Hi-I'm Chuk Williams, from sunny South Florida. I've been actively involved with Bonneville since 2007, when I first showed up as a spectator. Pretty quickly I met the guys from Lander, Wyoming running a streamliner-hung out with them and helped out a bit. The "spirit" of Bonneville made a big impression on me then-and still does! Everyone was so welcoming and willing to help others- I felt like this was "my kinda place"!
In 2010 I began the build of my own streamliner-#933....the first steam-powered streamliner to grace the salt since 1985! In 2012, we made it to the World Finals for the first big tech inspection and a few shakedown runs. We didn't have a body at that time, but we got the chance to break a few things, fix a few things, and get a feel for the car. A body was built, and we planned to return for the 2013 World Finals-but of course they were cancelled. We got a chance to return for the World of Speed in September '14. Track conditions weren't the best, but the car was running great for the test runs in the pits, so we went out for our first run-a licensing run up to 150. The feeling during the run was that I was running on about an inch of slush. The car was controllable, and I felt ok, but the difference in handling(compared to WF's in 2012) was very different. At 145, I pulled the chute to end the run, but it didn't deploy...and taking my attention off driving/fumbling with the chute release, I lost control and wiped out.
The vehicle was trashed, I was slightly injured.....and now I'm planning the next 'liner-hoping the conditions at Bonneville will improve enough for us to continue the GREATEST kick-in-the-pants feeling I've ever been a part of!!