Burklands' 411 Streamliner

[TrickyDicky]

I don't know whether this is a good place to pose this question, but here goes ...

As far as I know, the last time the Burklands' 411 Streamliner ran was 2008 when Tom Burkland broke Al Teague's famous 1991 FIA mile record.  Are there any plans for either car or driver to run again?

I'm aware from various comments on landracing.com that Tom is still very involved in land speed racing, although possibly not as a competitor.  I just wondered whether the car will ever be seen again on the salt.

[TrickyDicky]

Bad netiquette for me to reply to myself, but since this has had 275 views with no replies ...

I'm pleased to say that I've had a personal message from Tom Burkland in response to my query.  I hope I am not giving away any secrets if I say that the 411 streamliner has not been retired.

[Texican]

  He and I had a bit of a business relationship 2 years back; and I asked him about same.

He wants "12 miles of good salt", was the response at that time.

Today we may have about 8.

Some courses have been dragged, but the texture is somewhat moister in spots than others.
NO WATER  to ford at Land's end.

What is planned for access road is smoother than most SLC streets.

2.5 weeks to Speed Week.
Next 10 days are forecast DRY!    

Jim

[hotrod]

That is the same impression I got talking to the Burklands a few years ago, waiting for the salt conditions (to come to them) ie to be good enough to properly run the the car to its potential.

[Steve Cole]

I was there the last time the liner ran. They had there hands full with a problem that required them to use just about every inch of surface to get it all stopped, and I do mean every inch! Tom did one hell of a job driving it, so I can see him not being in a hurry if he feels the conditions are not what they should be.

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Steve said:  "... a problem that required them to use just about every inch of surface to get it all stopped, and I do mean every inch! "

As I remember -- that stop included more than a few feet, more than a few instances, where Mr. Burkland was airborne.  Count that in the amount it took to come to a halt.

[DallasV]

I reckon he has done all he can do with the 60% of the car's horsepower that he can get to the ground because of surface conditions. I do know it wouldn't take much to get the car on the salt again if there were considerable improvements in track surface.

[GH]

Didn't they run out into the mud one year and a bunch of people pulled it out by hand? Or was that some other liner.

[Buickguy3]

  Like this shot? http://gearheads.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Burlkand_411_Streamliner_2008.jpg

[Billy @ AHG]

That is Ray the Rat's (RIP) Photo if I'm not mistaken, had it on my screen saver for a long time !

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Having been there when Tom came barreling into the pits and Ray was shooting frame after frame -- I can assure you that the airborne photos do a terrifying justice to a few seconds' of "WTF am I seeing?" feeling that Nancy and I shared - probly with quite a few others of us that were REALLY close to the freeway, too!

[Steve Cole]

I can remember standing at the edge of our pit area and seeing Tom coming, thinking he's in trouble, as its coming way way to fast and there's not much past us to the hwy. Tom was driving it like no tomorrow, side to side trying to scrub speed off, in the air a few times and finally stopped with the liner turned 90 deg to the track. Had it been a dirt track car and not a 30 + ft. streamliner I'm sure it would have been much easier on Tom.

[GH]

Was that in 2002 when we ran the other way for back up runs?

[Seldom Seen Slim]

No, it was a down run on a two-way for the Shootout - '09?.  They run from the far end towards the pits first - to make it that much easier to get the vehicle to service for the timed turnaround in case the driver qualifies.

[NathanStewart]

Didn't they run out into the mud one year and a bunch of people pulled it out by hand? Or was that some other liner.

That was someone else.