
	Bonneville Speed Week, 2018 David G. Fox The starting line area was clogged with spectators and other shooters, so I decided to concentrate mostly on qualifiers who at least made it to the impound area by going faster than the existing record for their class. The following three sets of selected photographs were taken in the impound area on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday – the first three days of racing. All data supplied was gleaned from the SCTA website. These photos are of cars that caught my eye, and do not form an exhaustive list of qualifiers. Sampling of Qualifiers: Saturday Conditions on the salt were good enough for Danny Thompson to qualify with a 446.605mph pass in the beautifully re-engineered version of his father's old school Challenger 2. The #492 car eclipsed Danny's existing AA/FS (unlimited fuel streamliner) record of 406.769mph, set in 2016. He came back the next morning to set the new two-way record at 448.757mph. Greg Waters qualified the Waters/Manghelli/Romero #369 White Goose Bar Racing F/BGR at 249.579mph on a 231.358 record from 2013 (also Waters/Manghelli/Romero, driven by L. Kennedy). Greg's return run on Sunday put the new two-way record at 248.755mph. How cool is bike #7135B? The Performance Indian Twin Scout, piloted by Craig Murray, ran 147.277mph on a 139.786mph Harley- Davidson record from 2008 in the 1000cc A-VF motorcycle class. Two vintage V-Twins are paired in a marvel of packaging. The Sunday return run netted a two-way average of 148.279mph. Number 522, the Shields Racing Firebird, was driven by Chris Hart to a qualifying 271.065mph against the existing D/BGCC 253.757mph record held by Stringfellow & Kirk since 2009. The follow-up run resulted in a new record of 273.815mph. Bukshy Racing's Steve Rutherford ran 176.885mph on Saturday against his own E/Classic Blown Gas Coupe record from last year of 156.369. Ultimately, the #7010 car pushed the two-way record out to 190.319mph on Tuesday. Top Sampling of Qualifiers: Sunday The A/BFL (Blown Fuel Lakester) record got bumped by a decent increment when Jeff Strasburg ran 374.995 on Sunday and backed it up the next morning for a 373.582mph average. Number 506 erased the 366.568 record of DMR Racing from 2009. Lattin and Stevens' Flat Out Racing #7401 finally eked out a 163.662mph record on Tuesday, after Jeff Arnett qualified the first time on Sunday with a 167.310 run and again on Monday with 166.547. Mariani Farms had owned the XF/BSTR record since 2009 at 162.421mph. Dave Davidson drove the #911 Cummins, Beck, Davidson, and Thornsberry blown fuel roadster (with a B motor), aiming for a record put in the books in 1992 by Perris & Eaton. The twenty-six year old record was 260.299mph. Davidson qualified on Sunday at 290.075. That attempt appears not to have been backed up, but he qualified again on Tuesday, ultimately, resetting the record at 297.220mph on Wednesday. Neil McAlister, in the BMR Ferguson Racing XXF/BGALT, also put up pretty good numbers against the old record, which was set last year at 135.066mph by the "Class of 39." Number 285 qualified at 174.174 and successfully followed up on Monday for an average of 179.308mph. On Monday, Cole Cutter's Flying T, driven by Patrick Brown, finished with an average of 225.823mph versus the old A/FRMR record (216.522mph) established by the Rat Trap LSR car in 2012. Patrick qualified #1965 at 224.203 on Sunday. David Johnston, driving the #5 car of Carbone, Johnston, & Wendt, bumped the XXO/VOT (Vintage Oval Track) record from 176.526 to 181.147mph after qualifying Sunday with a 177.888mph pass. Lattin & Gillette had held the record since 2008. Nice Indy tribute car. Bottini & Renck Racing was after the C/GRMR record set at 256.590mph by the Hot Rod Hoodlums in 2012. Joe Bottini qualified on Sunday at 256.799 and again on Monday at 257.295mph. Unfortunately, #4432 did not show a record entry in the SCTA tables for 2018. The white F/CPRO (Classic Production) Corvair, was photographed in impound on Sunday, but another car in that class put up a new record early Monday. So. On Tuesday, Gregory Lloyd posted 139.506mph against the new 137.940 record. This was backed up on Wednesday, resulting in an average of 138.742mph for #8365. Shout out to Ralph Nader. The very striking H/D powered Speranza, Brandt, and Robinson bike #944B qualified on Sunday and put the 2000cc SC-PBG record at 190.299mph on Monday. The record had stood at 174.868mph since 2006. Number 3524, the Retarded Spark Special XXO/BGR was listed by the SCTA as having finished a two-way average of 159.049mph on Monday, with Gary Odbert at the wheel. That appears to be a flathead Cadillac under the induction plumbing and supercharger. Top Sampling of Qualifiers: Monday George Poteet qualified the Speed Demon Blown Fuel Steamliner on Monday. The pass netted a top speed of 452.255mph through the third measured mile, this versus his own B motor record of 416.511, set in 2016. His exit speed was 464.246. Unfortunately, #7151 didn't appear in the database as having set a record or qualified again during Speed Week. But, he came with more ammunition. (Note: An engine change requires a car number change.) George Poteet owns the Blown Fuel Streamliner records with five different motors: A/423.521 '17; B/416.511 '16; C/437.183 '13; D/422.509 '12; and F/343.494 '08. The E/BFS record (348.150mph) has stood elsewhere since 1995; this year the