Bonneville Speed Week 2010 1st Race Day "Just Glad to be Here" is the name of this bad 1953 Studebaker running in B/BGCC or B engine, Blown Gas Competition Coupe and I think owner/driver Loyd Huffman speaks for all of us. Speed Week rocks. From bright and early, GreaseGirl sped over to the track to catch the good morning light of Sunrise on the Salt Flats. I wasn't far behind. Arriving at the salt I found this sleeping giant of the land speed racing world. The "Speed Demon" owned by Poteet and Main. Salt Flat visitors lucky enough to stay all week may see this 299 cu in streamliner run over 400mph. While we're talking streamliners, take a look inside "The Flower of Scotland". These guys must have registered late because they're not in the program. I do know they're running I/BFS or I engine size, blown fuel streamliner. The I-engine class is only 46-61 cu. in or more likely a motorcycle engine displacing less than 1 litre! How about this! Taking practically the entire alphabet with their race class, VF/CCXF which I think is a 4-cylinder Ford Flathead....

Bonneville Salt Flats at the First Day of Speed Week 2010 This morning begins the first racing day during Speed Week, and I was up with the sun to see what I could find! What goes on just before hundreds of racers attempt to set a new land speed record? This record-holding 1949 Studebaker pickup is just waiting to make its first run. Of course, I couldn't resist a good photo-op for my 1955 Studebaker's first voyage onto the salt! The Volk's were doing some last minute adjustment to their roadster. And a few others were already lined up and ready to race! At the Racer's Meeting all the driver's and crews received instruction as heads of SCTA and BNI welcomed us. What will the day hold? How many records will be broken? Keep checking back at MyRideisMe.com for more updates! To hold ya over until then, read over all our Bonneville Salt Flat stories here! Happy Trails,...

Bonneville Salt Flats: Land Speed Record Info: The countdown is on for Speed Week, the land-speed racing event of the year! This Speed Week makes sixty-two years that Southern California Timing Association (SCTA) and Bonneville Nationals Incorporated (BNI) have run this week-long speed spectacular. Since the whole point of the event is the “world’s fastest automotive speed trials” that means SCTA/BNI are responsible for verifying the record breaking speeds. Upon my first Speed Week experience last August, I pondered exactly HOW one breaks the speed record as I watched speedsters, lakesters, roadsters, coupes, pickups, and motorcycles speed from the starting line. I headed down to the tech inspection area to find out. Every vehicle goes through tech inspection upon arrival to verify both legality and safety. If they’re lucky they’ll go through a second time to verify a broken speed record! So how do you break a record at Bonneville? First, you’ve got to build a kick ass car and follow SCTA/BNI's rules while doing it. All sorts of different classes of cars race at Bonneville. They differ by body style, body modifications, engine size, and fuel used. Pick...

I'm going to put this out there up front... I will not be able to do this story justice.  But, its such a great story and a cool car that you are going to get it and you are going to like it.  Ok, I got that out, now on to the man and the machine. The man is cancer survivor and current cancer fighter Dan Sallia.  The machine is the historic Burke Bros. Bonneville record holding 1962 Studebaker Avanti.  I originally found Dan's story on landracing.com in a build thread he started there.  That led me to his more detailed build thread on RacingStudebakers.com where I spent about 4 hours reading through the posts during 2 separate nights, checking out the pictures and soaking in one of the coolest car-guy stories I've ever heard.  I knew I had to share it the MyRideisMe.com readers. Here's Dan working in the engine bay of the Stude.  Now THAT is a setback motor! Dan has been racing against Cancer for about 4 years and has had 3 tumors.  Recently another tumor was discovered, so Dan is working with his doctors (one doctor is actually a land...

I wanted to continue my international hot rod theme of late and share some pictures sent to me by Ken Sakata of Trident Speed Shop from Nara Prefecture, Japan.  We first introduced you to Trident Speed Shop in Tano's '26 T roadster feature a few weeks back.  In an email from Ken, he told me that Trident has been in business for 10 years.  He was proud to say that he does not advertise in any magazines becaues he gets his business from word of mouth. Tano tells me that he takes his '26 T Roadster to Ken in Nara, which is on the opposite side of Japan from Sapporo, because Trident is the only shop he trusts with his hot rod.  This black and white photo above is rad!  This is Ken's roadster built in traditional hot rod style.  I love these aircraft style windscreen frames, they really give hot rods that 1940's traditional feel dont they? Ken says he loves the speed culture.  Hot Rods are very important in his life and he especially respects hot rodders. Here is Ken lubing crank bearings during reassembly.  Anyone know what kind of engine this is? ...

For my 1 year anniversary and 100th blog post at MyRideisMe.com I share with you a classic Japanese land speed racecar, err... truck, a Datsun 620.  I spotted it on the Japanese Nostalgic Car blog/website HERE.  If you don't have this on your blog reader, go ahead and add it now.  The picture credit goes out to Stephen Rosinni, a professional photographer out of NY. According to JNC's blog post, the Datto truck belongs to Barry Brown of Riter Automotive and was run at the Maxton Mile recently.  It runs in the F/PMP class (F = 2.01 - 3.0 liter, PMP = Production mini/mid pickup) with a 2 liter that makes about 220hp equipped with Nissan 50mm race carbs and a Nissan 5 speed.  The #1620 truck broke the class record of 119mph by running 123 in the standing mile.  The Riter Automotive crew, out of Rochester, NY, plans on running at Bonneville this year.  Hopefully we can bring you all some more pics and details.  Of course, when it runs at B'ville, we'll hopefully bring you news of another broken record.  I was curious, so I checked out the BNI class record...

