Author Topic: Official Speed Week 2012 photo/news thread  (Read 438133 times)

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Offline RayTheRat

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Official Speed Week 2012 photo/news thread
« on: August 08, 2012, 08:38:39 PM »
Forgiveness is always easier to get then permission, right?  So I'm gonna start the official SW thread with some photos, since I'm here and I got some to post.  Makes sense to me, anyway.  SSS, if ya wanna move stuff around, do whatcha gotta and I'll try to play along in the same key.  K?

Ok.  So as I left the Salt Lake City area, around 2 pm, it was 103F and there were a few clouds off to the west.  After driving 50 miles west, I was in the middle of a downpour and the Burb's external thermometer said it was 62F.  What the h*ll?  50 miles and a 41 degree drop in temperature?  Weird.  The hard rain didn't last long, but the overcast did.  There was a lotta virga (rain falling that never hits the ground, see 2nd photo) but no more wet stuff outta the sky.

Doc Freud called me to let me know that there was a pretty big storm front along the Utah-Nevada border, heading NE.  I checked out wunderground.com later and I see some activity, but it all seems to be going to the east of the salt. 

When I got to the rest stop at mile marker 7, there westbound traffic was backed up for a mile or so.  I never did figger out what happened, cuz by the time I'd walked 3/4 of the way to the head of the backup, the seas parted and the traffic got moving again.  So I drove on to Land's End, where I met Linda and a coupla other folks and then out to the pit area to stake out a pit for a friend who's a day or so behind me.

The rain might never have hit the salt, but the wind was blowin with a vengeance.  I estimate 40-50 mph wind, fairly steady.  That was 90 minutes ago and it's slowed down quite a bit now.

I'm gonna post this and continue it with a few more images and some observations about the salt.

Offline wheelrdealer

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Re: Official Speed Week 2012 photo/news thread
« Reply #1 on: August 08, 2012, 08:55:10 PM »
Thanks Ray,

I am two days away so it is great to read and see the updates. See you in a few days.

Bill
ECTA    Maxton D/CGALT  Record Holder 167.522
ECTA    Maxton D/CBGALT Record Holder 166.715

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Offline RayTheRat

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Re: Official Speed Week 2012 photo/news thread
« Reply #2 on: August 08, 2012, 08:58:39 PM »
The first thing to say about the salt surface where I driver is that it's like white asphalt.  New stuff that's just been rolled smooth.  This was mostly on the graded surface between Land's End and the pit area.  I've never seen it so smooth and even.  Kudos to Save the Salt and to the crew that set it up.  It's great.  Another observation is that the staging lanes are much closer to Land's end than in previous years.  Now I've only been doing this for 10 years, so I'm still a relative rookie, but I've never seen it in better shape.

All the facilities and trailers are set up.  The yellow tape marking areas off is taking a h*ll of a punishment from the wind...we'll cross our fingers and hope the worst (of the wind) has passed.  Wunderground sez it's 89F with 8mph wind at 6:45 MDT.  I've attached a screen capture of the weather radar image.

The next photo (20120808_0043r8) shows just about the same thing that I saw the last time I was here...except that there's no standing water on the salt...a very good thing and also about 40 degrees warmer...another good thing.  But it almost felt like a "Twilite Zone" moment.  The important thing to note in the photo, tho, is the "boat ramp" made from the new salt (40 bazillion tons or so) added earlier this year.  It's also really nice.

Normally I wouldn't include a shot of the Porta-Potties (well, I might just as a tip o' the hat to the John Jon) but this kinda gives some perspective on the condition of the salt at Land's end.

That's it from here for tonite.  I hope to be on the salt early to get some sunrise shots.




Offline Freud

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Re: Official Speed Week 2012 photo/news thread
« Reply #3 on: August 08, 2012, 09:27:36 PM »
Good job, Son

Daddy FREUD
Since '63

Offline wobblywalrus

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Re: Official Speed Week 2012 photo/news thread
« Reply #4 on: August 08, 2012, 09:34:55 PM »
This is great, Ray.  Nice salt.  Knowing this, I am ordering a rear sprocket one tooth smaller than the one I have.  This should be a good year.  Keep up the good work.

Offline 55chevr

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Re: Official Speed Week 2012 photo/news thread
« Reply #5 on: August 08, 2012, 09:56:27 PM »
great photo of the porta potties ... It will make Slim proud.


Joe

Offline Seldom Seen Slim

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Re: Official Speed Week 2012 photo/news thread
« Reply #6 on: August 08, 2012, 10:47:14 PM »
Nancy took this photo about 11.30 this morning -- at Land's End -- as Trevor and his crew arrived with the 70 units for SCTA - and about 2 dozen privately-rented units.  We didn't get a photo of our pit this late afternoon, though, but you'll be able to recognise it if you drive past tomorrow.  I'm pretty sure we're the only race team with 20 toilets lined up by our pit.  They're the private units, awaiting pickup by the folks that rented 'em.

