week is the biggest in history with more than 500 cars entered. There were more spectators than ever before. Many attribute the record number of entries and spectators to the movie "The World's Fastest Indian," which was filmed last year on the salt flats.

A driver was injured in a 244 mph crash just after 1 p.m. His name and condition were unknown at press time.