Author Topic: List of entries for 2017 Mike Cook's Top Speed Shootout?  (Read 18475 times)

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Offline tallguy

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List of entries for 2017 Mike Cook's Top Speed Shootout?
« on: August 29, 2017, 12:11:09 AM »
Hi, all.  Is there an available list of folks & vehicles that are already invited, signed-up,
etc. for the Top Speed Shootout of 2017?   I couldn't find this on Mike Cook's Top
Speed Shootout website.  Thanks in advance for any help with this, and good luck
to EVERYBODY on the salt.

Offline TrickyDicky

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Re: List of entries for 2017 Mike Cook's Top Speed Shootout?
« Reply #1 on: August 29, 2017, 04:28:30 AM »
From "Shootout News":

Quote
4/28/17
Entries are pouring in for the 2017 Mike Cook’s Bonneville Shootout.
Here are the racers who have signed up so far.
...

Streamliners
George Poteet
Danny Thompson
Jim Knapp
Buckeye Bullet

Motorcycle Streamliners
Valerie Thompson – BUB 7
Guy Martin – Triumph

Motorcycles
Al Lamb
Jamie Williams (bike + snowmobile)
Erin Okonek 
Erin Sills
Mike Garcia
Jerome Klawitter


There may well have been some changes since April.

Offline tallguy

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Re: List of entries for 2017 Mike Cook's Top Speed Shootout?
« Reply #2 on: September 10, 2017, 08:54:46 PM »
Thanks, TrickyDicky.  I appreciate it. 

Offline TrickyDicky

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Re: List of entries for 2017 Mike Cook's Top Speed Shootout?
« Reply #3 on: September 11, 2017, 06:03:59 AM »
Update on Friday (on Facebook):

Quote
Current Shootout Confirmed entries include:

Streamliners
 Valerie Thompson
 Buckeye Bullet
 Triumph Streamliner
 Target 550 (waiting for parts)

Bikes
 Al Lamb
 Erin Sills
 Erin Okonek
 Mike Garcia
 Jim Cole
 Jerome Klawiter
 Jamie Williams (snowmobile)\

Speed Demon and Challenger II are not attending

The Shootout without Speed Demon will be ... unusual.

Offline joea

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Re: List of entries for 2017 Mike Cook's Top Speed Shootout?
« Reply #4 on: September 11, 2017, 09:49:45 AM »
One or two cars ...wow...

FIA fees shouldered by one contender (Marlo likely testing if they show) ..?

Anyone know details on speed demon not seeking
speed on what is typically the best track of the year


Offline salt27

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Re: List of entries for 2017 Mike Cook's Top Speed Shootout?
« Reply #5 on: September 11, 2017, 12:01:37 PM »
I don't recall Speed Demon being at the Shootout last year either.

  Don
« Last Edit: September 11, 2017, 12:05:39 PM by salt27 »

Offline trimmers

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Re: List of entries for 2017 Mike Cook's Top Speed Shootout?
« Reply #6 on: September 11, 2017, 07:51:38 PM »
You're correct that Speed Demon was not there in 2016.  It was my understanding that they already had the record (with a "C" motor) in the class where they'd be running.  So, why bother?

I think it may be the same deal this year.  With the "A" motor they ran initially at Speedweek, they would have been in an FIA class where they did not have the record.

However, i heard they hurt that motor, which left them with the "C" motor once again.

Maybe George is thinking about Bolivia now, too.

I'm pretty sure Danny Thompson would have come to the Shootout, too, if he didn't lose a rod in his front motor at Speedweek.
------------- 1 of just 3 in all 3  -------------
USFRA 130 MPH Club 09/18/2008 136.757
USFRA 150 MPH Club 09/17/2009 152.162
Bonneville 200 MPH Club 09/15/2019 218.600
Best Run: 253.080 MPH 09/14/2019 #6556

Offline nrhs sales

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Re: List of entries for 2017 Mike Cook's Top Speed Shootout?
« Reply #7 on: September 12, 2017, 10:46:14 AM »
It seems like there are less and less participants each year at the various LSR events.  I fear that the younger generation is just not interested in performance motor vehicles like we were.

Offline joea

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Re: List of entries for 2017 Mike Cook's Top Speed Shootout?
« Reply #8 on: September 12, 2017, 12:06:11 PM »
Zero about "younger" generation being the drop in entries

100% about viability of the racing venue

Easily triple plus the shootout entries with salt like we had a few years ago like 7-10
Or so years ago

It's simple to look at attained speeds of serious contenders 7 ish or so years ago ..and compare to now

« Last Edit: September 12, 2017, 12:11:03 PM by joea »

Offline wobblywalrus

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Re: List of entries for 2017 Mike Cook's Top Speed Shootout?
« Reply #9 on: September 13, 2017, 01:12:33 AM »
The new vehicles do not lend themselves to the modifications that start folks onto the path to hot-rodding.  Plus, we have a lot less young folks employed and skilled in the trades that give them the abilities to make and modify things.  Add to that the lack of generous medical plans that cover the costs of getting busted up.  One final aspect is the nature of the record chasing game.  Eventually the records get set at speeds few or anyone can attain.