I've been a little quiet of late on the MyRideisMe blog.  I have good reason.  With (as opposed to without) much adieu (it's taken me years to nail down a car I REALLY wanted) I present my new (and used) hot rod!  Not a hot rod you say?  Ok, well, then let's call it a suby rod. This blog will NOT do justice (crappy pictures, I promise better ones in the future, these were taken while giving son #3 his first ride in "daddy's suby") to how much I love this car and how excited I am to own it and drive it.  But, I'll do my best to introduce you to my new daily driver/project car, "SUBYROD" (see my MyRideisMe.com Garage HERE). Subyrod is a 2002 Subaru Impreza WRX with 115,000 miles (kind of a lot I know, but it was in my budget and very clean with recent important maintenance items taken care of).  What the crap is a hot rod and custom car nut like me buying a funky car like a Subaru for?  Ok, good point... but how about a factory turbocharged and intercooled sedan with wide fender flares, all wheel...

Bonneville Salt Flats: Car Show or Race Car? I've been wanting to share this car with you guys for a couple months now.  I originally showed some early pics I took during a tour of Salt Flats Speed Shop (that story link here). Chris Davenport, shop owner and metal craftsman, and now louver expert, is building a '32 Sedan in the traditional style from the 40's and 50's.  He has put together a pretty detailed build thread on the H.A.M.B. He has been updating it pretty regularly the last couple months as he's been making some big progress.  Ok, enough of my words, let's see this work of hot rod art.  Photos by Salt Flats Speed Shop. Check out them louvers.  I think the top has 420 something louvers.  Wow!  It looks tough and right out of Bonneville 1946! Here's the view Chris will have when trekking out to the Salt Flats on I-15.  I wanna grab some rolling shots of this ride when you drive out to Bonneville, k Chris? This might be my favorite shot.  Add some black and white to this photo and it would appear...

[poll id="3"] These pictures are a look back at my first year of blogging at MyRideisMe.com.  I've met some cool people and made memories that mean a lot to me personally.  This poll is a cool way to remember my favorites from the year.  Take a look at the pictures below and vote for your favorite.  Don't forget to click on the images to see them Full Size!  Check the links for the full stories as well. Bonnie's Bonneville Homecoming at Speedweek 2009.  The first roadster I've ever ridden in.  What a blast!  This beauty shot on virgin salt will stick in my brain for years.   Hilborn Injectors from Larry Volk's '29 roadster project.  This Hemi powered Model A will be an epic project that I plan on writing more about in the future as Larry builds his dream ride. The Hot Rods by Dean '55 Chevy at World Finals blew me away when I saw it waiting in line.  One of my favorite cars I shot all year.  Nothing like a stock bodied car with great stance!  Nick Hoesing's ex-Galaxie Custom and his buddy's 5 Window Coupe from Nebraska.  Cruising...

This 1962 Ford Galaxie 500 was easily one of my top 3 favorite cars from Speedweek 2009.  I first noticed it in the pits then saw it again while Pikesan and I were cruising down the Long Course after the drivers meeting.  We sort of cruised the rest of the Long Course along side Nick and his Gal' then turned onto the Return Road back to the pits. Almost 7 miles from the start, we spied some pristine, undisturbed virgin salt and decided to make a detour for some salt-throwin' pictures Craig's '27 T, Nick's Galaxie and Nick's buddy's 5 window Coupe you see in this picture above. Here's some more shots of this Mild Custom! I love this car!  That red satin paint against the bright white salt is rockin'. I dig the long lines.  That stance is perfect with its Air Ride Technologies 4-way system with electronic controller. I dig this shot with Pikesan's roadster in the background. From Nick: "This car has been a great driver for the past 4-1/2 years. It originally had a 390/auto and I decided to swap in a 302/T-5 and 3.70...

Stromberg Carburetor is proud to announce the first World Land Speed Record powered by New Stromberg 97 carburetors. Congratulations to Bobby Green and the Old Crow Speed Shop crew from Burbank, CA for shattering their 104mph 2008 V4/FS record with a new 127.270 mph pass at Bonneville’s Speed Week in August 2009 with their belly-tank lakester. The traditional belly tank lakester has been a Bonneville favorite since Bill Burke fixed a war-surplus aircraft drop tank onto an early Ford chassis back in 1946. The natural streamline shape of the tanks, used during the war to hold extra fuel on aircraft which could then be jettisoned or “dropped”, was the perfect ready-made streamlined race car body. The Old Crow Team was put together specifically to maintain this tradition. In the FS (Fuel Streamline) class, the design of the body is restricted only to the extent that at least two wheels must be covered. The V4 engine class is for Vintage (pre-1935) 4-cylinder engines. Says Stromberg owner Clive Pew, “I met the Old Crow guys with heads in hands on Monday as they couldn’t get enough fuel into the very hot H&H...

Bonneville Salt Flats Race Car: I arrived at the Salt for World Finals 2009 right as the sun peaked over the mountains.  What a beautiful sight.  I pulled up to the start line where there were race cars and bikes waiting to make their record return runs.  The first car I walked up to was this bright yellow VW Karmann Ghia owned by Larry Monreal from San Bernardino.  I asked the gentleman standing next to the car if he was Larry, and he responded that no, he was Jim, Larry's friend and driver.  As with any Bonneville Salt Flats land speed race car and team, there is always a big, long and interesting story.   No long  stories today, but I do want to share some details I learned by spending a few minutes with Jim that I hope will display what dedicated hot rodders and land speed racers these guys are. I chatted with Jim Bradshaw for like 10 minutes.  Something you'll experience when you attend a land speed event at the Salt Flats is the people.  It's almost sounding cliche attending my 4th event, but the people are the heart of this amateur...