Event Coverage BONNEVILLE SPEED WEEK INFO:

The problem isn't wet salt, it's thin salt. The salt crust can't support race cars at this time. I'm no geologist, so I don't know how the salt could get thicker this season. http://www.sltrib.com/news/2709833-155/utahs-famous-bonneville-salt-flats-are?fullpage=1

 

The talk needs to be about saving a place of historical significance before it becomes extinct... Play it that way.... Cause 99% of the general population could give 2 shits that we can't race on the salt

As far as speedweek revenue I think wendover does ok 51 weeks a year on gambling Mormons , so I'm not sure that is a make or brake deal for them

 

Monitor the festival? You mean watch all the titties bounce, don't ya?

 

Those "strings" will have to be "purse strings". Sounds like its more than the weather that is affecting the conditions of the salt.

 

They are government people. No telling what they want to watch bounce around.

 

Not a geologist either, just a Photographer/racer (yes we do own a land speed vehicle). The placement and movement of the salt varies from season to season. We hear stories of 2 to 3 foot thick salt, but here a few months ago here on the HAMB was a color movie from the 50's showed them drilling for markers and flags and they hit mud in what seemed three inches.
Am I saying there has not been a rape of the salt? I supported Save the Salt back when it was two guys sitting under a 10 foot sun shade. So yes I have seen the reduction of the salt.
When I talked to Bill Lattin on Sunday before the Monday trip he said on their first trip last month there was a racing surface, but it was below the mud that rolled in with the unseasonable rains. Other areas were under water or just slush. With water, the salt disappears.
Bonneville needs three things, salt returned from the mining operation as it is just waste for them, a El Niño rain to dissolve the salt and mud so it can resettle with evaporation, and last The Bonneville Salt Flats International Speedway needs support from Utah and the Federal Government.

 

typo41, salt is not just wast for Intrepid Potash, they sell salt. Here is there company profile.


Intrepid Potash Inc (IPI :NYSE)
COMPANY DETAILS
Intrepid Potash, Inc. is a producer of muriate of potash (potassium chloride or potash) and langbeinite (sulfate of potash magnesia) in the United States. The Company sells potash and Trio into the agricultural market as a fertilizer. The Company also sells produce salt, magnesium chloride and metal recovery salts from its potash mining processes. The Company owns three solution mining facilities and two conventional underground facilities that are utilized for producing potash. Its solution mining production comes from the HB solar solution mine near Carlsbad, New Mexico, a solar solution mine near Moab, Utah and a solar evaporation shallow brine mine in Wendover, Utah. The Company's conventional production comes from its underground West and East mines near Carlsbad, New Mexico, which services the West and HB mines.

 

If they sell so much salt, then why do they have a pond that is something like 4 miles long and a mile wide? And many feet thick. So yes they sell but they have a surplus that would cover the Salt Flats,,, again I am no expert and I believe Intrepid is raping the Flats, but they also have PR people which explains the pump-back to the Flats. Is the Bonneville Salt Flats the only place in the US to get potash? Or is it just the easiest place? I think the real problem is the BLM. The US makes coal mines rebuild what they have destroyed to get product. There was a possible project to truck the salt back to the Flats, but the BLM didn't want the trucks on the fragile surface, the same surface that they say is the same since the 50's. I don't know what the answer is, I have helped StS with a few projects to get attention from the government but they hide behind tall walls.

 

Pull up Google maps, go to Wendover and look at the settling ponds East of town and the other side of Highway 80. The ponds are almost bigger than the flats.

 

I don't know any of the answers either. Big business built this great country and will continue to build it. I hate to say it but I don't think a few hundred of us crazy racers are going to stop the mining in the area. It will only stop when the last grain of salt is gone. JC

 

We used to have a salt works here. Let in sea water from the bay and it evaporates over and over again until it was salt. Then they would dig it up and truck it to a very large pile at Port of Redwood City. The ponds took up lots of room. and eventually the ground became worth to much to use for salt. So now that is where Orical and others are. In very large glass towers. The ships that used to bring cement and take salt still bring cement. They take chopped up cars to come back as Kias and such. the ponds are pretty shallow. They get red just before the salt is ready to harvest. I used to dream about running on our local salt flat.