We put about 6 toilets out at the Bend in the Road, and 2 units at the new Museum campground across from CarQuest.  We're trying to make it as pleasant as we can for as many as possible.  There are five garbage rolloffs near the pits, where they usually are, and one down at the Bend - where it usually is.  Please use them, and get them as full as possible.  We pay not only for the amount that's in 'em, but also just for pickup/dropoff.  Might as well be full - - please.

On another note -- something else is new this year.  The Red Flame will be the food vendor near registration/impound, in the vending area, as usual -- and the Enola Gay food setup will be running down at the start line.  Enola Gay will be setting up at the reg/impound area tomorrow and stay 'til Red Flame arrives - and then move to the line.  But there'll be food at the start line this year.  That's going to make waiting in line way nicer, hey?
Jon E. Wennerberg
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Offline Brickster

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Re: Official Speed Week 2012 photo/news thread
« Reply #7 on: August 09, 2012, 01:17:20 AM »
Is monster energy sponsoring speedweek this year?
1995 dodge Dakota, C/BMMP

Offline RayTheRat

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Re: Official Speed Week 2012 photo/news thread
« Reply #8 on: August 09, 2012, 10:26:51 AM »
Quick weather report.  As of 7 am, the skies are blue with a few wispy clouds, temp is in the low 70s and the wind is light (wunderground sez 3 mph, seems about right.)  All the weather seems to have passed to the east and nothing on the satellite that I could see for the near future.  C'mon down!  The weather's fine!


Offline RayTheRat

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Re: Official Speed Week 2012 photo/news thread
« Reply #9 on: August 09, 2012, 01:22:30 PM »
A few shots from this morning's wandering.

As I left Land's End, there was a bit of A/V recording going on.  I didn't stop to pester 'em with questions like "Uhhh...are ya makin a movie?"  :)

I'm sure most racers can appreciate the down-course shot of Floating Island from the starting line.

The registration and souvenir trailers were open, but tech hadn't opened for business yet.

Not like there weren't any people waiting in line, tho. 

The weather has continued to be beautiful.  Hot, but clear with a slight breeze.  I think everythin I me mentioned yesterday has passed the east.

More later.


Offline racer

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Re: Official Speed Week 2012 photo/news thread
« Reply #10 on: August 09, 2012, 01:25:47 PM »
Thank you Ray......

Salt looks nearly perfect .....

Go Safe and Fast.........

See ya at the BUB meet.....
Ray C Wheeler

Offline RayTheRat

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Re: Official Speed Week 2012 photo/news thread
« Reply #11 on: August 09, 2012, 03:07:30 PM »
A few more photos from this morning's tech line:

TMan's Ford pickup;

Rex Svboda's Saab (Saab?  Yes, it's a Saab.)

A retired NASCAR roundy-rounder running time-only and

Bill Ross's 38 Ford.

I understand that Marlo Treit and the liner are here.  I'll go check 'em out.  More later.


Offline Seldom Seen Slim

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Re: Official Speed Week 2012 photo/news thread
« Reply #12 on: August 09, 2012, 03:51:30 PM »
It's all good at the Seldom Seen Slim pit.  The bike has been inspected and is fueled, and that's fine -- was all done by noon.  Nancy has gone to work her shift in the sales trailer ('til 4.30 if you want to check out what outfit she's wearing), and I'm checking the Forum before I go move a toilet to the 3/4 course timing tower.

The toilet business continues to be flush, so to speak.  I'll post more photos later, but Ray's are more interesting than mine.
Jon E. Wennerberg
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Offline SteveM

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Re: Official Speed Week 2012 photo/news thread
« Reply #13 on: August 09, 2012, 04:48:31 PM »
Looks great on the salt. 

If you are taking requests as a photographer, I would love to see pics of the H/DT entry, the "Add Salt Machine" from Defiance, Ohio (truck# unknown).

Steve.
1/2 of the Rampage Brothers

Offline RayTheRat

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Re: Official Speed Week 2012 photo/news thread
« Reply #14 on: August 09, 2012, 04:59:59 PM »
Here are a few more.  The first 3 are of the Poteet & Main Speed Demon streamliner.  George Poteet is going for 4 Hot Rod Trophies (top speed of the meet) in a row.  If memory serves my (which it usually doesn't) on.y Alex Xydias has done that.  I'm not positive.  Someone will correct me, I'm sure.

The last photo is the Harris Family roadster in tech.  I woulda said "Hi" but they were kinda busy.

More in a minute.