Nevada Road Operations

[Malcolm UK]

As promised I can provide details of the attempt made on Highway 93A in Nevada.
 
 Rather than respond to individuals who posted regarding the ABB electric car (I have read all 74), I thought a few points in a separate thread would help people understand the operation last week.
 
 The team wanted a surface that was consistent and tarmac fulfilled that role.  Enquiries about straight and level roads led to Nevada, USA and to three sites along open road race courses.  It is coincidence that they were close to the Bonneville Salt Flats, aka the salt lake.
 
 The team are not 'clowns' nor are we 'wreckless (sic)'.  We had a detailed operating plan with safety considerations fully covered at the attempt site.  I believe our (Primetime's) standards of operation are as sound as any in the speed record world.  
 
 Apart from two other British teams who challenged outright International speeds, Primetime are the only team to have organised over 8 speed record bids during the past ten years with average speeds up to and around 300 mph.  All were as safe as possible, but a few (such as Tunisia) were safer still as the car was not permitted to run.
 
 The car was fully tested on the 10,000 foot Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground runway available in Britain - with 16 passes made. Where did some one get the idea that only a single 1,000 foot test run had taken place?  The number of runs in any one day is limited by available battery power and recharging.  The main power batteries were Exide orbital units.  [Testing in the USA could have involved all three Bonneville dates and some private time too].
 
 The Nevada attempt was not a 'stunt', as the decisions as to where to run, as well as when in the year, were that of the team and not ABB.  The Primetime Team have not spent a penny or cent on publicity - 'none', 'zilch', 'zippo'!
 
 The Buckeye Bullet team and Primetime have remained in cordial contact throughout - the two teams have just chosen different record routes.  As this group knows there remain differences between those who follow and attain SCTA/BNI National Records and those who follow and achieve FIA International records.
 
 Thanks to all those who supported us, were concerned for our driver, prayed for us and wished the team well.
 
 Whatever the future holds for those contributing to the landracing.com message board stay safe.
 
 Malcolm Pittwood
 now an ex-team manager.

[landracing]

malcolm,
 
 Great write up, I think the 1,000 ft deal came from the press release of ABB site.
 
 I still commend you and the team for the efforts, I know it can't be easy to coordinate all of that to run here.
 
 I think the Bukeye Bullet team may have different plans for the near future, that is running a FIA attempt at Bonneville. More will come on that later.
 
 Thanks for the write up Malcolm,
 Jon Amo

[Malcolm UK]

If there are any questions from this group, just ask.  
 
 Difficulties are a given for UK speed teams who have no natural race tracks of sufficient length in their own back yard and overseas attempts are the norm.
 
 When the Buckeye Bullet team make their decision to run FIA I hope we in the UK get to know the date(s), as they will be supported in that effort (from afar) - as they have been in their attempts to date.

[Bob Drury]

Malcolm, not to beat a dead horse, but to take any wheel driven vehicle and put it on a two lane highway with the intent of traveling at a speed of ower 400 feet a second is insane.  Any type of mechanical failure, or even a blink of the eye, let alone a sudden gust of wind, could have put this vehicle into a uncontrollable state. Maybe you folks have a different take of mortality than us Pilgrams do, but what the hell were you thinking.  One more thing, what ever would make you want to run over here in May, when you could have come in August to do shake down runs at Speedweek?  You folks would always be welcome, and could probably learn what most of us allready know, Its a lot easier to go from hero to zero than to go from zero to hero.

[JackD]

"Reckless, wreckless,recluse.
 The wide range of experience that expresses a problem with the effort indicates something.
 Asking up front will generate the same response but the differance is you can plan your luck instead of defend it."

[John Beckett]

Great effort Malcolm. Sorry your attempts in Tunisia and Nevada weren?t more successful. It?s hard enough for many of us to travel 2,500 miles just to run at Bonneville. It was an extraordinary challenge to come all the way across the Atlantic to make a record attempt.
 
 Thanks for keeping us posted on what happened.
 
 John

[joea]

thanks Malcom I understand better now
 
 they ran 16 times, achieving maximum speed of 146 mph in 1000ft..........before travelling
 2500 miles transatlantic, after 5 years of preparation.......to attempt to run 300 mph
 on a two lane highway in Nevada.......make
 one run in 180's and then offer car for sale
 to defray costs..........
 
 thank you for clearing it up some......I dont want to get the wrong idea.........
 
 Joe

[landracing]

although I commend their efforts, Joe, you bring a real valid point to the table. Please malcolm explain that one too us.
 
 On Malcolms defense, they probably (e Motion) already knew what they wanted and hired Malcolm to set it up. Not Malcolms fault, I dont think. I hope he could clear that up>>>>
 
 Jon

[Malcolm UK]

Joe, written down as a series of bullet points the Primetime 'way' does sound rather optimistic.  (Remember I was with a team that bought a 500 mph potential bike to the USA in '99, that had maxxed at 256 mph in Britain and after 7 runs had been over 300 mph three times).
 
 Let me fill in some detail on Primetime and e=motion that will balance the bare facts used by Joe.
 
 The time from concept to completed car took 3 years as some motor changes occured along the way - 'if in doubt throw more power at any vehicle'.  
 
 Testing in early '04 saw the vehicle reach speeds on a 3 kilo runway, that were the maximium for a 1.6 tonne streamliner - remember it stays the same weight all the time.  We do not have any other high speed test facility in the UK.  
 
