Bonneville speedweek 2013 questions.

You get a pass as you drive onto the salt. It's easy and quick. Fri-Mon is enough. You come late in the week and you will feel like you missed the best part. Ya, rooms are cheaper for sure. That's because most spectators leave after that. And a lot of neat hotrods too.

 

As far as the pegs and stakes things that is true but you are ENCOURAGED to use lag bolts to hold your awning down!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nobody wants an easy up blowing onto a hotrod, motorhome, the racecourse etc!!!!!!!!!!!!! Also, if you leave your awning, pull the fabric!! Like last year a wind came up and destroyed a ton of EZups, we had folks in the pits and sent folks back (thanks Brent and Jerry) that saved ours.

 

Last year a friend showed up from Denmark. No room booked, no problem. If the lack of everything planned in advance is a major problem maybe it would be best to stay home.

 

As suggested, if you join BNI you get one week's pass included as well as rule book and the poster. You pay that much to buy the stuff. You buy the daily or weekly entry at the end of the road where it drops off onto the salt, known as land's end. Don't speed on the access road, the sheriff does patrol it, usually in afternoon.

You can camp at bend in the road (the access road goes about 1/2 mile off I-80, then turns 90 degrees, hence the name) for free. No designated spots, no services, so you need to be self-contained. Truckstop at highway has showers, or use a friend's hotel room. About 3 miles from bend in the road is land's end.

There is no pit pass for people, all people entries have pit access. It is the vehicle pit pass that is for vehicles to drive in pits. Mini-bikes are not allowed in pits. Pits are from mile 3 to mile 4 along the long course, which is also where all the spectators line up along the long course.

Definitely need some transportation, bicycle or mini-bike is perfect. Like said by others, you will figure it out quick once there. Bring some shade and seating.

The unoffocial car show is at the Nugget. Personally I would rather stay on the salt and enjoy that, and don't do the car show. I may drive through it, but to be honest you will see many of the same cars out on the salt.

Arriving on Sunday is fine, the racing is going full strength through about Tues. Cars do not run in classes together, it is just get in line and go. So you will see a great variety of cars in line and heading down the track at any time.

 

The weather can change so fast and the wind comes up so if youre at the starting liine and it starts blowing your canopy might be in Tooele by the time you get back. I highly encourage you to lag it down and tie the chairs to the canopy. Its no hotter then the inside of an average nuclear reactor, but its the greatest car show on the face of the earth, By monday you can get a room in town with no problems. I like to come friday & watch them tech the cars in. A pit bike is a must & wear white clothes or at the least shirts or you will be wearing your own personel solar heater on your back. Arrive early & seek shade by 11 am. Thats 29 years of experience in a nut shell. I dont claim to be an expert, just a few tips to help you out

 

If you want to have a real experience, go to landracing.com and volunteer to crew for someone. But don't be surprised when you have to actually work. We've been going on and off for 10 years and my Bonneville friends are always there when I need.

 

Since you don't know the car, or anything about it. What does volunteering consist of?


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It might be anything from making Ice runs (ice truck is by tech on the salt) to running down food, to pushing the racecar, to sweepeing and cleaning pits, to manning the grill and anything elso you may think of. Eating, drinking and ev3eryday activities take as much thought and planning as racing. You will be on another planet and it is easy to forget to eat or drink with everything going on.

 

Wow, I never realized you could do that. May have to look into that further.

 

Last August the man on the radio, (bring a portable battery operated with big batteries), said with the heat we have this week, drink two bottles of water and one same sized of Gatoraid. Keep it up all day.
If you cant get a room in August, go to the meet in September. Many of the same cars, some others, rooms generally a hundred bucks a night cheaper. No lines to get fed.

 

Ok so for the guys that have been. Would you rather get in Sunday and leave Thursday? Or get in Friday and leave wendsday?


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I would take the Friday thru Wed anyday as the weekend runs at the salt are killer plus the Nugget ROCKS Fridat & Sat. night.

 

Utah Salt Flats Racing Assn. in Sept.

 

Friday-Wednesday for sure.

 

As racers the crowds are too crazy the first weekend, but for a spectator..................you NEED to see the circus the first few days! My first year, 2002, we made it out on Monday night and it was pretty thin wehn we hit the salt on Tuesday.

Remember, racing starts after the drivers meeting on Saturday.

 

I am really excited to go, my dad went a couple of times just before he died, always wish I could have gone with him. Going to take my son who is just starting to really get into what we do in the garage, I think he'll have a blast. While I have heard lots of great advice from lots of people on what to bring I think a bicycle is the best idea. I always heard how big the place was and that sounds like the best, and quickest, way for us to get around, huge thanks for that piece of info.

 

I was searching B-Ville threads and happend upon this one. We had our Rod Rider Racing Club meeting last night and our Prez (Pinstiriper Chick) read the 'new rules' that will be inforced at the salt this year. They might have been posted here already and if so sorry. But the bottom line is that the BLM is making BNI responsible and have to answer to rules that are ineffect at most National Parks and the 'area' goes beyond the Salt to the Bend in the Road. BLM feels that everyone is there because of Speed Week. Bottom line, enforcement of helmet laws, under aged must have helmets on atv's and mini bikes, speed limits enforced (It is so easy to get a little excited after the bend as you see the salt)and in the race and pit area. open containers of anytype (adult bervage) and even if the vehicle is parked, no glass bottles outside of vehicles (cars, trailers, motorhomes), no fireworks or burning of magnesium (old blocks), check the SCTA web site for the full list. Oh and the Rangers that will enforce all this fun, thier time is being paid by BNI, which means the racers pay. This is a heads up, it's great to have fun at Speed Week, but it is about racing.

 

Just to reinforce this, there are no motorized vehicles allowed in the pits unless you are racing or crew. It is very congested and teams need the room to work and move cars in and out. If you don't have a pass, park outside and walk or ride a bike.

 

Sunday to Thursday is plenty, but I would suggest Friday to Tuesday. There is a lot going on over the weekend at the hotels and I wouldn't want to miss it!

The "walk" from the starting line to the pits is at least 4 miles depending on how they set up the tracks, but you can drive around so I wouldn't sweat it too much. Since you'll be a spectator you'll have to walk through the pits instead of driving- but that's half the fun of it!

 

Camped at the Bend a few years ago and had a great time,I was only fortunate enough to go from the Monday through Wednesday and was still very happy with what we saw.We also had bicycles for transport so parked down near the pit area and cycled everywhere which was a great way to get around.Plan on hopefully doing it again this year as it is addictive!

 

hi all - a couple of other questions about camping and transportation for those of you who have done it in the past...

if i take a small campervan and want to set it up and leave it at 'the bend', and take a bicycle to get around - is it feasible to ride the bike from the bend to the races in terms of distance, shoulder width, traffic, etc? possible to hitch a ride with me and the bike in someone's truck in the am/pm?

i've heard mixed things about the goings-on in town after the races - feasible to ride the bike into town? hitch? or are the events there missable anyway?

just trying to avoid setting up each day, and the salt corrosion issues on the van by leaving it at the bend. thanks...looking forward to my first speed week....

 

That would be too far of a bike ride for me especially at the end of a really hot day. Come find our pit and if we got room for you and your bike maybe we can help at least for a ride back to camp. 7800 Blown Fuel Streamliner. We are HAMB friendly and our car is based out of silicon valley area so who knows you might end up helping. Come by and say HI anyways.

 

thanks, i'll come by....