Discovery Channel Tonight: Bonneville

Yeah, I think it could have been better, but it still beat nothing at all.
I would have liked to have seen less Blonde Motorcycle lady and more Coupes and Roadsters,but I guess drama is what the advertisers (who pay the freight on those shows) want.
Is this supposed to be a series like "Deadliest Catch" or something, now?
Maybe we can get Mike Rowe out there in a Fuel Coupe... 8)

 

I agree with 067chevy.The only good part was the bike, otherwise it's just a bunch of bucks-up racers. Were are the real low dollar racers that really make Bonneville what it is each year??.It rates one x out of four.

 

I think a saw a shot of Aussie Steve's foot.

 

Wasn't a bad 'TV show'. Cool to see a network (any network) take an interest.

Liked the part about taping the $4M 'hydrogen bomb' (as the anouncer kept calling it) back together.


I too would have liked more coverage of the rest of the racers. I was really bummed there was nothing on Old Crow (didn't see Bob K's warning before I wathced it ).

But all in all, glad I saw it.


Now, who of you out there in HAMB land are in the apropriate market that they are getting to see Old Crow Speed Shop footage (asuming they don't back out in those markets too)? Any idea when it's gonna air?

 

Man, how about some cheese with your whine, sure beat watching the melting of the polar ice cap ( although not as important ) Couldn't help but wonder how many guys would have the nads to get back on that bike after taking a spill like that ? No they didn't show a lot of the good stuff, but maybe with some positive feed back and encouragement the next one will be better.

 

Better than nothing...and definitely have respect for the blond to get back up and come back the following year after that horrific crash and break the record at 206MPH. Very big huevos she must have.

 

They are always going to show what the producers feel will sell to the TV viewing public, so often-times shows like this do not completely hit the pulse of people like us here on the HAMB. However it was way better than watching Dancing with the Stars or Survivor. And it was great to see the girl run the bike. 208mph on a Suzuki....she's got my respect!

 

I agree...while I was looking for familiar faces and cars, I got to see some of what I missed () by not being there. And really, most non car people are more blown away by the $4,000,000 hydrogen bomb that they would be by a $20,000 home built. I get what they were doing and don't have a problem with it. It was ENTERTAINMENT about cars.......and the chick on the bike was alot easier to look at than some of you guys who were there.
my 2 cents

 

And did you catch that the roll of tape cost 500 bucks. Who's flipping the bill for a bunch of college students to build a 4 million dollar car anyway.

 

The program I saw months ago was much better, I think it was on Discovery also. Seemed like commercial break every 5 min. I was expecting much better, let down, but was nice to see the few cars they covered.

 

I want to BE her hayabusa.

Rich

 

I meet and hung out with him some during Americruise a bunch of years ago. He made a subsequent trip here to the Baltimore area for a visit. He is a really nice guy and is totally immersed in the car culture He likes it all and drives the shit out of all of the cars he has. Aside from all of the high profile cars he has, he has a big stash of long roofs (station wagons)as well as other projects in waiting.

As I recall, he developed some sort of high tech water filtration system, had it patented, and now everyone uses it!! I'm sure that there are other things that his business is into, but I don't know!!!

The thing that struck me most about George was that he was always pleasant and ,more importantly, unpretentious. When I first met him he was wearing an old t-shirt, a pair of baggy shorts and some older sneaks. Ya just wouldn't place him in the elite of our hobby by his appearance, he looks just like the rest of us!!!!!

So I guess to walk his path.....design something that everyone needs.....make a lot of money with it........treat everyone you meet with courtesy and the respect they deserve and maybe you're there.

All you have to do Jeff, is design the widget, 'cause you are already a stand-up guy!!!!!

 

As far as the complaints,,,,come on folks..... it was car culture and Bonneville broadcast in prime time!!!! The kind of stuff some of you suggest, although we would love it, would never see air much less prime time!!! I agree with HotRodMan...this was entertainment, and I for one am glad to see that part of what we enjoy is being thrust into the mainstream!!!!!

 

saw it . it was ok ................ steve

 

Good show. A hell of a lot better than the reality shows on cable now days.

 

On the 'foot the bill' part of it, the title sponsor (on the car) appeard to be Ford (up on the nose). On the Dirver's suit, it looked like Honda.

Here's the offical list:

http://www.buckeyebullet.com/sponsors.htm

And yes, to name a few, Ford, Roush, and Penske.


As for that tape, it sure looked like Aircraft propellor heat cuff anti abrasion tape. If it is and they're paying 5 Bills / roll, they're gettin' robbed. I hope it's something snazzier, or one of the producers conned thme into saying that.

 

ditto

 

Was an OK TV show but I have to agree with some of the above. OK there wasn't a lot of homebuilts, but at least there was something about Bonneville ON TV. I have to say I wish there was even a little Old Crow.

