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Event Coverage BONNEVILLE SPEED WEEK INFO:

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by 383deuce, Jul 12, 2015.

  1. t-rod
    Joined: Feb 7, 2009
    Posts: 423

    t-rod
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    Last edited: Jul 20, 2015
  2. thirtytwo
    Joined: Dec 19, 2003
    Posts: 2,639

    thirtytwo
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    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
     
  3. aircap
    Joined: Mar 10, 2011
    Posts: 1,748

    aircap
    Member

    Monitor the festival? You mean watch all the titties bounce, don't ya?
     
  4. big duece
    Joined: Jul 28, 2008
    Posts: 6,830

    big duece
    Member
    from kansas

    Those "strings" will have to be "purse strings". Sounds like its more than the weather that is affecting the conditions of the salt.
     
  5. RichFox
    Joined: Dec 3, 2006
    Posts: 10,020

    RichFox
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    They are government people. No telling what they want to watch bounce around.
     
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  6. typo41
    Joined: Jul 8, 2011
    Posts: 2,571

    typo41
    Member Emeritus

    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.
     
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  7. JC Sparks
    Joined: Dec 8, 2008
    Posts: 733

    JC Sparks
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    from Ohio

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

    [​IMG]
    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.
     
  8. typo41
    Joined: Jul 8, 2011
    Posts: 2,571

    typo41
    Member Emeritus

    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.
     
  9. typo41
    Joined: Jul 8, 2011
    Posts: 2,571

    typo41
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    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.
     
  10. JC Sparks
    Joined: Dec 8, 2008
    Posts: 733

    JC Sparks
    Member
    from Ohio

    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
     
  11. RichFox
    Joined: Dec 3, 2006
    Posts: 10,020

    RichFox
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    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.
     
  12. Budget36
    Joined: Nov 29, 2014
    Posts: 13,174

    Budget36
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    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.
     
  13. RichFox
    Joined: Dec 3, 2006
    Posts: 10,020

    RichFox
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    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.
     
  14. Budget36
    Joined: Nov 29, 2014
    Posts: 13,174

    Budget36
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    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.
     
  15. safari-wagon
    Joined: Jan 12, 2008
    Posts: 1,457

    safari-wagon
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    [​IMG]
    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
     
  16. RichFox
    Joined: Dec 3, 2006
    Posts: 10,020

    RichFox
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    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.
     
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  17. denis4x4
    Joined: Apr 23, 2005
    Posts: 4,198

    denis4x4
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Colorado

  18. typo41
    Joined: Jul 8, 2011
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    typo41
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  19. RichFox
    Joined: Dec 3, 2006
    Posts: 10,020

    RichFox
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    That is how I understood Lattin reported. I am still thinking Cook Shoot Out.
     
  20. 296ardun
    Joined: Feb 11, 2009
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    296ardun
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  21. oldgezer
    Joined: Jan 27, 2015
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    oldgezer
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    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.
     
  22. RichFox
    Joined: Dec 3, 2006
    Posts: 10,020

    RichFox
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    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.
     
    Atwater Mike likes this.
  23. Jalopy Joker
    Joined: Sep 3, 2006
    Posts: 31,180

    Jalopy Joker
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    296ardun - Thanks for link
     
  24. Rich.......... what, when, where is the Cook Shoot Out?
     
  25. Ole don
    Joined: Dec 16, 2005
    Posts: 2,915

    Ole don
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    what, when, where is the Cook Shoot Out?

    All things related to Land Speed racing are on Landracing.com
     
  26. RichFox
    Joined: Dec 3, 2006
    Posts: 10,020

    RichFox
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    Sept 17-21. on the salt flats but using the International course. Get a mile or two more. Weather permitting.
     
  27. Jalopy Joker
    Joined: Sep 3, 2006
    Posts: 31,180

    Jalopy Joker
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    so, any updates on whether or not the Mojave Mile concept is going forward or not?
     
  28. typo41
    Joined: Jul 8, 2011
    Posts: 2,571

    typo41
    Member Emeritus

    The SCTA Mojave Mile went off and was interesting and a great time for all that were there to run their vehicles.
     
  29. Atwater Mike
    Joined: May 31, 2002
    Posts: 11,625

    Atwater Mike
    Member

    '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...
     
  30. Jalopy Joker
    Joined: Sep 3, 2006
    Posts: 31,180

    Jalopy Joker
    Member

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

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