What is the total course length for the 130 Club?

[iamflagman]

My plan is to attempt to get into the 130 Club next year at the 2011 World Finals and I've read through the 130 Club rules and specifically where it states

To gain entrance into the 130-mph club, the vehicle must run the measured mile twice in the same day at a speed no less than 130 mph.

Is it a standing start one mile similar in length to Maxton, or is a measured mile in the middle of a 3 mile course?

What is the total length of the shutdown area?

I'm really looking forward to coming back to Utah where I was stationed in the 60's at Hill AFB, near Ogden, we used Wendover Field as our auxiliary field for practice and I've flown over Bonneville many times and been there in the 60's to watch the JET WARS as a spectator for World Land Speed Record attempts by Craig Breedlove, Dr. Nathan Ostich and Art Arfons but never as a competitor before.

[RichFox]

I've never done it but from observation it looks like they run a standing start one mile and are timed 1/10th mile speed trap at the end. A few miles for shut off. More salt after that.

[Moxnix]

World of Speed, not WF.

[Steve Walters]

Like herr Moxnix said John, the 130 and 150 club are exclusive to the World of Speed event in September, sponsered by the Utah Salt Flats Racing Association.  The course is one mile, you get a quarter mile time, a half mile time, and the final trap is 134 ft. before the one mile marker.  Not totally sure about the 134 ft., but it is close.  The rules are at the (www.saltflats.com) website.  It's not as easy as it sounds, but it is a lot of fun.
 I remember a guy driving up from Florida every year in a Scirrocco VW and running the course.  Last year was the largest concentration of VWs I'd ever seen in my life, except for maybe the hippy fest in Eugene Oregon.   

Steve     

[gande]

The 130 Club is a 1 mile approach to a 132 ft trap. The 1 mile board is placed at 1 mile+132 feet so drivers know when they have passed the 1 mile board they have been timed and can begin slowing. There are also 132 ft traps at 2/10 (Barstool) and 1/2 mile.
Gary

[iamflagman]

World of Speed, not WF.

Like herr Moxnix said John, the 130 and 150 club are exclusive to the World of Speed event in September, sponsered by the Utah Salt Flats Racing Association.  The course is one mile, you get a quarter mile time, a half mile time, and the final trap is 134 ft. before the one mile marker.  Not totally sure about the 134 ft., but it is close.  The rules are at the (www.saltflats.com) website.  It's not as easy as it sounds, but it is a lot of fun.
 I remember a guy driving up from Florida every year in a Scirrocco VW and running the course.  Last year was the largest concentration of VWs I'd ever seen in my life, except for maybe the hippy fest in Eugene Oregon.   

Steve     

Mea Culpa....Mea Culpa....Mea Culpa!!!!

WOS not WF, at least I got the W correct I looked right at it and wrote it down wrong.

I know that it won't be easy I read a lot of stories about it. Correct me if I'm wrong I am assuming that there is the regular 4-5 mile short course being run also at WOS do they allow Time Only runs on that course? Just trying to decide  where I would have the most room, at Loring I ran 129+ before the latest engine mods with basically a stock engine and just tube headers, we have done more since then, but that is 1.5 miles and I am aware of the limited traction on the salt. It's a long expensive haul out to Utah and I'm just trying to decide where to spend my money and also have somewhat better temperatures to deal with, remember I was stationed out there and I'm a heck of a lot older and less tolerant of really hot temperatures so September sounds better to me, but I'm not going to melt .

My WABBIT should pass tech for a regular Bonneville race other than the 130 Club, the roll cage, onboard fire suppression system, belts, seat, as well as the other safety equipment, were constructed with running LSR along with SCCA specifications, you can see the build project by going to http://www.pbase.com/iamflagman/image/86213456
and let me know if you see any problems that I need to resolve.

[basher13]

I think the shut down area this year was 8/10ths of a mile, was more if needed but it also angled towards the other course. Pay a lil more and go for the 150 club, more track to get to speed.
 
Dan

[Stan Back]

Nothing like running on (and being at) the salt.  I believe the 150 Club might be your best bet.  The USFRA runs the longer courses under SCTA rules and you need to be aware, if you aren't already, of next year's upgrade for everyone concerning 2010 helmets and required head and neck restraints.  The 150 might not require them -- I'll let you do the research.

