Bonneville Salt Flats 2008

Nothing like being part of the team that won Best of Show at the 2008 Pebble Beach concours d’elegance and next stop is at the Bonneville Salt Flats with friends to learn about Bonneville.

Friend’s wife Zofia got “his ride” (due to his poor health) in the streamliner instead after crewing for many years. There was no way he could get out of the streamliner in the mandatory time requirement after being strapped in. Bad health sucks!First she got her rookie’s stripe by making several passes on the short course.

Then onto the long course.

First run:

2-1/4 mile 233.589mph
mile 3 244.669mph
mile 4 268.300mph
mile 5 276.525mph
exit speed 273.355mph
Impound she went!

Next day:

2-1/4 mile 241.110mph
mile 3 251.139mph
mile 4 272.087mph
mile 5 284.492mph
exit speed 286.154mph
Back to impound!

Record set: 280.508mph

Earned her a RED HAT and entry to be a member of the the 200mph SCTA club.

Engine was a Ford “flathead” with ARDUN heads (plus supercharged) and was running on gasoline. (instead of its usual methanol / nitromethane mixture) She broke Don Garlits long standing record that stood for numerous years in only two full passes of this well prepared streamliner.

What does one learn at Bonneville? Do your homework long before you get there! Lots of good lessons learned over the years since that will pay dividends ahead when my own streamliner is finished. I know the handful of people I will truly credit when finished and learned from over the past decade plus — most of them have several decades or multiple generations of experience on the salt already. RESPECT!