Okay - let's see if I can get this done and still get to the Blues Fest on time.
Taming the Bonneville Salt
by Ron Main
[A true story of working men and machines and one week of hard work to prepare over 12 miles of good salt]
This shot is a glimpse of what might be -- with lots of work:
When we arrived at Bonneville the first 1/4 mile was horrible with 3/8 inch bucked crust over soft dirt
All along highway 80.
We started to wheel pack and drag the the loose salt shale and turned it into flats as we know it in about 8 hours.
This is Mile zero on the right it has been dragged but not yet wheel packed, with the center untouched and the right side is finished.
Then the problem , about 1/4 mile from I-80 we encountered something we had never seen before a pot holed surface and the pot holes were up to 2" deep and the salt was as hard as concrete the drags could not touch this surface it was like some chemicals was spilled out hear and created this granite like salt.It ran in a band about 11/2 wide along I-80.
The gear tooth cutter with 1/4 "teeth was added to scratch the concrete like salt to bring up the "Fines" powder to fill and level the salt flats.
Dennis Manning told me you live and die with the Fines.
With the gear tooth strip welded on the drag we also had to put a 3,000 lb. The water container on top the drag to cut and smooth the salt out and fill the pot holes which after two days of dragging, it was starting to look like the Bonneville Salt Flats race course again.
You can see the pot holes on the left and see the progress on the right
Tons of passes on each side only the middle to go.
The course is finally getting better
Ron and his wheel packing buddy
The Shootout is now set for racing history
If you have any questions or need information
Call Ron Main (818) 523-7005
Email rmain@canogarebar.com
Website:
www.speeddemon.usSpecial Thanks to Mike Cook, Denis Manning and Dan Nelson
