Hi guys, and ladies,
I'm a Brit, but not in my head as I lived in Marin County for ten years, have loads of friends and family on the W.Coast. Name, Steve Read. I've been racing historic (hysteric?)/ vintage roundy round for the last 15 years. This time. For most of that time I and my best mate/ crew chief/ fellow racer Paul Richards have campaigned a screaming 65 Ford Anglia. This has now changed and we are about terrify Mini and Hillman Imp drivers with a '56 Studebaker Hawk circuit racer. Never been one over here before. We'll be picking them out of the grille like flies. Nearly done. All advice how to make these things go like the clappers warmly received.
I have been to Bonneville several times, never in Speed Week. I threw a timing chain there in '79 on my first cross country. Three days in Wendover. Got to know the place well. I wonder if that cigarette packet is still in the gutter. Probably. When we trundled across the States in our trusty 57 Chev C30 hippy wagon, 6 times, getting to the salt was always a buzz. To a young bloke from Essex, (think New Jersey without the charm or sophistication) I always had to pinch myself to realise it was ME...HERE. Wow! I'm 59 now and don't feel any different. I think it's fair to say...I get it!
My family is heavily involved in racing and LSR. My Uncle Bob Winkelmann was out there with Craig Breedlove last time around. It's amazing the faster Thrust SSC went, the more he reverted to being Brit! By the time the sonic boom came he was virtually out there in long kahki shorts with a pith helmet and drinking tea with his pinky in the air! God Save the Queen.
My brother Mark has also got the bug. He's project manager to Aussie Invader 5R and Rosco MCGlashans bid to hurl himself into the record books, or orbit. A 1000 mph! Nuts. They are down in Perth, Australia. I'm there in a month or so. A great bunch of blokes.
So I decided I had to keep up the family tradition. Paul and I want to run in Speed Week 2015 and haven't the slightest clue where to start. Never stopped us in the past. Realistically, we don't have the knowledge, time or access to resources to build a car in time for 2015. I'd love to do it in Studebaker Hawk. There seem to be plenty of them about, but I never see salt racers for sale. I presume it's like racing here, most of the good ones get passed around within the group.
Does anyone know of a decent car for sale at a sensible price? My email is steve@pistonempire.com
By the way, I'm launching a big website, Piston Empire, to cover all aspects of racing and classics. No small feat. I'd like to do a section dedicated to salt racing to bring it to a wider audience in Europe. We go live next week. Anyone want to contribute to a blog?
I look forward to meeting you lot out there. I'll be the one shaking like a leaf, hiding behind and solid object hoping not to be seen.
Steve