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Author Topic: Harpers Dry Lake 1939  (Read 2579 times)

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Offline D-Type

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Harpers Dry Lake 1939
« on: January 03, 2006, 10:14:29 AM »
I came across the following query on a motor racing history forum and immediately thought of this forum
Quote
One of my customers recently enquired if I had anything related to an event on May 28, 1939 at Harpers Dry Lake (assume this has to be the USA?) run by "Idlers Club" and apparently among the drivers was a Bill Baxter.

I assume this must be one of those pioneer hot rod events which eventually gave birth to Drag racing and to the Bonneville Speed Trials after the war. I've never heard of this particular dry lake or the club that ran there so I wonder does anyone here know any more about the event or the mysterious Mr Baxter?

Can anybody here help  :?:
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Offline k.h.

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Harpers Dry Lake 1939
« Reply #1 on: January 03, 2006, 11:13:13 AM »
The Birth of Hot Rodding: The Story of the Dry Lakes Era (Hardcover)
foreward by Wally Parks, authors Robert Genat & Don Cox

Harper is no longer a dry lake: "Harper Dry Lake not so dry Anymore" (Victorville Daily Press, 03/05/2004)  No longer dry, Harper Dry Lake attracts migratory birds as they travel along the Pacific Flyway.
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Offline Rex Schimmer

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Harper "dry" lake:
« Reply #2 on: January 03, 2006, 05:28:37 PM »
The news paper must have been talking about the winter time as the time I was out there in the summer time it was "dry". Located about 20 miles north and west of Barstow, AMA District 37 used to run a lot of desert races there, real close to the NASA and Fort Irwin. Harper is just like El Mirage it is dry in the summer and a "lake" in the winter, especially now!

I have heard old timers say that it was never as smooth as El Mirage. Felt smooth to me at 100 on my 490, but it does have 12 inches of suspension travel.

Rex
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Offline DrofRockology

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Re: Harper "dry" lake:
« Reply #3 on: January 05, 2006, 09:33:04 PM »
Quote from: Rex Schimmer
I have heard old timers say that it was never as smooth as El Mirage.

Rex


i've heard it was pretty soft, too.  worse than muroc!
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Offline D-Type

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Harpers Dry Lake 1939
« Reply #4 on: February 02, 2006, 05:01:49 PM »
Many thanks.  

kh, I have passed the information on.

Doesn't anybody have anything more on the Idler's Club or Bill Baxter?
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