2010 Mike Cook Shootout,Bonneville Salt Flats Utah.....UPDATE..

Ok,so this update of "Whats happening on the Salt" was graciously provided to me by Jon & Nancy of Landracing.com.

Here's the status of the Top Speed Shootout 2010 at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Wendover, Utah, as of Friday the 24th at about 11AM:
THE NISH family car is going home. I don't have the reason about why they're done, but yesterday they hurt a driveshaft on the smaller motor.
THE ACK ATTACK bike is undergoing a swap of both motors. They were having gear-changing problems -- one of the engines wouldn't go into first and the other had no fifth gear, I think it was. This morning they made a run and while the bike finally went straight and true -- meaning the overnight tire swap to the five-year-old tires -- was successful. But during the run the engines were backfiring and sputtering a bunch, so they'll just change out the engines and run tomorrow morning.
The Speed Demon made an aborted run this morning. There turned out to be an oil issue, with oil getting onto the clutch plates -- so the clutch slipped as George Poteet, the driver, put the car into third gear. He drove it back to the pit and the team is now working to find the source of the oil leak. They'll also run in the morning.
SCOTT HORNER of Heads Up Performance in Salt Lake City, is making runs on his turbo Hayabusa "sit-on" bike. He's running in the 200 mph range and enjoying some track time. Still hasn't put down a really great pass -- best was yesterday's run of something around 225, but the course was wet and he had enough of a job riding the bike that he didn't attempt a return run. He's on the course as I type this -- wait a few minutes and I'll give you his speeds through the course. "He's through the four mile marker and heading for the timed stretch -- the middle of the course. It's measured for runs in both directions. Never mind, rider has aborted the run -- he's slowing to 135 into the timed stretch".
THE JACK ROGERS REALTY CAMARO is prepping for more runs in the next hour or so. It's not a streamliner, like the other cars here, but Jack and driver Steve Strupp are readying for a good number of hot laps. They're here mostly for experimenting and "test and tune" -- and having the fun of running on the 12-mile long course.
THE SPEED by SPECTRE STREAMLINER made a run this morning with the smaller (485 cubic inch) twin turbo Cadillac motor. They hurt a turbo yesterday and the spare was a slightly smaller blower, and the resulting imbalance may have had some effect on the poor run. Amir, the owner/driver of the car, aborted the run and dro ve the car back to the pit, towing the chute for six or seven miles.
BOBBY CLEVELAND is here on the salt with hopes of running over the weekend with "The Worlds Fastests Lawnmower". I'll get some photos of the mower when it comes out of the transporter.
And that's it for now. Further deponent sayeth not. But for further information you're all welcome to visit http://www.landracing.com/ On the home page you'll find a cut-and-paste URL to go directly to the Forum thread about this entire event. Warning: Reading it is addictive and it's already about 48 pages long, including lots of photos -- so have a couple of cold drinks with you before you start reading. I'm doing live/real time reports during runs -- follow the Forum and yo'll be more up to date than most of the folks that are spectating in person out here.

 Jon Wennerberg, a/k/a Seldom Seen Slim, owner of landracing.com

So there`s whats what on the Salt.I`m taking a little down time since no one`s going to run today.I`ll put up some more pictures of some of the pit and track action too,or just go over to Landracing.com to see some more.
Blogger just changed their picture upload format so right now I don`t seem to be able to upload pics.I`ll try again later.

Murph

2010 Mike Cook Shootout Bonneville Salt Flats Utah

 

Wednesday morning was another one of those mornings where I felt a wave of appreciation and gratitude wash over me simply because I was alive and out here at the Salt Flats,able to experience this stunning natural beauty that is the Bonneville Salt Flats.As Burt Munroe said with moist eyes when he first arrived here from New Zealand,this is Hallowed Ground.The Legends of Speed have passed through here,and I know how Burt must have felt when he awoke in his car that first morning and saw the very same sunrise come up over those mountains to the east.A dream come true for Burt,and a dream come true for me too.Burt,good on ya mate,i`ll keep the lemon tree watered for ya !.

 I have  been hanging out and with Jon and Nancy Wennerberg of  Landracing.com,the only up to the minute forum for LSR racing events.If it happened on the track you`ll know about it ten seconds later by logging on to the Landracing.com  forum.

Right next to where Jon and Nancy are parked is Spectre Performance,
where Amir Rosenbaum brought a Cadillac powered 37' long Streamliner to the Salt in an attempt to take Al Teague`s 1991 record of 406 kilo,405 mph,and if they happen to run over 368 mph they would unofficially become the fastest gasoline powered vehicle on the planet,ever.
Yesterday on a run on the AA Bonneville Class 11 Motor(529 cu in),an exhaust valve went through the header and into one of the two turbos which ended that run,however Amir still managed to run 367 mph on only one turbo.He coasted into the pits and then began the complete teardown to remove the big 529 inch Caddy and replace it with a 485 cu in A Class 10 motor.They started at three in the afternoon and I stayed with them to photo document the event.They left last night at 12:30 am to go back to the motel to get a lttle sleep,and I really mean a little sleep,they were all back on the Salt by 7 am this morning,ready to finish the car to ready it for the record attempt.As I am writing this (9 am) I am watching them work to button everything up.In fact they just now fired up the newly installed engine.A really wonderfull group of people.Amir and I got into some in depth conversations.
He`s one of those people who get`s it.`Nuff said.....
 

