It's an awe inspiring place for sure... They say it's the only place on the planet where you can actually see the curve of the earth, that's gotta count for something...
You know you have "arrived" at the starting line of a real lifetime event when you watch the push truck push your buddy away - and listen to the times on the CB (fingers crossed) - and then he drives over the edge of the earth! And disappears! No place like it!!!!!
I made it out in 02 when Carla was working for the summer in SLC. I could not get out until Tuesday and things had cleared out a bit. I could count the HAMBers there with my shoes off. It truly was fun except for the bug I caught in SLC, ask BobK, I only drank one beer! What I have noticed in the pics the last 3 or 4 years was how many more of us crowd the background of the pictures. Most folks, young and old. More hotrods driven there. More racecars etc...........
Well Ryan... now you've opened the bottle. The genie is out... and you're no longer a salt virgin! (I can't think of any more clichés) BUT they're ALL true! And now you'll have to go back again and again!
Completely understand. last year was my first trip and you are awe struck by the whole experience. After a year its still hard to explain to someone who has never been there...
Try 2AM on the night of the New Moon - you can see every star there is - you can hear every car that has ever ran there - and every once in awhile you can see glowing headers streak across the sky. Thats Zen Salt.
Reading about it for 49 years I wonder if I'll ever really set foot on it during Speedweek, you guys that have are the lucky ones IMO.
Ryan, Indy was always on my list of races to do before I finally retire from racing and I got to do it five times (so far ) and won it once as a Chief Mechanic. The first time going out to pit lane through Gasoline Alley, under the stands with the car was a never forget experience. I've won Monaco in F1, will do Le Mans next year and Bonneville is next on my list. I have this goal to win as many of the "special" races as possible before the inevitable happens. There are few events that exist that can REALLY make the hair on your neck stand up... A HAMB meeting at the flats would be a good thing.
I was there from thursday afternoon[windy as hell] until monday morning, helping my friend run his turbocharged Buick v-6 powered Pontiac trans-am. He holds about 20 records with the car, in different classes, with a top one way speed of 303mph; it was my first year helping with an entry and it is even more awe -inspiring than I had expected. We did not have a great result [speed wise] but we did bring it all back home, and that counts for something. If you haven't been, shame on you! if you have , nothing more needs saying! waldo
Got back today. Saw the Nish streamliner scream by at 365 mph. My 9-year old son could not believe it. Poteet & Main are still the fastest of the week...so far.
So . . . y'all couldn't talk Denise into bringing the Big Olds onto the salt even for the photos??? I know, needed it to guard the front gate. K
My first time there as well...hmmmm? What can I build to go fast out there, and who can help out? Thinking some form of Vintage Coupe with a bad ass flathead.
Few years back I grabbed the Sunday paper and Continental was running a flight special from Portland to salt Lake, believe it was something like $79- roundtrip. Called a buddy that lives just outside there and plans were made. Being that it was the 50th anniversary just had to go,get the t-shirt etc....... Course they ran out of shirts but we still had a great time. Met a lot of interesting people, lent a hand at a few pits, wondered hoe some of the same support vehicles that I remembered from Hot Rod magazines in my youth were still surviving considering the amount of salt crust in every nook and cranny. Haven't made it back since but truly its not just mecca for hot rodders its "HOT ROD HEAVEN !". Nowhere else will one see the variety of cars, ingenuity, and overall helping attitude between race teams. While I'm sure there are some rivalries running against the record book rather than someone else really fosters an atmosphere of support between teams that is truly unique in racing. Hope to make it back soon.
Damn, didnt know you and Joyo were there...first time for me and the family too....I can relate....hard to put words to it.....but for me, participation will be a must in the future...had the kids watch "Fastest Indian" on the way to Bonneville to get them in the mood. It worked. In the pits the crews were awsome in showing and going out of their way to teach my gilrs. Going throug the starting lines, a female driver got out of her car and ran over to my girls to tell them that girls car race there too!!! The weather was perfect. On sunday sat right behind the tower in between the long and short coarse starting lines, by ourselves... Perfect. Drove the dodge everywhere, hope salt away works.....even sprayed the rusty 33 plymouth in the back....one daughter has already claimed it....great running into friends and making some new ones...camping at the bend was cool too....we put over 6,000 miles on that old avion in the past 3 weeks...glad to be home, will post some pics next week...gotta unload and load up again, taking the Rebel Reaper to the Funny Car Drags this weekend....
I've never written much about the salt because I feel like you Ryan, I just don't know what to write to give it the justice it deserves. And no, you really don't understand until you've been there. I don't mean to sound like an elitest but it's the truth. Mention Bonneville to me pre-first visit I'd say it was cool and I'd like to get out there one day. Mention Bonneville to me now every hair on my body stands up. It's a LIFE changing experience for sure. Stopping there in the '32 roadster a few weeks back during the big cross country trip was especially eerie. We both sat there in awe looking over the empty flooded salt bed saying nothing. There were a million things running through my mind, the top one being if the car had ever been there before. I don't know of anywhere on earth that is so lifeless, so void of vegetation lead alone any form of life that is SO ALIVE.
Can't wait until Friday's post. Every year I say I'm going; every year has passed without going. It's moving rapidly to the top of the bucket list but that includes driving across the U.S. in a traditional hot rod and it's still in a million pieces...I gotta retire...
I couldn't get the salt to stick to my glass for my Margarita ! It was nice meeting you Ryan too! As well as alll the H.A.M.B. members at the meeet and greet !!
My wifes sister lives in Layton, just north of SLC, I am now going to convince my wife that we need to visit her sister next year. After reading this, and following all the Bonneville picture threads, I will have to go next year. Waiting impatiently for Part II.
T.J. Nish was a machinist on our team for a number of years. It was very cool to follow him, his brothers and his father all drive the car in different classes and set records in the process.
The Jalopy Journal
