Hot Rods Who has raced dry lakes

So I am thinking about possibly building a dry lakes car (not yet sure of what). But am just woundering who has done this and also looking for some information on rules. Car classes

What I would like to do is build a belly tank style. obviously piston car on gas pump gas. I'm not really looking to go 500 mph just maybe like 200 ish.
Also I do plan on buying the salt flat rule book so I will eventually have a copy of the rules.
So my question is have you raced what did you race?

Thanks for any information
Bryan

 

Ran with a friend and his X/GR (flat head, 32 Ford) roadster for two+ years at the lakes and one trip to Bonneville. LOTSA fun.
Information on the rules..!? Simple...just get an SCTA rule book..! Should have all the information that you seek.

Mike

 

For me, since 1975. SCTA-BNI.org will help. Tank+200mph = $100,000. If you got that spare go for it. Remember it isn't the speed you want to go but the class you pick's record that tells you what you need. You'll drop $20K on safety and tires before you start on a vehicle....Good Luck

 

I have run for almost as long as jimmy six. Couple of altered coups and a roadster seen to the left. Had some streamliner experience running my engine in someone else's car. Usually whem we say "Dry Lakes" we mean El Mirage. Is that your plan or did you mean Salt Flats? Either way you need a rule book before you can even ask good questions. And I had plenty of them. Still have some. A current legal tank is a pretty involved undertaking. How did you pick that?

 

I ran this belly tank at El Mirage and the salt. in the yellow version it went 200 mph on 350 hp, in the red it went 197 at the lake on 450hp.
The change was do to safety rules and roll cage needs. Costs are mostly in safety.

 

^^^^^^^ Is the red version still legal? Isn't there a bail out time, if so how fast can you get out of it? Bob

 

Yes you need to obtain a copy of the Southern California Timing Association/ Bonneville Nationals Inc. rule book, as changes are made the book is reprinted, so a current copy is not needed for you to get your feet wet.

That being said I don't think you can really build a car without going to a meet, either venue will give you the exposure you need. However I personally think if you have a limited budget you should attend a dry lakes meet, lodging for most is the back of a pickup, on the ground or a few have trailers/RV's. The reason I say this, is, lodging at the Granddaddy event, Speed Week starts at $200.00 a night in any of the hotel-casinos, it is next to impossible to bag a room in one of the motels. It is almost like the rooms are passed down within families!

If you can make the last meet of the year at Bonneville the World Finals, lodging is cheaper, availability is much much better. Access into the pits is not so easy at Bonneville, no problem at El Mirage.

You should check in at "Land Racing .com" and subscribe to Bonneville Racing News. The easiest way to get your education is to connect with someone who competes on the lakes, many teams would welcome someone who is willing to work.

 

the bail out rule made the red version illegal and it was changed to an upright seat witha 6 point cage. no pictures as it was not finished.

 

I just like the looks of the tank But that's not set in stone. I do have a 30 Chevy I could use also. Although the Chevy is nothing more then sheet metal patches.? Also I have a few model a parts I could use too so I do have some options. All I can really say is that I would like a period car that is legal to race I don't really care if I set a record or not.

I'm 30 years old and have always liked to watch salt/ dry lake races. Mostly YouTube stuff so I can't ever say I've seen it 1st hand. But I almost watch video daily

I do get that it would take money to do this. And I would have no problem looking for sponsors to help offset some of the money.?

Like I said I'll be getting the rule book as soon as I can. If anything I'll end up with a rule book for a dream I had.

 

Keep that dream alive young man!

 

I was 35 when I first ran my car on the salt. Only sorry I didn't do it sooner. Good luck with the sponsors. You have been following the
XO/PP Bonneville project thread I guess?

 

There is no bail out time. If your on fire ....you WILL figure it out, and practice at home in a fire suit, helmet, hansdevice, etc helps. .. But then again very, very, very, very few ever do that...