 It`s a really beautifull Liner,matt black with the Spectre name in silver,nicely done.The following is a pictorial of the nights events.Today they shoot for the record run.Good luck guys,after being present throught the entire removal and installation of the new engine and seeing a cohesive team come together like that,you derserve to get a record.

 

 

Thats Mike Cook on the right,the organizer of the Shootout,with the Loctite crew,the sponsor of the event.
As they were having a beer after a long day,the Spectre crew were preparing for a long night in the pits.

 

Mike Cook gave me the ok to set up tent on the Salt by the pits,thank you Mike.It`s a magical experience to be camping right out on the Salt,hard to put into words.Ya really gotta be there.

As the sun set and everyone went back to their motels the Spectre crew got into their third shift of the day.

 

Steve Schmalz on the right,builder and crew chief of the Spectre Streamliner

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ken Rappaort

Midnight saw the new motor and intercooler finally in it`s resting place.The guys buttoned everything up and headed off for a few hours of well deserved sleep.The whole evening was fluid and drama free,givin the circumstances. So now the new engine is up and running,lets see what happens.Thank you to all the Spectre crew for allowing me to be a part of your pit.Good luck today............

Murph

2010 Mike Cook Shootout,Bonneville Salt Flats Utah.

So the USFRA World of Speed 2010 finished on Saturday afternoon and was a great event.Sunday was cleanup day for  USFRA,but for Mike Cook it was setup day for the Shootout.Top 1 Oil has teamed with the record-setting Land Speed Racing veterans at Cook Motorsports to form the Top1 Oil World Land Speed Shootout,the first single competition ever to decide the fastest of the fast wheel-driven cars and motorcycles on the planet.A maximum of ten teams,five car and five motorcycle,will vie for official Land Speed Records recognized by the Federation Internationale de l`Automobile(FIA)and the Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme(FIM),the leading international race sanctioning bodies.Only two will walk away with the right to claim they have the fastest wheel driven car or motorcycle in the world.
As of this posting at 1:45 pm Mountain Time in Utah Charles Nearburg in the "Spirit of Rett",a naturally aspirated V 8 streamliner,ran a 417 mph on his first run !!.
His 414.316 mph average speed over two runs is a new World Land Speed Record. The record has stood since 1965,one of the longest standing records at Bonneville.This link will take you to the Loctite Facebook Page for more up to date results(Loctite Sponsor the event).
Also you can go to Slim and Nancys Landracing.com, where Slim and Nancy are sitting in their truck at the start line with up to the minute reports.
For you FB afficionados,here`s another linky to get stats of the racing.
These pics of Charles Nearburg were taken a few hours ago just after he  got the record.

Thanks for the pic Charles and congratulations on the new record.

After a record run the Streamliner is torn apart for inspection.

The "Speed Demon" Streamliner.

Murph

USFRA World Of Speed 2010 Day 3 & 4 Pictures

Racing finished on Saturday late in the afternoon with the record runs,with quite a few broken.Friday and Saturdays racing results are here and here.Nobody broke the 400 mph mark at this event,but right now the Cook Motorsports Landspeed Shootout has just started on the Salt Flats,and as I left this mornind "Speed Demon" just did a 400+ mph pass !!.The Cook Shootout is limited to only the 10 fastest vehicles in the world,5 motorcycle and 5 cars. It is a private "Invite Only" event,with the Top Speed Vehicles selected by a panel of judges.

To find out more you can go over to Jon & Nancy Wennerbergs Landracing.com website where he`s doing up to the minute reports.I`m not that advanced .........Yet !!.

Meanwhile i`ll post rest of the USFRA pics will be posted today and tomorrow,which will give me a little time to get some shots of the cars at the Cook Shootout.

Is it a bird....is it a plane....

No Kami,its a Volkswagen.

This is Rory Emery with his `76 2 stroke Suzuki.It`s a family affair,his son Justin and his girlfriend Baylea were there to help Dad  along with friend Tracey.When I left them they were having a hard time turning over the bike and I though I heard something about a broken con rod.Oh well.Cool people.

They wanted a shot of themselves with my bike in front of their horse trailer that they used to haul the bike to the races.I love the "Bonneville Or Bust" mentality of some folks,it`s what makes Salt Flats Racing so much fun.

And speaking of "Horsepower"....

...that motor`ll  get you down this track really fast.

This,on the other hand won`t even pass tech,but fun pit bikes are a spectator sport out here.

And speaking of going down the track fast,Team Vesco does that on a regular basis.

See what i`m sayin?.Up to the 6 mile turn out in the blink of an eye !!.Unfrigginbelieveable.....

Thats TR and Tom helping get the drive unstrapped and out of the Streamliner,making sure they`re ok.Thanks to TR for getting  me passed to go up with him to the end of the track for these pics.it`s not a spectator area but my Mommy says i`m special and I can go anywhere I want in life..............so there.

Adios

Murph