Though I didn't ever talk long with Poteet, the Blowfish is a pretty amazing car. I saw it a couple years ago with the blown GM banger engine. The blower seemed like it was 2 feet across, it was just huge. Seems like they changed that engine out though. Considering that he is a dyed in the wool car guy and keeps like 5 shops employed at any one time, you can't say too much bad about him. Plus e has some pretty awesome cars, regardless of who they were built by.

 

Tell me about it. Have you ever seen a set of motorcycle leathers look that good?

And frankly, to come back from the crash she had - where did they hide what are obviously a HUGE set of brass balls?

I've met Poteet too, and he's the real deal. I look at him and say, "What would I be doing if I had his money?" I'd probably be doing similar things.

 

Crap! I went to sleep at the first commercial .. !! Doesn't sound like I missed much. Did see that gal bust her ass on that scooter though ..

 

I was a little disappointed. Too much drama by the narrator, too much repetitiveness of the same footage over and over, and they did a poor job of actually following the people they were following. They showed the first runs of each team, and the problems with the runs, then said "It's the last day! They have to make it!" They did a very good job of making the Buckeye team look like they couldn't get it fired until the last day, but one of the kids said it was their third run. And they certainly made it look like Blowfish only made two passes.

The blond on the bike? She's a rockstar, and is what B'ville is about.

As for Old Crow not being shown; never underestimate how much TV producers want to suck up to rich people--even if it won't have any effect on them or what they're doing. It's been my experience that if someone has a ton of money, people just want to fall over themselves to please them or be associated with them. I've never met Poteet, but I've NEVER heard anything but nice things about him. I don't have any animosity towards him at all, nor towards Troy...and while the car is pretty, the TV show filmed what in essence turned out to be a failed attempt by a rich guy in a pretty car built by a pro shop that's been in Hot Rod, while they could have filmed several other teams setting records and succeeding. Following Poteet and Troy was just celebrity watching on the salt. In fact, I find it very amusing that the narrator made the point a few times that Bonneville is the largest amateur racing on the planet, then they follow a rich guy's pro-built $400K car, and a $4M college project (which is actually pretty cool...). But I'd have rather seen the guy on the World's Fastest Lawnmower.

I don't know the producers of the show at all, but after seeing other noteworthy projects go together, I just feel like they were trying to suck up to Poteet because he's rich, even though he can't do anything for the producers with his money. It's a weird mentality thing I've noticed with TV shows, producers and celebrities.

A much better approach would have been an upbeat look at all the different kinds of cars, interviews with the individual unknown racers, watch some of the 200-club records being made and the team's reactions and stories, and look at a couple of the hard-luck stories to show that it's not just "push it off the trailer and set a record."

Instead, they spent a whole week following three teams. Two camera crews and interview teams could have done a whole lot better job of covering Bonneville.

I agree--One star out of four.

-Brad

 

I thought it was a reality show. Hey ,where do you get 300 mph tape.

 

Shit I missed this, anyone record it that wouldn't mind sending me a copy?

 

Brad! You truly have great writing skills!! Journalist type skills i should say!
Great review of a not so great show!

ian

 

By the way - Leslie Porterfield has a Myspace page and her "bikini car wash" photo album has 128 pics in it.

Just sayin'....

 

I agree with most of what has been said above. For me, it was a 1 star show.
Didn't really get the "feel" of Bonneville right, but that's probably impossible in the format that they choose. For me, B'ville has always been more about the racer's individual struggles than the machinery involved. Except for Leslie Porterfield's story, they apparently did not take the time to delve into these personal stories of triumph and defeat.
By the way, the horrific bike crash/explosion they showed at least 4 times was not Leslie in 2007, that was Jason McVicar in 2008. Yes, he got back in the saddle, too!
TV producers always like to up the drama; for instance, I don't recall any ambulances using their sirens on the salt . . .
The blue m/c 'liner that was shown repeatedly, #7070, was Cliff Gullett's; he got killed in September going 200+ through the lights.

P.S. Blowfish used to run a 180 cu.in. MoPar Sprint car engine, not a "GM."

 

Any coverage of Bonneville is great in my book. We have so many big time producers here that could do it all better, but are busy with their hectic schedules.

 

Thats Funny !!!

 

I was disappointed. My wife was watching with me, and she has not been out to the salt with me when we race. All she saw was cars blowing up and rolling over. Very little about the lengths the SCTA goes to trying to make the cars safe. She was freaking. This little romp in the salt was not PR for racers, just a way to make some money for the network. I was going to call friends to watch, but once I saw the first few minutes, I decided it wasn't worth the trouble. On top of that, the guy speaking at the very end stole my line from a previous National Geo special on the salt..."51 weeks of thinking about speed and one week to make it happen!"......

 

I think I spotted the Maine Barons' Sam Samson coupe for about 5 seconds. That was pretty cool though of course more time should have been spent on the lower budget and long-time participants. There are hundreds of compelling stories out there ready to be told. Seems like the producers of the show didn't really get what it's about. The 3 teams they focused on were quite interesting but really didn't need to take up the whole show.