Are Venturi running?

[pofg]

Been struggling to find any information apart from a mention on Mike Cooks site that Venturi were supposed to have exclusive running from yesterday (17th)....
Interested if they've managed to find them a course?
Rick

[Robin UK]

Update with photos now on the Shootout Facebook page describing the course as "delicate" but that the Venturi/BB is due to run noon today (Tuesday). Be interesting to see how the course holds up. Fingers crossed.

Robin

[TrickyDicky]

Monday: 8/17 The International course is very delicate. It is in better shape than the other courses, but you still can't use the drags on it so the entire prep is being done with the polisher and some with the wheel packer. The Cooks have been at it for four days to get the track ready for the Buckeye Bullet. Final satellite survey Tuesday morning and Buckeye cleared to run at noon. Understand that this course would not stand up well to a lot of cars. This single car private event works fine and the Buckeye crew are happy with the track. It is good through the timed mile, a little rough after that and better again at the far end. We are treating it very carefully to help it mature in time for the Shootout.

Some interesting pictures from John Baechtel showing the condition of the course at mile intervals - not that I have the knowledge to interpret them.  e.g. "popcorn crystals": is their existence good or bad news?

[TrickyDicky]

So, has the first officially-timed run of 2015 happened?

[SteveM]

There is a decent write-up on Mike Cook's Land Speed Shootout page on FaceBook.  Looks like yesterday was spent sorting out gremlins and working on the setup of the car.

Here's a link......

https://www.facebook.com/CookLSS?fref=ts

If you don't do FaceBook, then you won't see his updates.

[TrickyDicky]

Another long relatively hot day with no precipitation. The Venturi VBB III Buckeye Bullet team continued their testing today making several short test runs checking out their systems. No record attempts yet. The crew continued to test and monitor the critical systems of the car in preparation for their record effort. Of particular interest to all our racer friends out there, we are monitoring the track to see how it's coming around. The best description is "slowly". It looks very good most of the way down but is somewhat bumpy and as the photos show, the Buckeye Bullet is chewing up the surface in some areas where it has still not hardened up.
...
 The bad stuff is between the 6-1/2 and the eight and we are putting another polish on that part this evening. The team's goal this year is to raise their previous record of 212.615 mph (342.171 kph) in the FIA Category A Group VIII Class 8.

Looks like conditions are marginal for high speed running.

[TrickyDicky]

Two runs made at speeds adequate to break the record?

[TrickyDicky]

Malcolm UK says on Facebook 

To those used to the instant world of social media you need patience as any press statements not only have to meet the requirements of the sponsor but have to be cleared by the FIA Steward or the FIA representative body (USAC?) before reaching the press and enthusiasts. Failing to use the correct wording has seen other teams lose their records (although that was not publicised!).

Malcolm, can you say who has suffered this fate?  Presumably not Malcolm Campbell/George Eyston/John Cobb!

[Malcolm UK]

As the governing body (FIA) did not publicise the incident I cannot name anyone, but it was in the 'modern era' of the past two decades.

An example of how easy it is to get it 'wrong'  - until the Records Commission has seen all of the paperwork for your bid, you the entrant cannot claim a record has been achieved. You may be allowed to say that an existing record speed has been exceeded but all publicity comments have to include "subject to FIA ratification".

My best guess is that Venturi BB3 have exceeded last years speed - but were they running in the same class?   

[TrickyDicky]

Well, Mike Cook's Facebook page does say:

The team's goal this year is to raise their previous record of 212.615 mph (342.171 kph) in the FIA Category A Group VIII Class 8.

So probably the same class.

[sabat]

The video looks pretty fast! Congrats

[redhotracing]

By the video time stamps and mile markers, looked to be ~240 mph?
(15 seconds between each black marker) Or am I missing something?

[Malcolm UK]

It would be up to the scales of the FIA (USAC) Technical official to confirm the car weighs into the same class as last year.

[ronnieroadster]

I thought area 51 was in Nevada so many secrets good grief!   

[Malcolm UK]

I thought area 51 was in Nevada so many secrets good grief!   

It is the sports governing body that 'controls' publicity (see post #7) as written into the rules (Appendix D) for World Records. This has nothing to do with secrecy ronnieroadster.

If you want to be recognised by a World body you have to 'compete' within the rules.