the Bonneville Salt Flats, a vast expanse of salt, and it feels like home.

the additions to the team this year include two significant others, a new 15 passenger van and my aunt. all welcome additions.

this is a short trip for me, only two days this year. my Dad isn’t driving, so i don’t feel that guilty, but i wish we had done better while i was here.

we made two runs, one yesterday, one today, neither of which were great. but tomorrow is another day….

hopefully when i get home tomorrow there will be a message saying the car is in impound and we’re going for the record run Tuesday morning.  if not, there’s always next year.

yesterday felt like the longest day on the salt, and for the most part i was just sitting in a pit.

it was a cool 91 that felt like 105 and no wind.  a little breeze from the day before would have been greatly welcome.

we got in line to run at 1 PM and headed down the course at 4 PM. there are lots of people running the long course this year and the salt is wet which is causing spinouts. every time there is a spin out they have to shut down the course and check for parts.

the car didn’t run well, so it’s back to the drawing board today!

update: we didn’t race today, so the pits were taken down, car was put in the trailer and we headed back to town. and the pool. so long salt flats see you next year.

we were in good shape this morning, arriving at the salt early and we made into line around 11:15 AM.  we ran at 2:30 PM.  sigh.

the car ran well, getting to 177 mph in third gear, but sadly the salt was wet and caused the car to slide sideways, so he shut it down.  better speed than yesterday, but hopefully tomorrow will be better.

it was exciting in other areas of the meet today….i heard that a car spun out and ended up going through the spectator area at 100 mph heading toward the mountains.  thankfully there was a hole in the spectator line and no one was hurt.

the day ended with a wind storm coming in and we dismantled the pit in record time.  if you don’t move quickly your tents can end up in Salt Lake City.

today was better than yesterday, but sadly no qualifying run.  the good news is that we are in good shape for an early run tomorrow.

one fun thing…….when we got to the pit this morning we saw the pictured little guy hanging out on our tarp.

we think he might have been a gift from the Kawasaki Team next pitted next door, but we can’t be 100% sure.  no matter where is he came from, he is a welcome addition.

it’s hard to believe, but i really missed this place.  two years of no Speed Week made the summers feel incomplete. but now we’re back, and it’s like no time has passed at all.

day 1 went ok.  there are a lot of racers this year and we only got one run in.  sadly, we didn’t break the record.   thankfully, we didn’t break anything else either.

the drivers are having a meeting now to discuss the plan of attack for tomorrow.  i am having a drink.  shortly there will be a shower, then dinner, some potentially bad tv, then bed.

tomorrow is another day, full of record opportunity and it starts early.

as long as Mother Nature doesn’t interfere, it looks like Bonneville National Speed Week will be happening.

as of July 20 the long course has 8 miles of nicely groomed salt and the 9 mile will be groomed by Speed Week (August 11). the short course has also been groomed  5 + miles and the rookie course has 3 good miles.

that’s what we like to hear!

photo courtesy of the Southern California Timing Association

Bonneville 2015 has been cancelled. and then there was great sadness. well, at least next year everything will be ready to go. pray for good salt in 2016.

“from French, literally “already seen”, is the phenomenon of having the strong sensation that an event or experience currently being experienced, has already been experienced in the past, whether it has actually happened or not.”

this is what i am experiencing regarding Bonneville. Mother Nature seems to be against land speed racing again this year, she has drenched the salt with many a storm and it looks like there may only be a stretch of salt in good enough condition for one short course.  a short course does my Dad no good at all.

drivers are currently casting their yay or nay votes for racing on just one short course, and unlike last year, if the salt doesn’t improve significantly in the next week the officials will cancel the race providing lots of lead time.  i’m sure the international teams will appreciate the effort, as it’s an expensive trip to make if you can’t run.

if they do have one short course we will all still go to the salt, but my Dad won’t be driving and we won’t be setting a new record.  very disappointing. again.

all we can do now is pray that a heat wave hits Wendover and things dry out a bit.

and how quickly it all can change.  Bonneville National Speed Week 2014, officially cancelled. i’m so sad, and i’m sure the team is even more upset.  sigh, a year without going to the Salt Flats doesn’t even seem possible.  is this an alternate reality?

AND what really bugs me is that the Bay Area (where i live) needs water, we need rain and lots of it…bring on the rain.  the Bonneville Salt Flats, not so much, and certainly not right now.

yes, i’m pouting.

Bonneville National Speed Week has been rescheduled and we’re going to make our way to the salt a week from today.  i should say the team is making their way back to the salt, and i’m going for the first time this season.

i’m so thankful they rescheduled for that particular week.  if it has been one week before or after i wouldn’t have been able to go.  maybe it’s a sign.  a sign of good things and fast cars to come!

i will do my best to keep the blog up to date and provide images that haven’t been shared over the last few years.  it’s not easy though, it’s not like the landscape changes at all.  until next week, pray for good salt!