Stan

[trimmers]

The 150 Club doesn't have the same rules as the SCTA classes, but they certainly exceed the 130 Club requirements.  A minimum 4-point roll bar - approved by a nationally-recognized sanctioning body (such as SCCA) is required, along with an SFI "1" level firesuit, plus SFI gloves, neck collar, and shoes.  And tires rated for the appropriate speed, along with the fire extinguisher, driveshaft loop, and other 130 Club stuff.  I may have left something out, so check saltflats.com for the entire list of rules.  Unlike the 130 Club, 150 Club cars need not be licensed for the street.

I haven't seen anything (yet) which mentions if they'll adopt the SCTA 2011 SA2005 helmet or the SFI "type" head restraint requirements.  I doubt if they'd do that for the 130 Club, but I'm not so sure on the 150.   I'd guess not, but time will tell.

The 150 Club entry fee is the same as the SCTA classes at WoS, (and you need to register in advance to avoid late registration fees) but you can have as many runs as time (i.e. staging line length) allows, while you only get five passes in the 130 Club (same price if early or late registration). 

For the 150 Club, you're timed from 2.00 miles to 2.25 miles, and you run on the same course with the SCTA classes, so the lines are quite a bit longer.  You've got to average between 150 and 160 ( a tad under 6 seconds) twice during the meet to get into the Club.  If you exceed 160 you're disqualified.  Likewise, over 140 MPH in the 130 Club is a D-Q.

Jeff in Boise   

[Steve Walters]

I agree with Jeff, the 150 would probably be a better choice, I would say if you ran at loring you would pass tech OK.  If wild rabbit isn't licenced for the road you wouldn't be able to get into the 130 anyway.
Cool looking ride, I checked out your pictures link. I got beat up for saying this before, but I would get some narrower wheels and tires for the salt.

Steve

[iamflagman]

I agree with Jeff, the 150 would probably be a better choice, I would say if you ran at loring you would pass tech OK.  If wild rabbit isn't licenced for the road you wouldn't be able to get into the 130 anyway.
Cool looking ride, I checked out your pictures link. I got beat up for saying this before, but I would get some narrower wheels and tires for the salt.

Steve

Steve,

I won't beat you up about the tires, that is usually one of the first comments that I get from other LSR drivers and fans, but since I use the car for a dual purpose as well as it being street legal, licensed and insured, I need a DOT spec tire that has a high enough speed rating that surpasses the capabilities of the car to be on the safe side, so the TOYO's Spec. Miata tire fits the bill for me. I made a commitment to myself to work within a budget as I'm retired and I know how easy it can be to start spending the $$$$ as I used to do with my Formula car 20+ years ago.
 I'm looking at just in fuel costs spending around $2600.00 to get from South Carolina to Bonneville and back since I travel and live in my Blue Bird Wanderlodge full time, so in effect I'm bringing the house and garage with me.

After reading the rules it looks like the only thing that I need to do is purchase a newer drivers suit with a SFI rating label, I already have the SNELL 2005 helmet and the SFI rated gloves, shoes and neck brace. My current drivers suit is an older but in excellent shape NOMEX one piece Bell/Racestar that does not have the SFI label which in my opinion is probably just as good as the one piece single layer fire retardant drivers suit that have the SFI label that I can purchase, I also wear a complete set of NOMEX underwear, socks and head sock, but the rules are the rules.

[RayTheRat]

While the question of the course length has already been answered, I'm gonna include a link to some photos I shot at WoS.
http://www.chevyasylum.com/lsr/bsf2010/wos/Welcome.html

In addition to shooting a buncha photos that were posted here, I (along with Texican) raced for the first time in the 130 Club.  We ran Jim's (Texican's) Colorado pickup with a 2.9l 4-banger.  We didn't get to 130.  But then some folks said we'd never get over 95...and we got to 112.  We had some high-zoot help in the form of Korey Bligh, Dickie Milne and Marlo Treit.  Ohh...and nitrogen for the tires from the team next door.    Yeah, it was a shoestring effort, but it was our first time and we had a BLAST! 

