Long Lines At Bonneville.........

[SPARKY]

We were one of the long course cars that "took Advantage" of the short course for our controlled speed run---great meet---much more user friendly that last year!!!!!!!!!!!!!--my hat is off to all who helped and mad this possible!!!!!!!!!!---a heart felt thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Richard Thomason]

Some items of interest. One, the tech line was very very long. No big deal. Too bad the short course was not also a long course. That could have eliminated some line traffic. Overall, it was great. From my perspective and experience, the salt was far from perfect. This is not a critisizm just an observation. I spent time on the track on Thurs. AM looking at tracks and saw several (including my own) that broke through in the last mile. My only point is that the salt ain't perfect yet. We still need to support the "Save the Salt" effort.
rht

[Ro Yale]

What agreat event...You guys did a great job...Thank you very much! I thought the salt was great..I ran #920 A/GMR thru at a 282mph 5th mile. I had 12 runs at over 270mph...now that was BITCHIN'.
Thanks, Ro Yale

[Stan Back]

We've learned to accept the long lines in Inspection.  For one thing, they may be the only chance that week to socialize.  Once you're out of there, you can't even keep track of the cars in the pits right next to you.

We've made a practice of establishing a place in line, then going over to the gas trailer and load up and get sealed, then get back in line.  Saves some time later, and if you tell the folks ahead and behind you what you're going to do, it's no sweat.

We had a little trouble with our lead inpector this year.  At first he said we had our lug nuts on backwards and I had to explain to him that they were tapered on both sides.  Then he insisted in writing in our log book that our fire bottles, certified in Dec. 2006, were no longer good.  He would let us run at Bonneville, but insisted that we couldn't run the rest of the year at El Mirage and noted so.  Somehow the 2-year rule, which he acknowledged, didn't apply thru November of 2008.  I think he was math challenged.

Stan Back

[NArias3]

What agreat event...You guys did a great job...Thank you very much! I thought the salt was great..I ran #920 A/GMR thru at a 282mph 5th mile. I had 12 runs at over 270mph...now that was BITCHIN'.
Thanks, Ro Yale

Ro-
I met you two years ago when you ran the small block.  Your crew seems to have too good of a time on the salt.

I'd have to vote for your 284.921 in a naturally aspirated modified 1923 T(!) as the run of the meet, alongside Freddy's 366.546, Bonner's 310.398 and Jason's 253.297.

Nick 3rd.

[Stan Back]

The 198 MPH record in E/Street Roadster on the short course gets my nod.

[edweldon]

Two long courses (salt conditions permitting) would take a lot more resources.  At least 6 extra patrols. More timing hardware. Maybe more ambulance and fire coverage. Not to mention additional tower resources on the 3rd short course.  It would be a question in my mind whether that would increase the number of timed runs that could completed in a meet.  Assuming that the middle course would be a short/long option here to be operated as long, long/short or short as required.  Seems to me the biggest hassle would be managing the patrol situation and communications. Maybe the "middle" course could be a 2-3 and a 3-4 only which would result in being of interest to those folks running in the 175 to 250 range who don't want to wait as long as those in the "long" course line.  This could get real confusing.  I think we're better sticking with the current 3 course setup (to the extent that salt conditions will allow) for a while.
While out with the patrols this year on the long course I saw an awful lot of drivers who couldn't seem to get off the course promptly for one reason or another.  Seems they had a lot of trouble finding the dragged turnouts after the 5 mile.  And then there seemed to be a lot of chute malfunctions.  This stuff all slows things down.  Also the performance of CB radios in teams' push vehicles may have been more troublesome this year.  This will slow down the effort to clear a vehicle that stops way short of the return road when leaving the course.  Any one else share my thinking on this?
Ed Weldon

[SPARKY]

Guilty as charged on Chute and on the turn out---didnt make it far enough on first run----scarded my self on the second---by being pretty fast on the turn out ---did make to return road though---will try to compromise by pulling the chute later and making a turn closer to the 7.  So much of what we do is not exactly repeatable---we may need to accept "some" of it as that just our racing!!!!!!!!

[Seldom Seen Slim]

On the subject of two versus three courses (and the long lines we didn't have this year) -- I've got a note from one of the SCTA/BNI folks. It's buried someplace in the computer, and one of these hours (we're on the road right now and I'm running low on battery) I'll dig it out and paste it into this topic.

To paraphrase -- yes, three courses were great, and waiting lines were short, but don't get your hopes up for three courses each and every SpeedWeek.  While the logistics of having all of the work done are tremendous, but doable-- it's still Mother Nature that rules on whether there's enough good salt for three.

Expect two, be ready for longer lines next year and also expect bitching about how long are the waits and how it worked so well in 2008, and be pleasantly surprised if we (the SCTA/BNI and workers that set up the place) can make the three-course setupwork again.

I'll find that note in here someplace...  In the meantime, Nancy and I and two of her boys are going camping for a few days at Great Basin Park.  Don't know if there'll be internet up there.

[willieworld]

i think a lot of time was wasted on the short courses because some of the slower vehicles couldnt run any faster from the 2 to the 3 than they could from the 1 to the 2 but they kept running to the 3 anyway---i told sheri to turn off right after the 2 i think she ran to the 3  two times one time to see if she could go faster (didnt work ) and one time when connie asked her what the course was like --she wanted to run on the short course ---sheri ran to the 3 and told her it was perfect --it was nice to see you all  old faces and new alike  wish we had more time but a week goes by so fast --some of you we will see at el mirage ---ride safe  willie buchta

[Ro Yale]

Thanks Nick...for the earlier statement. Neil (owner) and Danny, both engineers, told me I would run 282 and as usual they were right. I'm fortuate to be envolved with this team. Yes, we try to have fun...We started out the week with 1000lbs. of additional weight in the car. By the end of the 3rd day we had taken all the weight out. I just want to thank owners Neil Akkerman, Ab Faye and the crew Danny Dewey, Craig Christy, Steve Teague, John Jett, Bill Rothermel, Gene and Billy for all thir help and hard work. Thanks!