Speed Demon came equipped with an E motor to start. Unfortunately, on Saturday, speed fell dramatically after the mile two rate of 332.858, indicating an engine problem. In went an A motor, but that wasn't working well on Sunday. So, in goes the B motor for Monday's qualifying, as described above; but no record Tuesday. Attempts were made again with an A motor on Wednesday and Thursday. But, even though 448.508mph in the third mile with an exit speed over 450 looked like a qualifier by the numbers (423.521 record), it did not show as such in the database, indicating a problem. A C motor was tried on Friday, running 428+, which was not enough. The Creel & Kendall vintage four-banger, driven by Dennis Kendall, got a decent jump on the V4/VGCC record (157.050mph from 2002 by Creel & Buck). Qualifying saw 158.720mph on Monday, but faster times later on for #53 put the new two-way average record up to 163.422mph on Thursday. We don't see many Jaguar sedans racing at Bonneville. The Salt Cat is particularly unique, given that it is powered by a vintage Buick in-line eight XXO motor. Doug Grieve qualified #9997 with 211.952mph. The existing record was 145.218, set in 2013 by FlatCad Racing. The Jag must be pretty slippery for the Blown Fuel Altered class. The two-way average after Tuesday morning's pass was 210.835mph. As indicated above, Lattin & Stevens were back in impound Monday and ready for Tuesday morning. John Barrow qualified the Barrow-Tuttle LSR XF/VGALT at 137.143mph versus Heady Endeavors' 135.004mph from 2006. On Tuesday, the new record became 137.425mph for #9130. It's a 1940 Ford coupe with modifications legal for Altered class. Tracer Racing's #1359 F/DT (Diesel Truck), driven by Joe Cardoso, ran 142.749mph against the record of 131.516 set in 1992 by Hooker, Hooker & Hooker. The follow-up placed the new record at 147.497mph. Lawson Chenoweth qualified the #508 V4/GMR with a 168.676mph pass versus his 2016 record of 165.442mph. No new record was shown. Number 7, the Aardema/Braun E/FRMR with Cal Rothe driving, ran 226.981 on the 223.331 record held by Hot Rod Hoodlums since 2011. Consistency led to a 226.777mph average after #7's record pass on Tuesday. Another vintage in-line eight powers the Blake Machine 36 Buick XO/FCC, #3663. Driven by Brian Blake, the car ultimately established a new mark of 181.534mph with its record pass on Friday. Monday's qualifying time was 178.970. The old record of 177.083mph belonged to Finn & Plues since 1999. After establishing the record sited above (F/BGR at 248.755mph), Waters/Manghelli/Romero's White Goose Bar Racing car moved from Blown Gas Roadster to Blown Fuel Modified Roadster. Still with an F motor, but a new driver (Gerard Collier), fuel, and number (1369), the car ran 240.358 on the old record of 231.959 belonging to the same team since 2012. The second run results bumped the mark to 242.887mph. Car # 4432, ready one more time to try and finish that new record. Tyler Osborn, in the beautiful Osborn & Ferguson XXO/GMR #153, qualified with 184.751mph and backed that up on Tuesday for a new average of 184.072mph. Jack's Bar, held the class record at 175.506 since 2001. Team McLeish Datsun got around some during Speed Week. Shown here on Monday and wearing #760, the car had qualified with a 142.436mph pass in J/GCC. Derek McLeish followed that up for an average of 143.678. This eclipsed The Hudson Boys' record of 134.612mph set in 2008. Earlier in the week, using #1, and running on fuel, not gas, Derek bumped another Hudson Boys record from 2008 (135.300mph) to 141.060mph. Top A Few from the Starting Line Que Team Vesco, with Dave Spangler driving the #111 Turbinator II, upped the 3/T record to 445.106mph on Tuesday. The existing record of 427.832mph was set by Don Vesco in the original Turbinator in 1999. Team Vesco's second qualifying pass completed on Monday showed the most speed: mile three was timed at 463.038mph, and the exit speed was 470.605. Update: On October 2, the only day of World Finals competition, Dave Spangler took Turbinator II through the third measured mile at Bonneville traveling 493.037mph. His exit speed was over the new magic number – 503.332mph. Rain prevented a follow-up record run. Entered as "TX LSR" (note the flag decal), this #1851 B/GT Corvette made a couple of passes over 200mph during Speed Week, but couldn't pass the Duffin Brothers record of 236.937mph from 2011. It sure looks good in the starting area though. On Thursday, Reg Cook put the #6833 F/FS of New Zealand and the Cook Motor Racing Team in the book at 276.623mph, up considerably from Tracer Racing's 244.416 mark set in 2007. Shug Hanchard pushed the #84 So What Speed Shop A/BGRMR to a 161.858mph record on Sunday, then upped the two-way average again on Tuesday to 165.143. He's been really good at chasing himself lately; he put the record at 157.503 last year. Rob Freyvogel and the #496 Carbiliner were looking for the AA/BFS record held by Tom Burkland's Streamliner at 417.020mph since 2004. Good runs of 406.750mph on Sunday and 413.514 Monday weren't enough, and things went down hill from there. Top Street Cars on the Salt Top Show Time at the Nugget Three years in a row of land speed racing on the Bonneville Salt Flats! Top		Skip within to: Samplings of Qualifiers: Saturday Sunday Monday Starting Line Que Street Cars on the Salt Show Time at the Nugget Or go to: Bonneville Main Page Fox-Kraft Home Page

