COOK'S SHOOTOUT 2012

[trimmers]

Jon:

Check your E-mail.

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Thanks, Trimmers.  I found lots of Viagra ads and a couple of junk emails from the Ratliff dude and all sorts of interesting things.  there was even an offer from someone that'll give me a zillion dollars if I deposit some good faith money in an account in Romania.  Oh, yeah -- one from you, too.  I'll get back to you after coffee this morning.

[roadster589]

Ray if you know of someone that is interested in running we still have opening have them give us a call thanks
JR

[guttley782]

Slim,
I will be there Thursday morning for the week, so I am more than willing to help where I can. You will just have to cope with my northern British accent!!!
Regards, Gabriel.

[RayTheRat]

Ray if you know of someone that is interested in running we still have opening have them give us a call thanks
JR

All I have is rumor, Mike.  But the people in the "rumor" know how to get in touch with you.  I'd say more, but I just don't know how accurate my info is.

[jackthebear]

  I will be at the Cook shootout from Sat. about 2pm till Mon. night. I am an experienced Bville spectator and participant. I crew on the Bub 7 and car 904 which holds a record at Bville. XF/VGCC. I can volunteer to help. I have a gimpy knee and can't stand long or walk long distances. Jack

[Moxnix]

Any fresh news?

[RayTheRat]

At the Shootout.

I made it to the salt in time for the drivers' meeting as did Slim and Nancy.  Mike Cook introduced participants, sponsors and other notables.  He described the course, the timing area (one mile from the 5.5 to the 6.5, marked with blue "eco-friendly" dye which will also include the timed kilo), the access roads, viewing area and protocol for locking the course.  SSS will again be, in essence, the pit "security steward" responsible for calling the pit area closed or open.  USAC/FIA is represented by Dave Petrali, the 200 MPH club is represented by Dan Warner (this was a surprise to me) and the FIM/AMA will be represented by "Charley from Sweden."  I think he meant FIM Charley from Switzerland...who hadn't arrived yet.

The course will be in operation from sunrise to sunset with one purpose: setting records.  Now...what most people have been asking:  Who's gonna run?

There are at the moment 3 "cars": Poteet & Main's Speed Demon, the Rice Brothers lakester that will run in the FIA 1500cc class and the Raspberry Rocket, hoping to run 300 mph.

Mike Akatiff is here and the best info I have says that he's called Rocky and has left the decision about running the Ack Attack up to him.  Ack, please forgive me if I've got this wrong, but I didn't get a chance to ask you about it personally.

There's also Al Lamb, Jamie Williams, and two other folks from "Down Under" whose names have escaped me except the young lady whose first name is Kim.  Have I ever mentioned how much I hate this heart trouble-caused memory h*ll? 

So we have 3 4-wheeled vehicles, 4 bike riders and possibly one motorcycle streamliner.

I shot a few photos which I'll post in a bit but I wanted to get this done first.

Stand by.

[Tom Slick]

Any word on Sam Wheeler, or Charles Nearburg? Also, will Nish be shaking down their new Hemi?

[RayTheRat]

Any word on Sam Wheeler, or Charles Nearburg? Also, will Nish be shaking down their new Hemi?

No, no and no.  As far as I know, Sam's bike wasn't ready, Nearburg was rumored but isn't here and Nish didn't get his motor in time. 

[Tman]

Bummer, I heard + on Sam and Nearburg the other day!

[RayTheRat]

Some photos.

Mike Akatiff, Ken Puccio and crew.  Pork Pie is of the opinion that they will run the Ack Attack, but later in the meet as the salt continues to dry.  Speaking of which, Mike Cook Jr. has been dragging and grooming the course for about the last 36 hours straight, in addition to what Ron Main did earlier.  George Poteet proclaimed that it was the best he'd seen in years.  I'm not sure about that, but they're working hard on it.

Speed Demon being prepared.  They told me that they will try for 3 records...I think this is the class breakdown: They'll start in the 3-to-5 liter class with the 299" motor, then the 2-to-3 liter class with the 4-banger USAC midget motor, then bring out the big guns (362 inch) for the 5-to-8 liter class...essentially the overall record.  Kenny Duttweiler said that he thinks the big motor can run 475 mph.

A coupla shots of the Rice & Vegant lakester.  Their plan is to go for the 1500 cc record...which is pretty soft, then go for 200.

[RayTheRat]

Bummer, I heard + on Sam and Nearburg the other day!

Yeah...I heard the same thing, but didn't name any names.  We sure hoped to see 'em here.  But I think that if all the stars and planets line up, we could see a lotta records fall.

[RayTheRat]

Last photos for the evening:

My Burb really IS red when it's not covered with salt.  For those who don't know, this is a different one than the one I'd had for the last few years, which explains the lack of a rat on the rear side windows.

Mike Akatiff signs in to get his "official" wrist band as Mike Cook observes, with Al Lamb far right.  I don't know the other gentleman at the left rear of the photo.

Mike Cook, as he starts the drivers meeting.

George Poteet in a rather rare laughing moment with Dave Petrali to the left.

That's it.  The salt will be open very early and if the Speed Demon runs first, they plan to do it around 7:30.  I hope to be there around 7.

[trimmers]

It's not the Raspberry Rocket, but rather Jim Knaap's Barnyard Bearcat, with three GSXR 1000's.  All three cars are FIA Category A (special construction).   The Poteet & Main Speed Demon is the only one of the three in Group I (with supercharger). 

George Poteet told me the plan is to start out with the 5-liter V-8 (Class 9), running on their own records of 363.847 in the km and 363.673 in the mile.  Then, they'll switch to the 4-cylinder engine (which I assume is turbo'd), where they also hold the the records in Class 8 at 345.632 (km) and 345.522 (mile).  Finally, it'll be the big V-8, running in Class 10 (5 to 8 liter), where the records were set by Al Teague back in 2002 in the Teague-Welch-Banks streamliner at 406.321 for the km and 405.862 in the mile.

They pulled the turbo off the Hayabusa in the Rice & Vigeant (#9999) lakester, so they could run in Group II (without supercharger), where they'll be in Class 6 (1100-1500cc's).  The records there are held by Larry Wilcox (of TV's CHiPs) at 137.041 in the km and 138.728 in the mile.

Jim Knaap's Barnyard Bearcat is also Group II, but in the 2 to 3 liter Class 8.  The records there are currently held by Speed Demon (without the turbo) at 250.917 in the km and 250.853 in the mile.

That's it for the three cars that are here.  Don't ask me about the bikes, as I barely comprehend the SCTA classes for them, let alone the FIM stuff. 

However, Mike Atatiff was here and I heard him say that ACK Attack will not be competing this year, but they hope to be here in 2013.

The way I understand it, the Poteet & Main Speed Demon is first in line for tomorrow's runs (starting as soon as it's light enough to see) to be followed by the bikes, then the other cars.