Pit set-up

[kspz3]

I am curious as to best set-up for the Pits at Bonneville. Is it common to bring a generator, microwave, refrig, and trying to have air conditioning in the trailers. These may be silly questions - but I primarily have drag strip experieince in the hills of Pennsylvania and not a week on the salt.....
Thanks,
Kevin

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Yes, you've got it nailed.  Also please pit right next to us.

A/C?  Nice, but do you mean you're bringing a huge unit that'll sit outside in your pit and blow cool air over you (and us, right next door)?  I think that's overkill.  Last SpeedWeek we were pitted next to Ack Attack -- they had an interesting setup:  CO2 bottle pressurizing a water tank that fed lines with tiny holes -- so they had a mister going for hours at a time.  I sat with them a few times -- but would have been okay without it.

Generator -- sure, if you need all that much AC power.  I've got a 400 watt inverter mounted in the bed of my pickup -- plenty for charging laptop batteries, rechargeable tool batteries.

Mircowave?  Where do you think you're going?  This is the Bonneville Salt Flats, for gosh sakes!  There's an abundance of natural heat (read: sunshine) to warm your sandwiches.  Bring a thermos to carry hot coffee from the motel in the morning -- you'll drink only about half the cup before you switch to sports drink about 9AM.

Refrigerator?  Nah, use ice -- be a real racer.  The melted ice can be ued to cool the intercooler, too, or to soak rags in to wrap around your neck after runs.

A/C in the trailer?  I suppose so, if you really must -- but again, it'll require you to run the generator, make noise, use fuel, and sit inside and miss the runs and the visitors.  Go circulate in the crowd.  Perhaps the most-often asked question as you walk around among the racers, the pits, the lines in pre-stage and staging:  "Hi -- need something to drink?"

Part of the fun of Bonneville is the long lines at the icemachines in the motels each morning as everyone ignores the "Please don't fill coolers" signs and fills the coolers. . .

[Sumner]

I am curious as to best set-up for the Pits at Bonneville. Is it common to bring a generator, microwave, refrig, and trying to have air conditioning in the trailers. These may be silly questions - but I primarily have drag strip experience in the hills of Pennsylvania and not a week on the salt.....
Thanks,
Kevin

Well if Jon is on one side of you make sure we are on the other side .

Since you said "Pits" I assume you will be racing.  What?? A bike or car??

And if you are racing you will be in line most of the day, so what is in the pits is in material.  But don't forget your ground tarp to put your race vehicle and don't forget overhead shade so you can work on it in a little comfort.  Maybe you already had that part figured out.  We hold our ground tarp down with big nails.  They go in easy and come out easy with a claw type nail puller.  Make sure it doesn't take forever to put your overhead shade up and down as the wind can come up and you will not want to leave the tarp on it overnight.

There are a couple things you absolutely need:  drinks, sunglasses, sun screen, drinks, sunglasses, sun screen..........

c ya there,

Sum

[donpearsall]

Sumner is right. The racers never see the pits as they are in line all day long. Comfy pits might be nice for your spouse or someone who is not needed to help you move along in the line. Most people are never in the pits except for short periods to fix something. The more time spent in the pits the more you lose position in line.

Don

[jimmy six]

Leave the wife and kids at home so you won't need any of that stuff

[DahMurf]

Leave the wife and kids at home so you won't need any of that stuff

Unless your wife and/or kids are faster then you & then you may want to bring them along!
Deb

PS: Todd says, without his wife, he has no pits!

[kspz3]

OK - I think that I have got it...... 2 coolers with lots of ice..... maybe some food and lots of beverages. Bring a drop cloth for the pit I guess assuming that I am going to work on the bike? Hmm, I guess I will need to thingk of something to do to it, sunscreen, sun glsses and wet tiles for cooling in the staging lanes which is where everyone hangs out. I do have a generator and fan that has sat in my garage for years.... never seemed to be worth the hassle to take it to the drag strip.... guess it will be the same here.
Thanks for the input and maybe. My plan is to run the Bub event this year.
Kevin

[Seldom Seen Slim]

No, the ground cover is not an option.  You're required to have one under your bike whenever it's in the pits and when it's in impound.  The BLM wants racers to prevent fluids of any type from getting onto the salt.  Blue plastic tarp, grey plastic tarp, green plastic tarp, etc.

Sum says he uses big nails -- and so did I 'til I discovered that pounding them in/pulling them out with a claw hammer is more work than using carriage bolts/lag bolts and the power drill.  BIG fender washers, too -- otherwise the wind that'll come up while you're not in the pit will be more easily able to rip the tarp away from the little grommets.

Fan:  Nice, but there's more often than you'd think a bit of breeze that'll keep you refreshed...sorta.  Generator:  Real nice, but make sure it's got a big-Acura muffler so you can hear yourself think and so you can hear the radio system announcing what's going on.

Bring an air compressor, or at least a 5-10 gallon air tank to fill at the truck stop.  We have one -- and it's about the most-borrowed "tool" we have in our pit.  Everybody seems to need air now and then.

Can you get to SpeedWeek, even as a spectator?  You'll learn LOTS that'll serve you well when you show up with a race vehicle.  We look forward to meeting you this summer.

[Glen]

Kevin

Prior to speed week there will be plenty of info on what one needs to take to the salt. Jimmy six and others have a list usually posted on this web site. Almost everything they can think of from years on the salt and dry lakes. The list might be in the archives. One thing to remember is don't leave tools in the sun, if you do you will be quick to  learn how far you can throw it. and cuss at the same time. lol
Don't be afraid to ask questions or for help, lots of people looking to help others on the salt.
Glen

[Dean Los Angeles]

Hints for Bonneville
http://www.scta-bni.org/Bonneville/BNI_Hints.htm
Rookie Spectators Guide to Bonneville
http://www.saltflats.com/Getting%20Started%20Guide.html

[Sumner]

Sum says he uses big nails -- and so did I 'til I discovered that pounding them in/pulling them out with a claw hammer is more work than using carriage bolts/lag bolts and the power drill.  BIG fender washers, too -- otherwise the wind that'll come up while you're not in the pit will be more easily able to rip the tarp away from the little grommets.

You have to use the right tools for the job Jon .  Don't use a little claw hammer.  Use a small hand sledge hammer.  And use a pry bar with a claw on the end of it that you hit with a hammer to wedge it under the head of the nail.  And most important assign this job to someone else on the pit crew .

The washers are a good idea and we use those, I just thought we shouldn't tell him all the secrets the 1st year.

You and Nancy have a good 1st along with everyone else and as usual......
......c ya,

Sum

[narider]

I just thought we shouldn't tell him all the secrets the 1st year.

JW's pretty good at spilling what he knows sometimes though. 
Todd

[Rocky R]

You won't have to worry about the generator drowning out the radio signal. Even though Bub bought a radio station, they still haven't figured out how to make it work

[JackD]

All of the equipment suggestions are useful but the day long line is useless and needs work.

[kspz3]

All of the equipment suggestions are useful but the day long line is useless and needs work.

So let me understand...... how long are the lines at the Bub event........ and how many runs per day can be expected - and how long do you on average wait in the line prior to the run....
Kevin