Bonneville Speed Week, 2018

David G. Fox

The starting line area was clogged with spectators and other shooters, so I decided to concentrate mostly on qualifiers who at least made it to the impound area by going faster than the existing record for their class. The following three sets of selected photographs were taken in the impound area on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday – the first three days of racing. All data supplied was gleaned from the SCTA website. These photos are of cars that caught my eye, and do not form an exhaustive list of qualifiers.

Sampling of Qualifiers: Saturday

Conditions on the salt were good enough for Danny Thompson to qualify with a 446.605mph pass in the beautifully re-engineered version of his father's old school Challenger 2. The #492 car eclipsed Danny's existing AA/FS (unlimited fuel streamliner) record of 406.769mph, set in 2016. He came back the next morning to set the new two-way record at 448.757mph.

Greg Waters qualified the Waters/Manghelli/Romero #369 White Goose Bar Racing F/BGR at 249.579mph on a 231.358 record from 2013 (also Waters/Manghelli/Romero, driven by L. Kennedy). Greg's return run on Sunday put the new two-way record at 248.755mph.

How cool is bike #7135B? The Performance Indian Twin Scout, piloted by Craig Murray, ran 147.277mph on a 139.786mph Harley- Davidson record from 2008 in the 1000cc A-VF motorcycle class. Two vintage V-Twins are paired in a marvel of packaging. The Sunday return run netted a two-way average of 148.279mph.

Number 522, the Shields Racing Firebird, was driven by Chris Hart to a qualifying 271.065mph against the existing D/BGCC 253.757mph record held by Stringfellow & Kirk since 2009. The follow-up run resulted in a new record of 273.815mph.

Bukshy Racing's Steve Rutherford ran 176.885mph on Saturday against his own E/Classic Blown Gas Coupe record from last year of 156.369. Ultimately, the #7010 car pushed the two-way record out to 190.319mph on Tuesday.

