Bonneville Speed Runs – 2012

Earlier this year we got wind that Steve Pike was bring the streamliner back to the Bonneville Salt Flats for another attempt to break the 200 mph barrier. In 2009 they had obtained 149 mph when a series of mechanical gremlins had pre-vented further speed runs. Back in Australia they had reached 190 mph but the engine let go in a big way, the crank broke in two! In 2009 Dave Plotky, Bob Brown and I had made the trek. This year it was just the two Bob’s. I left at 5:00 am in the morning to meet Bob, who had also left his home at 5:00 am, in Omaha. A friend of Jean’s had graciously allowed us to park Bob’s gas-guzzler at her house while we took my Honda to Bonneville. We left Omaha about 12:30 pm and headed west on I-80. After gassing up in Kearney, NE we decided to try and make Laramie, WY the first day. Bob (there is never a gas station to far) and Bob (I agree) McElwee figured we could make it on a thankful of gas! After passing the last exit with a gas station in Chey-enne, WY we had 51 miles to go and 3 ‘dots’ on the gas gauge. That quickly became 2 ‘dots’ soon to be followed by the yellow ‘get fuel light. A quick, fran-tic, search on the phone GPS shows gas at Buford Trading Post, about 21 miles from Laramie. WY. We’re down to 1 ‘dot’ as we at a ghost town named Buford Trading Post. We drop the speed to 55 mph and the last ‘dot’ goes out about 16 miles from Laramie. Fortunately, there is a really long, long (6 mile) downhill going into Laramie on I-80. Into neutral and let’s coast awhile B-). We put 12.5 gallons in a 13-gallon tank. Just an easy 794-mile day of driving. Up early the next morning and headed west on I-80. When we got to Salt Lake City e pick up a rental car to use in Wendover and Bonneville. Lucked out and got an upgrade to a Chevy Suburban again. This time it was black, in 2009 it was white, you can see the salt on a black car much easier B-). A much more uneventful day and we arrived in Wendover about 4:00 pm. We were at the Montego Bay Casino while the bulk of the people stayed at the Rainbow Casino. We headed down there and having a few cold ones before heading out for dinner. We were a little tired from 2 long days long days of driving.

The next morning we headed out to the salt flats to see where the Aussies were going to set up their pit so we could be close. They picked a spot that was very close to where Bob, Dave and I had been 3 years ago. We ended up just staying there instead of at a separate location. Friday was spent getting the streamliner though tech inspection and fixing the few minor problems found. Early Friday afternoon Grace, the Drive Away Cancer car, arrived. It was kind of interesting because we had to drive through water to get to the pits again. Not as much as last time but still salt water! Grace made it with flying colors and burbling ex-haust B-). Grace now has about 11,000 signatures on her and has given rides to about 1,000 youngsters fighting cancer. The following is from my iPhone ‘notes’ that I emailed myself Today was to be the first run of the streamliner. When they were 'arming' the fire extinguishing system it went off. There is a safety pin and activating pin, one or the other must be in. They weren't and the system when off. No replace-ment that will work here so new ones must come from Salt Lake City. That's a 3 hr round trip. We are sitting and waiting. Apparently the new tanks have a different method to activate. Looks like no run today. Drat. Both Grace and streamliner are back. Grace had stalled out in the water trying to leave yesterday. Grace now starts. Streamlined doesn't have fire extinguish-ers. Someone who broke down 'donated' a fire extinguisher and it is now installed. Don't know if they will be able to get a run in today or not. 3:40 pm -done for the day!! 4:30 - fire bottles have arrived and installed. Cross our fingers. 9/9. 5 fire bottles have arrived with the correct hardware. The fire bottles are being installed now @ 9:00 am. 9:30 engine fired up getting ready to tow to staging line. They are going to let them make the first run without the fire bottles. 11:40 am. Apparently they ran the short course sooner than we thought they were going to run. We missed it. Not back to the trailer yet so maybe they are going to do another short course run. Stay tuned!! 1:15 two short course runs made. 151 & 147 mph. Jet change for carb and some more short course runs.

3:10 pm. 3rd run made. Couldn't get into 4th gear. Need to 'bend' shifter to make more room. Ready to go back on the long course so will need to put fire bottles back in. 4:05 - track closed due to accident. Nasty looking rain clouds coming in. If there is a lot of rain, tomorrow might be canceled. Car shifter has been bent; time will tell if it will work. 5:15 and them the rains and wind came. Streamliner put back in trailer so bikes are out in rain tonight. Don't know what will happen tomorrow. 9/10 9:05 am Arrived at pit area and no trailer w/streamliner!! Our bikes had been chained to the front of the trailer. We went back to the start area and there they were. They had taken the trailer in case there was more rain. Put bikes on front and they were covered with salt. Tried to do a run and they think may have a blown head gasket. They are pull-ing the head now. 10:00 am - head going back on. 11:00 am - when we returned from taking down the pit tent the trailer and car were gone again. They had gone to town to get some machine work done. So we wait again 12:30 we're having lunch. Car is having a stripped head stud drilled out so a helicoil can be put in. Whether this will work on a head stud is an unanswered question. 2:40 pm. Car back on flats, valves being adjusted. Clouds all around. To run or not to run. 3:35. Track shut down for the day. 5:00 pm - cleaned mucho tons of Bonny salt off the car and still missed a bunch. Trying to fine out if and when Team Healey will run tomorrow. 9:30 pm - will run at 8:00am. Short course if no water on it or long course oth-erwise 9/11 7:30 am Honda is loaded and ready to go. We figure we have run out of time because there are 9 cycles and 3 cars that will run first attempting to con-firm their record runs from yesterday. We to leave no later than 9:30 am to get the rental car back on time. We say our Goodbyes to Steve Pike and head East on I-80 towards Salt Lake. Bob runs on the shoulder rumble strips in an effort to knock more salt loose. When we get in town we find a good bottom blaster car wash and clean and vacuum the car real good.

2:00 pm. We are at mile marker 121 in WY planning to get well into Neb to-day. We're 722 miles from Bob's pickup in Omaha. 7:00 pull into a Days Inn in Sidney, NE. Had a good walleye for dinner. 9/12 7:00 am Departing for home after an oatmeal breakfast. Due in to Omaha about 1:30 pm, Home by 9:00 pm?? 11:00 - another 12.5 gal gas fill up. We're getting good at that. 1:30 pm - arrive at Bob's pickup, transfer stuff in 10 min and we both are on our way home. Good trip with a good friend. 9:30 pm home safe and sound. The whole adventure reminded me a little of the ‘Racing with Ronnie” days of vintage racing with Ron Sheffler. We always had ‘stuff’ popping up that it made difficult for Ron to get laps in to get things sorted out. Different level but still a lot of ‘stuff’ happening. NE, WY and UT have a 75 mph speed limit on their interstate highways. Not that many people were driving faster that 75 mph, It certainly isn’t like around here where the 65 or 70 mph speed limits are considered advisory by many drivers. The End.

On the road Setting up the pits

Emergence KU Arrrgh!

Grace Get Ready

Get Set NO GO

Salty Bike Rain