What's What - Weds before SpeedWeek

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Here's our first-hand report on salt conditions.  Nancy and I have been out to about the 8 on the long course and about the 4 1/2 on the short course.

Leaving Land's End you've gotta bear left and follow the "SCTA" cone line (not the Cook Event cones that go to the right).  The cones bend slowly to the northwest and go miles and miles to the pits.  About 2-3 miles from Land's End the salt is damp enough to have water dripping off the inner fenders, but it's not too slick and sticky.  Another mile or so and it's back to pretty good driving. The salt in the pits is still 1/4" salt -- that is, you get about a quarter-inch taller each step you take 'cause the salt is sticking to your shoes.  Don't worry -- it's drying by the hour.

The access road is kinda BUMPY and it ain't gonna get any smoother as we all go strafing up and down the road, so be ready to be kinda judicious on the throttle, hey?

The courses are 8 miles, 5 miles, and 3 miles (rookie).  The salt is pretty good and hard with a few places where the surface is kinda cream colored, not perfectly white.  Lookin' good -- but always can be better, can't it?

The short and rookie courses are around the bend in the Salduro dike - and that means it's a long haul from pits to those two start lines.

Nancy took some photos and I'll get 'em up here in a little while.  If you've got questions that I might be able to answer -- have at it.

[Avanti Kid]

Question, do we get our pit passes for our push truck at the registration trailer ?? so we can support a pre-register race vehicle?? thanks

[Seldom Seen Slim]

You won't be busted for not having a pit pass Thursday and maybe Friday.  Ask Lynda/somebody at Land's End for the latest when you get here.

Here are a few early photos of what we found today, including my obligatory photo of how much salt is sticking to the truck:



And in a nod to those not here this week -- a photo Nancy took of me wearing my SOS shirt.



New signs:





Some new marker signs along the side of the long course.  No, I don't know if these are the newest thing or an experiment or what.



Here's what it looks like at Land's End, looking out onto the salt.  No HOLE!  A ramp.  Don't know how long it'll hold up to traffic, but it's way better than axle-deep mudholes, isn't it?



And finally -- the ever-famous SSS pit the day the toilets arrive.  These are SOME of the private rentals that have been reserved.  If you've got toilets/etc on order -- please DO NOT take yours 'til you check out with us so we can mark you down.  Trevor from HB will be here Thurs and Fri to help get the private units straightened out.



Later --

[Seldom Seen Slim]

We tried out the new restaurant (to us, at least) in Wendover (Utah) tonight.  It's the one that's east of the "main" intersection in Wendover -- down behind the Nugget, so to speak, and used to be Mildred's.  And used to be a few other names, too.  It's La Malinche (no, I dolano used to be, a few years agon't have a clue what it means).  The food was fine, prices decent, and service a tad slow.  Seeing as how we were the only customers in the place 'til Joe from DJ Safety walked in -- why so slow?

But still, maybe they weren't ready for the racers.  Give the place a try.

Also -- Stainless, the ice cream and taco shop kinda next to Motel 6 -- is closed.  The way Fogie explained it tonight is that the guy is the one that's re-done and open the Copper Kettle -- which is what the place where Taco Poblano used to be.  We didn't give any further effort to the research.

[tauruck]

You just told us not to wear shorts on the salt Boss!!!!
That's nuts.
Thanks for the pics.

[Milwaukee Midget]

And in a nod to those not here this week -- a photo Nancy took of me wearing my SOS shirt.

I suspect they'll be listening in, but the SOS boys have their work cut out for them retrofitting the Duttweiler replacement for the Holden in the tank over the next 6 months.

The Kiwi Mini team says they'll be rolling into town on Friday after a detour south to see what they are describing as "a big hole in the ground".  They left Barstow yesterday - or is it "Barstool" - with the Cooper in tow.  A lot more trailer than they really need - could have brought a spare Mini on that flatbed.