Landracing Forum
Bonneville Salt Flats Discussion => Bonneville General Chat => Topic started by: Stan Back on March 03, 2016, 06:02:41 PM
-
Pat Ganahl sent me this 1947 proposal for an alternative to hauling your Hop-Up to Muroc. Sounds like a good idea. Hope you can read the pdf -- it's the best I can do.
Maybe a monthly two-day meet on the 405?
-
... Hope you can read the pdf ....
Not sure if this is better or not,
Sumner
(http://1fatgmc.com/car/misc-pics-1/landracing-1.jpg)
-
Scanners weren't hi-res back then.
Mike
-
Wow another opportunity missed :roll:
-
Stan, perhaps we could use the driveway to the luxurious "Back Estate". I'm sad to report that the runway of "Salina International Airport" is a bit short. :-P Wayno
-
There are plenty of places on I5, chased down a few Bimmers in the Miserati before growing up.
oopps, I lied, if you don't grow up by the time you turn 50, you don't have to.
-
On a more serious note, what about the space shuttle landing site at white sands? With the shuttle program shelved, what else are they using that area for? I'm sure the problems would be the same as were encountered at Edwards post-9/11 but that's a lot of flat open space not so far from where we're already used to going. Say they let us use it... maybe we just go onto the area from the other side that doesn't mean driving onto the base through "sensitive" areas. Meh.
-
Freud's summary of Mike Akatiff's discussion at the Bonneville NW Reunion last month:
White Sands, New Mexico has around 7 miles of gypsum runway that could be used, B U T, as always
there is a but involved. It has had no maintenance for a long time. It's not long enough for
400+ MPH records and who wants to clean the car after running on wet gypsum. It is available.
Mike
-
Unless a knowledge group of people actually go and see the conditions we will always be in a guessing mode. Also cleaning gypsum off your car can't be any worse than cleaning salt off your car.
-
We rode across gypsum playas in desert races. It is not a surface to be on when wet. It can be slippery. In the dry it is nice and hard with a fine dust. White boogers is my most notable memory.
-
Quick glance at White Sands info:
Longest "runway" was about 3 miles, with 2 mile "runoff" length at each end. The "soft gypsum top layer, 1/2" - 1" thick, required constant grading, repair, and maintenance".
-
Back east we race on abandoned airport runways... Ohio is one mile......Maine is a 1-1/2 mile with enough shutdown for 300 mph.....There must be more out west beside the Mojave mile?
-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinton-Sherman_Industrial_Airpark
An old SAC runway :-D
-
Maine is a Sac Runway......You get to race on the runways used by Nuclear armed B-52's :-D
-
We have an old SAC base in NE Arkansas too. It is 11602' long and in good condition. They do some SCTA racing there and the Chamber of Commerce might appreciate our business too. Keith from ECTA said there are often FAA issues, but it doesn't hurt to keep asking. It would be a like closer to home for me.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkansas_International_Airport
-
We have an old SAC base in NE Arkansas too. It is 11602' long and in good condition. They do some SCTA racing there and the Chamber of Commerce might appreciate our business too. Keith from ECTA said there are often FAA issues, but it doesn't hurt to keep asking. It would be a like closer to home for me.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkansas_International_Airport
Aren't they doing the Arkansas Mile there in early June?
-
Maine is a Sac Runway......You get to race on the runways used by Nuclear armed B-52's :-D
Yeah -- planes that had Stainless and Johnboy as repair guys working on 'em. Wathc for gouges from where parts fell off? :roll:
-
Slim,
I never had a crew refuse to fly one I said was ready and never had a crew fly one that I didn't think was safe. Every one I launched doing peace and war made it back safe, some with major battle damage, but back safe :cheers:
-
Ransom, yes that is where they are running the Arkansas Mile.
-
Johnboy, I'll let pride in your duty take way precedence over my smart-acura remarks -- even though I still think it was appros-pos.
Thanks for your work way back then. :cheers: :cheers:
-
Hey SSS, most of my flying was to deem the aircraft safe enough for others to fly after I worked on it :? .... but if it makes you feel better I was sitting in the IP seat and let a buzzard fly into an engine less than a quarter mile off the end, took out the paired engine, the mayhem that ensued left engine and pod pieces scattered about... no marks on the runway... but one of the guys might of had a racing stripe :-o he unstowed his trigger ring when the pilot said we had fire
:cheers:
-
Hey SSS, most of my flying was to deem the aircraft safe enough for others to fly after I worked on it
:cheers:
Hey -- good idea. Kinda like making the butcher eat the first piece of sausage made after cleaning the stuffing machine? :-D
-
If Arkansas is anything like Loring ME you won't be disappointed.
-
If Arkansas is anything like Loring ME you won't be disappointed.
Same SAC runway layout. It is just warmer in Arkansas :-D
-
BBurner said: "...If Arkansas is anything like Loring ME you won't be disappointed."
Well, don't the antlers on the moose grow counter-clockwise in Arkansas?? That'd be weird to see.
-
Thanks for the clarification on Arkansas, see I was right about it being a good idea. The best thing is that it is only a four hour drive from home. This sounds like a great test and tune opportunity.
As far as weather goes, it was fairly warm in Maine last fall, we stayed a few days extra and temps were in the low 90's.
-
Okay, please don't take this as dumping on any organization but I find the entry prices a little more than on the high side. The Arkansas meet is within 225 miles from me so it is a viable option but the 2 and 3 day costs are up there. I cannot find records so I don't think there is a certification process as with the SCTA. I've been around LSR since 1979 and know the costs involved to build and compete, in my mind I see what a week at Bonneville cost which I feel is extremely fair and now the 3 day meet at Ohio (wish they would certify) and that is what prompted me to talk out loud.
With the increasing options of race venues I hope Dan Warners' proprosal to get a nationwide 1 mile record data base gets some traction and is revisited.
U.S. Mile people, even though I commented about your operation I am very glad you exist and sincerly want you to prosper.
Thank you,
John Ritter
-
Slim I think the black bears are about the same though.
-
Okay, please don't take this as dumping on any organization but I find the entry prices a little more than on the high side. The Arkansas meet is within 225 miles from me so it is a viable option but the 2 and 3 day costs are up there. I cannot find records so I don't think there is a certification process as with the SCTA. I've been around LSR since 1979 and know the costs involved to build and compete, in my mind I see what a week at Bonneville cost which I feel is extremely fair and now the 3 day meet at Ohio (wish they would certify) and that is what prompted me to talk out loud.
With the increasing options of race venues I hope Dan Warners' proprosal to get a nationwide 1 mile record data base gets some traction and is revisited.
Ohio or Maine is 300 bucks entry fee and the cost of two nights in a motel might be another 200-300 bucks... What is the entry fees at Bonneville ?
Yes, the paved tracks are not the salt and all the mystic but they do allow racing for those of us on the east side who don't have the time and money to make a nearly cross country trip.
-
Unless a knowledge group of people actually go and see the conditions we will always be in a guessing mode. Also cleaning gypsum off your car can't be any worse than cleaning salt off your car.
So who lives in NM near WS? I'll chip in $20 towards gas for an exploratory trip.
-
We've got a forward observer out in the field near White Sands. Been collecting intel that looks positive so far. Will provide sitrep as more intel becomes known. Out.