Jim's planning to bring the truck back with a few more mods and I plan to run my 85 Monte Carlo SS with a decent 406 motor in it.  It's built more to a pro-touring concept as far as the chassis is concerned, but it still otta get to 130 relatively easily (yeahrightsure...best laid plans and all that.)  Then I'm gonna have to make a decision.  Do I prepare it to run in the 150 Club AND follow a pro touring course or do I reconsider everything and make it into a real SCTA car...or try to do both?  My eventual goal is to run 200 mph in a car that I built myself (well, more or less) and at this point, I don't really care about records or red hats or any of that.  I might even just run Time Only to get to 200.  It's a personal thing, not a record thing.  At least that's the plan today.  Ask me again next week. 

The main problem I may have is street licensing.  Not as far as safety, but frikkin emission testing.  Since it's an 85, all emission equipment has to be present on the car: AIR pump, lines, etc., catalytic converter (which on that car means a single cat with a "Y" pipe off the headers), EGR, CCC Quadrajet and distributor.  The last two won't run without the OBD-I ECM and...well, they all went out the window a long time ago in favor of an MSD igintion system and Demon carb.  The exhaust will be dual 3" tubes with street-legal mufflers (the least restrictive I can get or a pair of Warlocks like I ran on it way back when I ran it on the quarter mile.  Here's the self-admitted shade-tree mechanic's build diary:
http://www.chevyasylum.com/85monte/Welcome.html  I may see if I can get it licensed in Tooele County somehow.  Maybe rent a room there for a few months.  I dunno.

I've learned a lot since I started on that car.  I haven't gotten any smarter (far from it), but being on the salt as a photographer and then running in the 130 club has given me a whole different perspective from what I had 12 or more years ago.

One thing I'm wondering (if anyone's bothered to read this far) is if Moroso Drag Special front tires http://www.summitracing.com/parts/MOR-17100/ are legal for 130/150/??? classes.  They're bias 2-ply tires and not DOT approved, but do have a bit of a tread pattern...not much, but some.  My guess would be 150 Club/TO only to a certain point??  Input would be welcomed on the tires as well as any other stuff I've babbled here.

Here's a photo of a goofy old Rat havin more fun than he otta be allowed. 

[Steve Walters]

John, I know where you are coming from I'm retired also.  Just take it easy and get the feel of the salt under your set up before opening up.  I didn't remember when I looked, but is your fuel cell isolated from the drivers compartment?  It isn't spelled out on the tech sheet, but fuel lines safely routed means out of drivers compartment and away from exhaust.  There is a lot of hatch backs that have a problem in tech lately.  It can be a simple fix with some sheet metal cover.

Ray, racing tires would be alright, just make sure that they can handle the wieght of that heavy chevy.
You can run with out the registration and get a time slip, just can't get into the 130 club.

Steve
   

[iamflagman]

Ray,

I think I have carpal tunnel now after going through your excellent photos I'm with you on the goal of seeing how fast I can go with what I have, even if it means not getting into a club or getting the elusive hat, why else would I be racing an aerodynamic slug of a BOX

Steve,

I'm still using the stock gas tank that is located under the back seat floor and all of the fuel lines are outside of the interior of the car and away from the exhaust which is still in the stock location. One thing I definitely will do is take my time to learn the salt as you so aptly put it, I felt the same way when I raced at Loring, that extra half of a mile made a big difference with my cars performance, so I slowly built up my speed there too, I'm sure part of that comes with age as I don't have that feeling of invincibility that I had even 20 years ago, that is why I have all of the safety equipment installed in the car that I really isn't required for the class I run in at Maxton or Loring. One of the things about LSR that has really stood out to me is how many senior citizens compete, I feel very much a part of the group, what about starting a WHITE HAT or GREY HAT club for those of us that even just show up for the race

I'm also a kidney transplant patient and I will celebrate my 34 anniversary of that transplant next week, so you might say I have been working on a Bucket List ever since 1976 and I still suffer from the Peter Pan syndrome as it says on the rear bumper of the WABBIT;

[RayTheRat]

Peter Pan rocks!!!

I like the Gray hat idea for Time Only racers.  Like you wrote, we could start our own club.....the "What MPH? Club."  

A very quick shot at a "Gray Club" hat.