Top

Sampling of Qualifiers: Sunday

The A/BFL (Blown Fuel Lakester) record got bumped by a decent increment when Jeff Strasburg ran 374.995 on Sunday and backed it up the next morning for a 373.582mph average. Number 506 erased the 366.568 record of DMR Racing from 2009.

Lattin and Stevens' Flat Out Racing #7401 finally eked out a 163.662mph record on Tuesday, after Jeff Arnett qualified the first time on Sunday with a 167.310 run and again on Monday with 166.547. Mariani Farms had owned the XF/BSTR record since 2009 at 162.421mph.

Dave Davidson drove the #911 Cummins, Beck, Davidson, and Thornsberry blown fuel roadster (with a B motor), aiming for a record put in the books in 1992 by Perris & Eaton. The twenty-six year old record was 260.299mph. Davidson qualified on Sunday at 290.075. That attempt appears not to have been backed up, but he qualified again on Tuesday, ultimately, resetting the record at 297.220mph on Wednesday.

Neil McAlister, in the BMR Ferguson Racing XXF/BGALT, also put up pretty good numbers against the old record, which was set last year at 135.066mph by the "Class of 39." Number 285 qualified at 174.174 and successfully followed up on Monday for an average of 179.308mph.

On Monday, Cole Cutter's Flying T, driven by Patrick Brown, finished with an average of 225.823mph versus the old A/FRMR record (216.522mph) established by the Rat Trap LSR car in 2012. Patrick qualified #1965 at 224.203 on Sunday.

David Johnston, driving the #5 car of Carbone, Johnston, & Wendt, bumped the XXO/VOT (Vintage Oval Track) record from 176.526 to 181.147mph after qualifying Sunday with a 177.888mph pass. Lattin & Gillette had held the record since 2008. Nice Indy tribute car.

Bottini & Renck Racing was after the C/GRMR record set at 256.590mph by the Hot Rod Hoodlums in 2012. Joe Bottini qualified on Sunday at 256.799 and again on Monday at 257.295mph. Unfortunately, #4432 did not show a record entry in the SCTA tables for 2018.

The white F/CPRO (Classic Production) Corvair, was photographed in impound on Sunday, but another car in that class put up a new record early Monday. So. On Tuesday, Gregory Lloyd posted 139.506mph against the new 137.940 record. This was backed up on Wednesday, resulting in an average of 138.742mph for #8365. Shout out to Ralph Nader.

The very striking H/D powered Speranza, Brandt, and Robinson bike #944B qualified on Sunday and put the 2000cc SC-PBG record at 190.299mph on Monday. The record had stood at 174.868mph since 2006.

Number 3524, the Retarded Spark Special XXO/BGR was listed by the SCTA as having finished a two-way average of 159.049mph on Monday, with Gary Odbert at the wheel. That appears to be a flathead Cadillac under the induction plumbing and supercharger.

Top

Sampling of Qualifiers: Monday

George Poteet qualified the Speed Demon Blown Fuel Steamliner on Monday. The pass netted a top speed of 452.255mph through the third measured mile, this versus his own B motor record of 416.511, set in 2016. His exit speed was 464.246. Unfortunately, #7151 didn't appear in the database as having set a record or qualified again during Speed Week. But, he came with more ammunition. (Note: An engine change requires a car number change.)

George Poteet owns the Blown Fuel Streamliner records with five different motors: A/423.521 '17; B/416.511 '16; C/437.183 '13; D/422.509 '12; and F/343.494 '08. The E/BFS record (348.150mph) has stood elsewhere since 1995; this year the Speed Demon came equipped with an E motor to start. Unfortunately, on Saturday, speed fell dramatically after the mile two rate of 332.858, indicating an engine problem.

In went an A motor, but that wasn't working well on Sunday. So, in goes the B motor for Monday's qualifying, as described above; but no record Tuesday. Attempts were made again with an A motor on Wednesday and Thursday. But, even though 448.508mph in the third mile with an exit speed over 450 looked like a qualifier by the numbers (423.521 record), it did not show as such in the database, indicating a problem. A C motor was tried on Friday, running 428+, which was not enough.

The Creel & Kendall vintage four-banger, driven by Dennis Kendall, got a decent jump on the V4/VGCC record (157.050mph from 2002 by Creel & Buck). Qualifying saw 158.720mph on Monday, but faster times later on for #53 put the new two-way average record up to 163.422mph on Thursday.