 The 146 mph was/is quoted because it exceeded the British best of Bluebird Team Racing (driven by my friend Don Wales) - call it PR 'puff' if you wish.  I do not have the data from each run made and the other speeds attained.  Running is limited by battery pack numbers and the recharging process, which inturn for regular working guys limits the number of times the track can be hired and days taken off work.
 
 The team chose Tunisia after visting sites in '03 with the support of that countries tourism bosses.  We travelled to North Africa - Chott el Djerid - to what had been a firm salt flat area up to that time.  Track conditions in June '04 thwarted that bid (late rains) - it was unsafe to turn a wheel.  I would not let the car run at all.  All transport and operating set up costs (FIA) had to be paid, even though the running costs were low!  [Just think of the world of speed cancellation costs falling onto one car and two people].
 
 By now all consideration of natural surfaces was put to the background - no offence to Bonneville folk (I love the place) - but look how much water you have to evaporate this year.  I was asked to find tarmac.  No airfield of 8 miles is available but the Dolly Varden straight was suggested and followed up.  The driver/crew chief/team manager risk assessment made the decision that it could be used during a personal visit to the site late in '04.
 
 As an aside the same group had to make a judgement that it was safe enough, during an outright British LSR attempt, to exit the kilometre trap at over 350 mph and use another  kilo to slow and stop on the chutes before the end of the tarmac.  
 
 Mark the driver did not express any problems with track width and our operating procedures would have prevented him from starting a run if there was any chance of being blown off course.  The driver has experienced this with his jet car.
 
 As to the other 'what iff's' of mechanical failure - your crew chief and co-workers spend 20 hour days making sure that any vehicle is as sound as possible after building in the best parts available.
 
 The car arrived into West Wendover late on Monday dur to the hauliers it should have been there before the weekend) and the team spent all Tuesday going over every mechanical part.
 
 The test run at 189mph average for the mile on the Wednesday morning went well and told me that we could break the record on DV straight using the procedures adopted.  We ran at 09.40 as the timing equipment had arrived late due to their couriers.
 The controller had been adjusted to limit the max torque and power delivered to the drive.
 
 On Thursday the first attempt was made and the car did not move an inch - the same happened on the remaining two days of the permits - with NDOT and ACCUS/FIA - just as might happen at WoS or WF.  The problem could not be found and cured on the DV straight or in the workshop.
 
 Apart from sponsor commitments with the car for some events located in Detroit USA, the container, the car team and the UK track volunteers left the States on Monday & Tuesday to fly home and get back to work.
 
 The decision to sell has been made by the partners of Primetime - I was informed and not consulted on this.  The disappointment of having a car at the start line over five times in the USA and it not moving, will continue to hurt the car team for some time.  Coming on top of the climate change in Tunisia eleven months before you may get some idea of the pain beig endured - I will not spell out the dollar costs.
 
 Should anyone know of an alternative way to raise funds - it would have to be legal or we could not get back into the USA in the future - then please offer it.  
 
 At this moment the money will be raised from selling one jet car and e=motion itself.  This will allow the partners to 'clear the books' so to speak and then to focus on their families.  They will return to the less demanding (ha ha) activity of high speed jet exhibition passes and just maybe some drag racing.
 
 I  am finding it hard to express in words how difficult it is for Britons to make world class speed attempts and at the same time avoid - hey but I will not - saying how much easier it is for Americans, particularly those in the west who want to make runs at over 300 mph, if they choose those classes, on the salt within the SCTA organisation.
 
 I know that our many friends in LSR have suggested we return to the flats but with the target of the FIA electric record this could only be set at WF or on Private time.  At an organised event the driver has no SCTA licence to drive 300 mph and the car would be bounced from tech too.  So its just a location change for more private running.  I have been there and done that with money spent on eleven miles that saw five under water.
 
 The Primetime Team and my approach has had to be that of a British team trying to attain, under the worldwide rules of the FIA, a speed record for a type of vehicle which can only run for brief periods because of the battery charge.
 
 We will analyse what could have been done differently and I will continue to read the postings here and on the 'List' to add to my understanding.
 
 'Sane and safe', as always.
 Malcolm UK

[joea]

Malcom, not just the FIA rents the salt each year
 
 there is always the possibility you guys could get a chance to run when there are already clocks set up, and the salt leased and groomed,
 more than just when the scta are out there.....
 
 I hope to heck you guys find a way to run the car further.......maybe with different ownership
 circumstances and or upgraded sponsorship to see this happen.........dont abandon this tremendous endeavor.......if there is a will there is a way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
 if the car stays here, just you guys need to hop back and forth..........
 
 maybe with appropriate engineering detail (regarding safety etc) communicated to scta/USFRA, runs could be made as a special circumstance during select portions of their meets, such as only during other FIA attempts, or at the conclusion of a scheduled meet, etc.....
 
 just throwing out ideas
 
 Joe  

[hawkwind]

If there is a next time consider Lake Gairdner , nothing else on earth can compair or compete with it , run Nth/Sth a full 160 kms or run E/W only a miserable 60 kms of flat hard and unchanging  LSR heaven
 Hawkwind

[Malcolm UK]

As well as the Australian surface of the Lake Gairdner salt, the South Africans have suggested a 30km highway!  Might not take them up on it as they have sufficient dry lake beds too.
 
 At 500 mph forty feet might be a tad narrow - what do you think?