Al Teague's last year with the liner

[don pennington]

I need help with some information. The story is.... that when Gray Baskerville died, his ashes were packed in Al's chute and spread on the salt. What year was that? Was that Al's last year ruinning the liner?  Does anyone have the results from that year? I need the times the car ran, and in particular the time on that run. As I remember he just missed going 400 on that pass. I am doing a short story and the info would be a big help. Thanks-

[Glen]

Don
You must have a new e-mail as I tried to send you a note and it says you don't have an yahoo account. Do you want to contact him direct, if so PM me and I will send you his address
Glen

[PorkPie]

The last year of the Speed a Motive was 2002 - In August he runs at first with a wing which breaked the streamliner, he went 396 mph. After this run, Al said at starting line that this one would be his last ever with the streamliner, I talked to him and at last he said to, after a talk with Jane, that I caught him into another run, without the wing and he went over 400 mph as final speed.
But at last Al retired from the retire again and went back to the salt in October 2002 to set another FIA record - this time a class which would be B under SCTA regulations. The record was 405 mph, but on the first run he was 432 mph on final speed.
If it was in August than it was one of the earlier under 400 runs.
Hope this helps.

[Freud]

If the streamliner never runs again, I'd stand in the sun all day to do a foto of it if he made a pass in the 76 Red roadster. That bugger was FAST a long time ago.
FREUD

[PorkPie]

If the streamliner never runs again, I'd stand in the sun all day to do a foto of it if he made a pass in the 76 Red roadster. That bugger was FAST a long time ago.
FREUD

Freud,

you can be sure that I'm and my camera will be there..........

[fastesthonda_jim]

Don, does this help?

I've got a bunch of pics of his big end "turn around" going for the FIA record if you can use them.

Jim
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[Sumner]

Don, does this help?

I've got a bunch of pics of his big end "turn around" going for the FIA record if you can use them.

Jim
[/img]

The timing slip is a good example of why I would like to see this type car run on the 11 mile international course at BUB.  On that run the middle mile (going both directions was the 4th mile) where he ran about 400 due to the 7 mile course length.  On the 11 mile course the middle mile is the 6th mile due to the 11 mile course.  He would have been entering that mile at over 430 mph.

I was surprised that there wasn't much interest from my other post in seeing cars like Al's and Tom's and the Nish car on a 11 mile course like they have at BUB  .

c ya,

Sum

[Dave Haller]

Al Teague is a legend. I met him out there a few times and he always took the time to make you feel like you were not bothering him. One engine, rear wheel drive, built in mom's garage, no corporate sponsorship, holy cow, that is real hot rodding!!!!!!

[JackD]

As has been said here before the length of the course, and procedures are first subject to the conditions of the surface and then the desires of the promoter.
Al's first FIA record was done at a Speedweek with all the space available.
Some people bristled at the thought it was done but their interests were not hard to see.
And so it goes.

[Glen]

There is an under ground river that creates a problem by leaving the surface wet and a dip on the international course. Depends on the water table and other factors. It's just not always available and the road in has to be blocked during any runs.

[Richard Thomason]

I could not agree more with all the comments that have been made here. Turn us loose and lets continue to see how fast we all can go. I have no clue why we should limit length of course to some specified length. This is land speed racing, not drag racing in a 1/4 mile or some set distance. If the track is there, then it should be available. Lets go as fast as the track allows. Sorry if this offends some people, but let's run what you brung.

[Richard Thomason]

By the way, I can talk big and with much bravado because it it is Ed's turn to drive this year. Unfortunately the last time I laid that trip on Ed, he went on his head at WOS. It seems that Don Vesco had some real electrical smoke in the cockpit of his car. Ed was complaining about smoke in the cockpit of our car and saying that he couldn't see. I took him over to Don's car and Don showed him the helmet that was totally smoked black. So Ed went out, ran fairly fast, got hit by internal smoke, blown off course by a 20 mph gust at the cut, hit the old style battery, and promptly went on his head. So now I keep my mouth shut.

[JackD]

I have used the ESPN coverage of those events as a training aid.
Seeing is believing.
Just listening is not as highly developed.

[Glen]

Some years back Kenny Lyons got smoked out in his motorcycle streamliner and lost the course. He got the chute out and missed the old timing stand by 4 feet. When he popped the canopy and found out where he stopped he was a little shook up. Luck was on his side that day.

[don pennington]

Thanks everyone for the information. It is very helpful. In addition to the articles I did a painting that was auctioned off at the '05 NW banquet. It shows a threatening Bonneville sky with sun rays lighting up a portion of the salt where Al's liner rests after a run. The painting is entitled "Gray's Last Pass". From the information you gave me here and talking with Al I was able to write a synopsis and attach it to the painting and add to the article. Thanks again.

The response here shows what people think of Al. He is a competitor, has no fear, and is the nicest person you could know. Somwhere around 1965 I rented a small space fropm Gene Ohly at Evans Speed Equipment where Al worked, doing mostly head work. He was also going to school at the time and was driving his flamed hearse daily (I think he still has it). One night a bunch of us went out, and as chance would have it, came across a sweet young thing who was looking for a place to stay. Not one to miss an opportunity, Al jumped right in. What we didn't know was that her new apartment was Al's hearse parked in the alley behind his mom's house in San Gabriel. A couple days later she was gone, but Al fondly remembers her....wonder why? Maybe something about a couple of doctor visits and some shots?