We don't see many Jaguar sedans racing at Bonneville. The Salt Cat is particularly unique, given that it is powered by a vintage Buick in-line eight XXO motor. Doug Grieve qualified #9997 with 211.952mph. The existing record was 145.218, set in 2013 by FlatCad Racing. The Jag must be pretty slippery for the Blown Fuel Altered class. The two-way average after Tuesday morning's pass was 210.835mph.

As indicated above, Lattin & Stevens were back in impound Monday and ready for Tuesday morning.

John Barrow qualified the Barrow-Tuttle LSR XF/VGALT at 137.143mph versus Heady Endeavors' 135.004mph from 2006. On Tuesday, the new record became 137.425mph for #9130. It's a 1940 Ford coupe with modifications legal for Altered class.

Tracer Racing's #1359 F/DT (Diesel Truck), driven by Joe Cardoso, ran 142.749mph against the record of 131.516 set in 1992 by Hooker, Hooker & Hooker. The follow-up placed the new record at 147.497mph.

Lawson Chenoweth qualified the #508 V4/GMR with a 168.676mph pass versus his 2016 record of 165.442mph. No new record was shown.

Number 7, the Aardema/Braun E/FRMR with Cal Rothe driving, ran 226.981 on the 223.331 record held by Hot Rod Hoodlums since 2011. Consistency led to a 226.777mph average after #7's record pass on Tuesday.

Another vintage in-line eight powers the Blake Machine 36 Buick XO/FCC, #3663. Driven by Brian Blake, the car ultimately established a new mark of 181.534mph with its record pass on Friday. Monday's qualifying time was 178.970. The old record of 177.083mph belonged to Finn & Plues since 1999.

After establishing the record sited above (F/BGR at 248.755mph), Waters/Manghelli/Romero's White Goose Bar Racing car moved from Blown Gas Roadster to Blown Fuel Modified Roadster. Still with an F motor, but a new driver (Gerard Collier), fuel, and number (1369), the car ran 240.358 on the old record of 231.959 belonging to the same team since 2012. The second run results bumped the mark to 242.887mph.

Car # 4432, ready one more time to try and finish that new record.

Tyler Osborn, in the beautiful Osborn & Ferguson XXO/GMR #153, qualified with 184.751mph and backed that up on Tuesday for a new average of 184.072mph. Jack's Bar, held the class record at 175.506 since 2001.

Team McLeish Datsun got around some during Speed Week. Shown here on Monday and wearing #760, the car had qualified with a 142.436mph pass in J/GCC. Derek McLeish followed that up for an average of 143.678. This eclipsed The Hudson Boys' record of 134.612mph set in 2008. Earlier in the week, using #1, and running on fuel, not gas, Derek bumped another Hudson Boys record from 2008 (135.300mph) to 141.060mph.

Top

A Few from the Starting Line Que

Team Vesco, with Dave Spangler driving the #111 Turbinator II, upped the 3/T record to 445.106mph on Tuesday. The existing record of 427.832mph was set by Don Vesco in the original Turbinator in 1999. Team Vesco's second qualifying pass completed on Monday showed the most speed: mile three was timed at 463.038mph, and the exit speed was 470.605. Update: On October 2, the only day of World Finals competition, Dave Spangler took Turbinator II through the third measured mile at Bonneville traveling 493.037mph. His exit speed was over the new magic number – 503.332mph. Rain prevented a follow-up record run.

Entered as "TX LSR" (note the flag decal), this #1851 B/GT Corvette made a couple of passes over 200mph during Speed Week, but couldn't pass the Duffin Brothers record of 236.937mph from 2011. It sure looks good in the starting area though.

On Thursday, Reg Cook put the #6833 F/FS of New Zealand and the Cook Motor Racing Team in the book at 276.623mph, up considerably from Tracer Racing's 244.416 mark set in 2007.

Shug Hanchard pushed the #84 So What Speed Shop A/BGRMR to a 161.858mph record on Sunday, then upped the two-way average again on Tuesday to 165.143. He's been really good at chasing himself lately; he put the record at 157.503 last year.

Rob Freyvogel and the #496 Carbiliner were looking for the AA/BFS record held by Tom Burkland's Streamliner at 417.020mph since 2004. Good runs of 406.750mph on Sunday and 413.514 Monday weren't enough, and things went down hill from there.