 

My kid and I ran his 80s Porsche at Bonneville. It was a USFRA event. After all the safety stuff was satisfied we had a blast! One thing I found was to keep an eagle eye on which direction the flag is pointing. We waited 'till the wind was with us and picked up 9 MPH. And do not argue with the staff. And don't spill any oil or petroleum products on the salt.

 

Go get 'em! Super cool adventure!

 

I have , A / SR & A/GR record holder .

 

First year, set your goal at 100, then make improvements from there. Ask me how I know!

 

Ran Bonneville last year for the first time at 67 years old. Made two runs, rookie run at 94 mph official and one at 102 mph official at the 2 mile mark. Melted a hole in the head on the second run at three miles. Was doing about 114 by the tach when it quit. Car cost right at $25K to build. Not the prettiest one but we made it out there, passed tech, and got to run. Had a ball and will be back in 2019.

 

Do you still have this Pete???

 

Many years i ago I wrote a piece for our Racing Club that I called 'So you want to be a Land Speed Racer? That became the basis of the Rookie Class at El Mirage and Bonneville. So that is where you start, after getting a current rule book, they will be out in March.
Next find a mentor in your area that has made a pass at either place.
Now if you really want to get into Land Speed Racing buy this:
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1984-pontiac-fiero-2/
You cant build a car for twice (or even three times) what this is going for. It was run last year and it was set up for a very large person that they shoe horned in. It is legal, it has passed tech. if I didn't have three vehicles already I would step up to the plate and have fun. It is not a 200 mph car, but you don't need that to start racing. We learned a lot and had a ton of fun with our 97 mile per hour six cylinder XO-PRO 53 Ford Brew 102./ You learn about teching, getting in line, fire suits, and the heart beat of driving down a course.

 

look on u tube for...rice vigeant .racing...200 m.p.h. tanker...

 

Don't tell Wayne-O a lay-down tank is illegal as he has been running his for years.
What would be legal, would be your head- neck restraint that you use, not the bail-out rule, yes you have to get out without assistance, you would be surprised the number of racers that build cars that never sat in them with a even just a helmet on. Two years ago, Chick was watching a bail-out for a racers rule book, inspectors have to watch and verify, the racer was shoe horned in and at the moment he started the bail-out he raised up out of his Rear Engine Modified Roadster and his head wedged under the roll bar and he stopped. His eyes got the size of plates when he realized he was stuck,,, he never made a pass in the car

 

To answer your initial question
Ride number one:

Ride number two:


Current Ride

Future Ride

 

Here's one of my father's snapshots of Tony & Pete's Roadster at Bonneville Speed Week '85:

​

 

Ran this one at El Mirage in 1961. I was all of 16years old.

 

Ran this one in 1962. If you want to run one of these 200, you better have the aero right. We didn't, and I am still paying for that mistake.

 

This is what happens when the aero ain't right. They fly good, but the landing is a bitch.

 

Here I am with the car that I was crew chief. My friend Hooley and I built this car. He plans to run it at the Arkansas Mile this summer. It held records at Bonneville, and currently has records at the Texas and Ohio Mile events. Bonneville was the experience of a lifetime for me.

I have also been a part of the Flatcad racing team. I believe it will return to the dry lakes soon.

Note, the rules for racing on the dry lakes sure make for some unusual looking vehicles. That huge wing is not there for looks. I have seen several cars airborne and I have been on the salt when men have died at high speed. As with other adventures, there can be great rewards, but there is great danger envolved.

John

 

I made the mistake of stopping by Bonneville in 2010 to visit Speed Week
and when I returned to Pennsylvania, I Immediately started on my 1956
Corvette. We ran in BGMS for the next 3 years and our goal was to run over
200 mph. We accomplished this in 2013 with a run of 200 and 206. It is
an experience that I will never forget.
Dave

 

I was there when you guys ran 200....exciting
My car was not quite that fast...

 

I'll be you didn't have the relief ducts behind the rear window from under the car. I'm told by very good sources the Studies stared lifting at 185 and flew over 200 without them and stuck to the ground with them. Gieslers #219 "Hanky Panky" been over 200 many times and I know that car has them as well a the old Woodword and Bolitho 53.