Introduce Yourself

[thrust39]

Hi all,

I am Paul from Poole, England and I'm a Newbie - only joined last night, so be gentle with me! Sadly I am really only an onlooker as I have never even been to the USA let alone the Salt Flats. I have been a bit of a petrol head all my life. I enjoy watching Motorsport but find it all a little too driven by money whereas the Land Speed guys are driven by speed and by knowing that next year you can return and go that bit faster still. I would love to visit Speed Week; maybe I can persuade my fiancee (wife five weeks tomorrow) that a holiday in the States watching insanely fast cars doing what they do best would be a good idea. I did work at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu back in the nineties and loved spending time with some of the great LSR cars - Thrust 2 was even there for a while. I am just starting out on a collection of model LSR cars and hope to get a display cabinet up soon - when it is a little more comprehensive, will post some pics. I hope that all the racers amongst you have a good year - I look forward to keeping up with all the news and results.

[836dstr]

Well, guess it's my turn.

I'm Tom Gilliland (the other "Tom G.") and unfortnately not directly related to Butch and David.

It the late '50's my Dad took me and my sister to a dirt track modified sportsmen race A Balboa Stadium in San Diego (pre SD Chargers). His intent was to show us how noisy and dirty racing was. Nice job Dad, your reverse physcology backfired! Like others went from model cars to car magazines to street and drag cars in the late '60's and early '70's, then came the family. Fast forward to 1995. A friend invited me to go to the October El Mirage race. He told me the atmosphere was like Drag Racing was back in the days it was still a sport and not a business. He was right. Half way throught the Meet I went and got a copy of the Rule Book. The hook was set! A couple of months later I joined the San Diego Roadstr Club.

I was going to build an Opel GT I had that had a tired 4 cly. that screamed to be replaced by a SBC. I had a Model A Roadster that was my daily driver and building or buying a LSR roadster. I happened on a STR in the AD section of the Bonneville Racing News. No engine or trans, but I had that stuff. The car was Nate Sabel's # 836 F/STR. which still holds the ElMo record. After a 4 year rebuild I joked with Nate that the only thing we didn't change was the car number. 2006 was the first year we really ran the car after sorting out a lot of problems. Ran all the El Mirage Meets and Bonneville that year. Lookinh forward to a good season this year and can hardly wait!

Personal Stuff: Retired from Aerospace after 32 years. Turned 62 Jan. 1st this year so one of first babyboomers. Social Security will not pay for this hobby, but will help. Daily drivers include a '57 Chevy 210 and a '32 Hi Boy roadster. It helps to have an understanding wife!

Good luck to all!

Tom (G.)

[Geo]

Welcome Paul,

I hope that all you from far away get the chance to step on the salt.  My last trip to England was in 2006 for a absolutely wonderful time.  All week just cars, cars, cars.  Oh, and one afternoon of rain.

What can you recommend for UK beer?

I'll get some good local US brew for you when you come over.  That goes for you Southern Hemisphere types too!

Geo

[Darcane]

My name is Mike Lackey.  I grew up around a drag strip (My dad's track; Alaska Raceway Park) and toyed around with drag racing, but never built myself a serious race car.  I'm also one of the younger folks on this board, as many of you have been racing longer than I've been alive.

I think I was originally inspired by some of Ray the Rat's pictographic accounts of his trips to the salt.  So, a few years ago I decided to build a land speed car which I've recently started on.  I guess it's really not too serious either, since I'm working on a little Gas Coupe with a 1000cc engine.  I think I should be able to set a record at Bonneville, but only because it's a class nobody has bothered to run in.  As far as building it, it's just me tinkering in my suburbia garage so don't expect anything fancy or quick. 

While I've never posted before, I've been lurking for several months.  There's endless information on here and I'm glad Jon started up the forums again.  I hope to learn from other's mistakes as much as possible so I don't have to learn from as many of my own.

Mike

[Bob Drury]

Woodstock, call Bob Lick in Baker City, he is building a 91 T Bird comp coupe..................P.S. he drives a semi hauling gold (wheat, but it costs the same), so you two can out lie each other..............

[Sumner]

My name is Mike Lackey. ..............  I'm also one of the younger folks on this board, as many of you have been racing longer than I've been alive................Mike

Welcome Mike and we need you young guys so that someone is still racing after we are gone  ,

Sum

[maj]

Maj is a nickname i have dragged with me since high school days, more officially its Greg Watters from Victoria Australia.

Bit of a late starter , didn't know much about landspeed racing till Hawkwind convinced me to have a go in 04...didn't need much convincing  , now very much hooked
Previously kept busy since teenage years racing motocross,dirt track speedway cars,pit crewing drag bikes and circuit cars, bit of dragging cars and bikes myself.
Currently having fun on a turbo busa, long term plan is a 2 wheel streamliner 2wd turbine powered.

Thanks Jon for the efforts on this site, sure missed it for the couple of days it was down.
Hope to meet many of the US crew in 09  and catch up with those we met here in 06

[John Burk]

I'm a 67 year old retired technician from semi rural southern New Jersey . Spectated at Bonneville in 1960 , raced dragsters from '63 till '71 , B/GD and A/FD . Started turning my front engine A/FD into a lakester in '75 when I found no land speed tires were available . Passenger in the '75 Baja 1000 . Flew hot air balloons from '77 to '90 , set a world record in '83 . Started going to Bonneville in the '90's and caught the bug . In 2000 I started on a front wheel drive A/GS . A limited budget and health problems have slowed progress but it may be at this years Speedweek .