 

You might be a few miles off?
I thought the salt company place was a bit south over by Pete's Harbor?
I recall Marine Land being near where Oracle is now...but I could be confused as I haven't lived in the area for 20 plus years.
I do recall piled salt you could see from 101.

 

Yes the salt pile was at the port in Redwood City. But the mud flats extended up to San Mateo bridge. The Sea Scouts used to moor a housing barge and PT boat about where the Mercedes dealer is now. Lot of fill in there. I didn't want to get to much into exact locations. It's all gone now. Few that read what I was writing care what was. The salt pile was a good landmark for reporting on approach to San Carlos. I wonder what they use now.

 

I recall an old boat (rotting it looked like, never got up close)...we could see it from the softball diamond, looking towards 101...I need to take a road trip....see how things have changed.

 

I posted this on our Singlefinger blog:

For the 2nd year, the SCTA board has been forced to cancel Speed Week. Wendover's Mayor Crawford said that in 40 years, he's never seen the mud flows on top of the salt flats last for an entire year.

In the 50's the salt's thickness was measured in feet, but racers have fretted about the dangerously thin salt that is now measured in inches. Many believe that the mineral extraction (fertilizer) industry is responsible for depleting salt concentrations over the last few decades. They tend to point the finger at engineers that buy off on permits for the federal Bureau of Land (Mis)Management, who should be held responsible for fixing this situation.

Salt Lake Tribune - Salt Flats Disappearing
Save the Salt. Donate NOW

 

I think all the Sea Scout stuff is long outta there. As best as I remember, where Orical is now is where the Belmont dump was before they started filling there. I kinda remember the park. Moved across the bay or something. I remember the Belmont Speedway fondly. In the summer when our windows were open I sometimes went to sleep listing to the bikes or hardtops. I know all these people have to live somewhere. But I liked Belmont better 60 years ago.

 

This morning's Hemmings blog:
http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/...canceled-for-second-year-straight/?refer=news

 

http://www.good4utah.com/story/d/st...neville-salt-fla/30844/0YplVr3dbUaCfDwQXF7LQQ
Found this this morning
If I know how to post

 

That is how I understood Lattin reported. I am still thinking Cook Shoot Out.

 

Associated Press covered Speed Week cancellation

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/storie...ED_WEEK?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

 

Rich-Do you remember the drag strip at Cooley Field which was at the northern end of the San Carlos airport? I remember going to the drags there in 1952 or 1953. I also went to Belmont for motorcycle races and was a pardner in a hardtop.
Marv.

 

I have heard that there was a drag strip somewhere around there. But never saw it myself. Had not heard of drag racing until around '55. First drag I ever went to was at Little Bonneville near Reid Hillview in San Jose.

 

296ardun - Thanks for link

 

Rich.......... what, when, where is the Cook Shoot Out?

 

what, when, where is the Cook Shoot Out?

All things related to Land Speed racing are on Landracing.com

 

Sept 17-21. on the salt flats but using the International course. Get a mile or two more. Weather permitting.

 

so, any updates on whether or not the Mojave Mile concept is going forward or not?

 

The SCTA Mojave Mile went off and was interesting and a great time for all that were there to run their vehicles.

 

'Little Bonneville'. My alma mater... I was the flattop kid 'mascot' with the Soto Bros., hanging with their Austin Bantom nose car, "The Hangover". (flathead then, Chrysler hemi later)
Kind gentlemen to a needy kid that had lost his Dad.

Eagle Field is a nice substitute...

 

too bad about canceling World Finals. any pics from Mojave Mile?