The answer might be in how rat rods brought new life to the hot rod game by providing a low cost and low demand way of having fun. 

Offline Stainless1

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Re: List of entries for 2017 Mike Cook's Top Speed Shootout?
« Reply #10 on: September 13, 2017, 10:08:10 AM »
I will say it again...
There are no records that are out of reach.....
Every record was set by someone....
Advances in technology advance speeds....

The challenge is not making the vehicle fast enough... the challenge is making the vehicle fast enough with the existing course conditions
 :cheers:
Stainless
Red Hat 228.039, 2001, 65ci, Bockscar Lakester #1000 with a little N2O

Offline Sumner

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Re: List of entries for 2017 Mike Cook's Top Speed Shootout?
« Reply #11 on: September 13, 2017, 11:09:31 AM »
I will say it again...
There are no records that are out of reach.....
Every record was set by someone....
Advances in technology advance speeds....

The challenge is not making the vehicle fast enough... the challenge is making the vehicle fast enough with the existing course conditions
 :cheers:

Agreed and to some it isn't all about setting records. 

My observation over the years and it might be wrong  :cry:, is that a large number of racers at B'ville are trying for personal bests and not necessarily going for a record.  You could go back to the 50's and I'm sure some then though others had a financial or some other advantage over them.  There are so many classes out there that if one is primarily interested in a record they can find a class that doesn't really attract the high dollar teams.

Once one does get that elusive record chances are someone else will have it not long after  :-),

Sumner

Offline Bob Drury

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Re: List of entries for 2017 Mike Cook's Top Speed Shootout?
« Reply #12 on: September 13, 2017, 01:29:16 PM »
  The problem now seems to have become "how do I (Joe Racer) justify updating or building a new vehicle when the continuing deterioration of the Salt Flats does not allow any said vehicle to apply the same amount of power to the ground that they used in previous years".
  The majority of Us cannot afford "traction control", computer controlled suspension (or even downloads), or the expense for tires that only last a few runs (at best) on a surface that it is so rough that it is not only breaking suspension parts and drive train's but becoming a "Spin Out Circus".
  The reality is that at a certain point safety of the drivers or riders (I shudder at the thought of being aboard a 250 mph open motorcycle) has to be a determining factor  as to whether or not the Salt Flats are usable beyond say a three mile course.
  For those who say "that's bullsh*t, look at the speeds that George or Danny ran at Speedweek", I would remind all that vehicles that have previously run over 300 mph are allowed to run first before the course worsens and automatically go to the front of the line at any time (taking advantage of any course changes or repairs of existing course's.  This is not a personal bitch with Me nor do I disagree with it.  I am just saying that most of us are not going to see or use a course that at best is beating the vehicles to death and causing making a pass a game of "feathering the throttle and waiting for the rear end try to become the front end".
  I am not trying to be negative here just looking at what I see ahead.
  I hope all of you have read the recent post by Tom Burkland who is not known to speak through his (COWBOY) hat.  I wonder how many of Us were aware of the wells drilled and used by Intrepid (and previously by Reilly Industries) on the South side of I-80 and which the current study for the BLM does not seem to be aware of as far as being a major cause of the deterioration of the Salt Flats.
  I hope to see the return of good salt, good times and the great friendship's that I have enjoyed for over twenty year's but it appears that the BLM has buffaloed the Public long enough to ruin another American Treasure, The Bonneville Salt Flat's.
                                                                              Sincerely,
                                                                                     Bob Drury
                                                                                      Old Stud Racing
                                                                                        #394  A/CFALT
Bob Drury

Offline TrickyDicky

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Re: List of entries for 2017 Mike Cook's Top Speed Shootout?
« Reply #13 on: September 19, 2017, 07:12:16 AM »
Any word on which streamliners are going to show up?

  • VBB has presumably stayed on after WoS.
  • Valerie is on her way after a small delay (according to Facebook).
  • I cannot find anything suggesting Guy Martin is in the US.

Offline Malcolm UK

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Re: List of entries for 2017 Mike Cook's Top Speed Shootout?
« Reply #14 on: September 19, 2017, 07:55:23 AM »
High jacking the thread slightly. The position faced by the outright and highest speed US contenders is exactly that faced by British contenders ever since the twenties and Pendine Sands became a 'lottery' as far as suitability. Single vehicle attempts has been our normal manner of going world record breaking. The Campbell's, Cobbs, Eyston, as well as Richard Brown in the nineties went across the world to find the 'right' place to race with the track prepared for them. When Mike Cook cannot groom a suitable track at Bonneville the fastest US teams will have to fund the trip to another track location and some Brits (we have outright bikes in the field) may join them. Just as the British teams have moved away from home the USA racers will have to accept doing the same this year and future years, and maybe not race every year. There were always four 4 Ms in any record project of which one is money. It's just possible more money needs to be spent on travel and logistics at some foreign site rather than on the whole vehicle build.
Malcolm UK, Derby, England.