[cheeto racer]

Hi!!!  My name is Celia and I am a Newbie.  I started reading this forum last year and have at times laughed my butt off and at times learned some valuable information.
I started comming to B-vill with my husband Brian (Thundersalt) in 2005 as a part of Greg Everitts crew.  To say that I had a blast would be an understatment.  I couldn't wait to come back in "06. That same year Brian was given an oppurtunity to drive a friends Ford lightning truck.  You should have seen the ear to ear grin on his face when he climbed out after his first pass.  Needless to say,, at that time I  thought it was only a matter of time before we had our own car. So last year a project car became available.  I was a little hesitant until he said that I could drive YIPEEE!!  I made two passes at Speedweek,  and I can tell you that after I got over the initial fear at the starting line.. and got to the end of my first pass. that i know that I had that same ear to ear grin. So now I look forward   to every August for that HOT, long wait in  line  for my moment to grin like a liitle kid again!!!  Yeah I know I'm a salt Junkie..

[stay`tee]

g`day, ronnie stayt (pronunced stay-it ) here from australia, born and raised on a cattle property had me riding one horsepower since before i could walk, that progressed to racing my mates with the fastest horse in the valley,,, so i guess it was a natural progression to motorcycles,,,, donald campbells effots on lake eyre in 63, i think it was, fasinated me...then articles in easyriders magazine about their attempt, had me hooked on streamliners, however, at that time , a lack of a lsr venue, and a young family left me at the dreaming stage... been dragracing motorcycles since the late sixties, with moderate success, held three aussie dragracing records,,,, then in the mid ninties i heard of a place called gairdner, drove over (3000+ mile round trip) in 97 to check out speedweek, i was the only one there, the lake had 6" of water over it,,, returned in 04 with a turbocharged kz kawasaki, built from various bits and pieces left over from mine and mates previous projects, i do all my own engine and chassie work ,ran a best of 159, then clutch problems set in,,, returned in 06 with a kawasaki zx12r, a little warmed over and went 204 on less than ideal salt,,, at present am busy working on my new lsr project, a gs1150 turbocharged suzuki...
attended bubs last year, enjoyed it so much that i didnt want to come home, am planning on coming over every year (annual vacation), will miss this year, as my daughter is getting married, but will be there next year, along with all the other aussies,,,,

[krusty]

Hello. I'm Vic Maguire. I first attended Speedweeks in 2006 and truly enjoyed the laid-back atmosphere. Haven't seen that in racing in the last 25 years, probably because from 1983-2004 I've been a full-time mechanic  in Trans Am , IMSA, and NASCAR. Couldn't make it back in 2007, but it appears that I'll get to the salt this year as a crewman, as I've been recruited to do some work on a roadster.  I've lurked here for a few years, but now the questions will be forthcoming.

[Dynoroom]

Hello. I'm Vic Maguire. I first attended Speedweeks in 2006 and truly enjoyed the laid-back atmosphere. Haven't seen that in racing in the last 25 years, probably because from 1983-2004 I've been a full-time mechanic  in Trans Am , IMSA, and NASCAR. Couldn't make it back in 2007, but it appears that I'll get to the salt this year as a crewman, as I've been recruited to do some work on a roadster.  I've lurked here for a few years, but now the questions will be forthcoming.

Glad to have you over here Vic. Let the questions fly, we'll lie to you better than Charlie Selix   . See ya soon.

[edweldon]

Paul from Poole,UK --
Get in touch with Pork Pie (reply #25 in this thread)  Every year he comes to Speedweek from Germany.  I'm sure he can give you some tips on travel from Europe to Wendover, Utah.  Finding a place to stay can be tough if you want to get a room.  They book up pretty fast and there's a body of knowledge in the landspeed community on how to do that without coming up on the short end.
If you and your new wife are up to a camping vacation there are ways a lot of us do that.  Camping at Speedweek is easy and cheap; but just a bit primitive. All you need is whatever you (and she especially) consider to be minimal camping equipment. Ranging from a diesel pusher motorhome to a tent and a couple of air mattresses.  Out there free open desert camping away from organized camping facilities is commonplace and there is a specific location where most of the Speedweek campers set up (known as the "Bend in the Road")
A warning is in order here.  Not all of the women are thrilled with Bonneville.  She has to be a bit of a good sport and an interest in automotive stuff really helps.  So does a good supply of sunscreen and chapstick for lip protection from the dry air.
Question to others on the list -- does the old Stateline Casino (or whatever they call themselves now) still have the display of model Landspeed cars up there on the second floor where the 2 club banquets are held?  I'll bet Paul would be interested in seeing any good pics you can post or provide links to of that.
Ed Weldon

[Dynoroom]

Question to others on the list -- does the old Stateline Casino (or whatever they call themselves now) still have the display of model Landspeed cars up there on the second floor where the 2 club banquets are held?  I'll bet Paul would be interested in seeing any good pics you can post or provide links to of that.
Ed Weldon

Yep still there.......

[Momec]

G'Day
Chris from Brisbane Australia. Been lurking here awhile. I'm a motor mechanic of 32 years with my main interest being engines.

Cars are a life support system for an engine so salt lake racing has always been the ultimate engine test.
I've been going to our Lake G since 99 and raced my 65 Falcon ute first in 01.

I now happily build engines for a living and have spent the last couple building V8 supercar engines and this year Porsche Carrera Cup and various others.
I'm in awe of the valuable build info on this site and have just started building my next project to run in gas comp coupe. Expect some dumb questions.
Thanks Jon for keeping this site going

Seeya Chris