{"id":5011,"date":"2010-07-13T18:35:40","date_gmt":"2010-07-14T01:35:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/?p=5011"},"modified":"2012-08-04T12:36:13","modified_gmt":"2012-08-04T19:36:13","slug":"setting-speed-record-bonneville","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/setting-speed-record-bonneville\/","title":{"rendered":"Bonneville Salt Flats: Learning How-to Set a Record"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mr_social_sharing_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t<!-- Social Sharing Toolkit v2.2 --><span class=\"mr_social_sharing\"><a href=\"http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.myrideisme.com%2FBlog%2Fsetting-speed-record-bonneville%2F&amp;media=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.myrideisme.com%2FBlog%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2010%2F07%2Fsetting.record.at.bonneville.landspeedracing.002.jpg&amp;description=Bonneville+Salt+Flats%3A+Learning+How-to+Set+a+Record\" class=\"pin-it-button\" count-layout=\"none\" rel=\"lightbox[5011]\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/images\/PinExt.png\" title=\"Pin It\" \/><\/a><\/span><span class=\"mr_social_sharing\"><fb:share-button type=\"button_count\" href=\"https:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/setting-speed-record-bonneville\/\"><\/fb:share-button><\/span><span class=\"mr_social_sharing\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share\" class=\"twitter-share-button\" data-count=\"horizontal\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/setting-speed-record-bonneville\/\" data-via=\"myrideisme\" data-text=\"Bonneville Salt Flats: Learning How-to Set a Record\"><\/a><\/span><span class=\"mr_social_sharing\"><div class=\"g-plusone\" data-size=\"medium\" data-annotation=\"none\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/setting-speed-record-bonneville\/\"><\/div><\/span><span class=\"mr_social_sharing\"><a class=\"mr_social_share_email\" href=\"mailto:?subject=Bonneville Salt Flats: Learning How-to Set a Record&amp;body=https:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/setting-speed-record-bonneville\/\" target=\"_blank\"><img src=\"https:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/plugins\/social-sharing-toolkit\/images\/icons_small\/email.png\" class=\"nopin\" alt=\"Email\" title=\"Email\"\/><span class=\"mr_small_icon\">Email<\/span><\/a><\/a><\/span><span class=\"mr_social_sharing\"><a rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"linksalpha_button linksalpha_link\" href=\"\/\/www.linksalpha.com\/social\/mobile\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/setting-speed-record-bonneville\/\" data-text=\"Bonneville Salt Flats: Learning How-to Set a Record\" data-desc=\"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.\" data-image=\"http:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/setting.record.at.bonneville.landspeedracing.002.jpg\" data-button=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img src=\"\/\/www.linksalpha.com\/images\/social_share_button.png\" alt=\"Share\" class=\"linksalpha_image\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"\/\/www.linksalpha.com\/scripts\/loader_iconbox.js?v=2.4\"><\/script><\/span><\/div><h3>Bonneville Salt Flats: Land Speed Record Info:<\/h3>\n<p><a class=\"highslide\" onclick=\"return vz.expand(this)\" href=\"http:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/setting.record.at.bonneville.landspeedracing.002.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[5011]\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10858\" style=\"border: 2px solid black; margin: 4px;\" title=\"Record Breaking Studebaker Landspeed Racing at Bonneville Salt Flats\" src=\"http:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/setting.record.at.bonneville.landspeedracing.002.jpg\" alt=\"setting.record.at.bonneville.landspeedracing.salt flats\" width=\"575\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/setting.record.at.bonneville.landspeedracing.002.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/setting.record.at.bonneville.landspeedracing.002-150x97.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/setting.record.at.bonneville.landspeedracing.002-300x194.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/setting.record.at.bonneville.landspeedracing.002-400x259.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>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 \u201cworld\u2019s fastest automotive speed trials\u201d that means SCTA\/BNI are responsible for verifying the record breaking speeds. Upon my first Speed Week experience last August, I pondered exactly <em>HOW<\/em> one breaks the speed record as I watched speedsters, lakesters, roadsters, coupes, pickups, and motorcycles speed from the starting line.<\/p>\n<p>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\u2019re lucky they\u2019ll go through a second time to verify a broken speed record!<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"highslide\" onclick=\"return vz.expand(this)\" href=\"http:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/setting.record.at.bonneville.landspeedracing.001.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[5011]\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10857\" style=\"border: 2px solid black; margin: 4px;\" title=\"Tech Inspection Experts Checking Engine Specs at Bonneville\" src=\"http:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/setting.record.at.bonneville.landspeedracing.001.jpg\" alt=\"setting.record.at.bonneville.landspeedracing.salt flats engine specs\" width=\"575\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/setting.record.at.bonneville.landspeedracing.001.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/setting.record.at.bonneville.landspeedracing.001-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/setting.record.at.bonneville.landspeedracing.001-300x201.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/setting.record.at.bonneville.landspeedracing.001-400x269.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3>So how do you break a record at Bonneville?<\/h3>\n<p>First, you\u2019ve got to build a kick ass car and follow SCTA\/BNI&#8217;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 a class, add a good chunk of cash, plus a crew of noble friends and a good portion of blood, sweat, and tears and you\u2019re ready to go!<\/p>\n<p>Once at Bonneville and passed through tech inspection\u00a0 (and of course with a proper license \u2013 they don\u2019t just let any loony out on the track!) you can head out for a run. Bonneville, in case you didn\u2019t know, is a salt flat. That means the extremely flat land is covered in naturally-formed salt crystals. (<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Editor&#8217;s Note<\/span>: I was amazed to learn that when we say, &#8220;Salt&#8221; it&#8217;s literallytable salt, just a little more chunky. Have a taste!)<\/p>\n<p>Three different tracks run at Bonneville. A long course, short course, and special course. The long course runs for seven miles straight! Within those seven miles you&#8217;ve got two miles to build speed followed by three timed miles and ending with two slow-down miles. The short and special course are only five miles in length. The same two miles for building speed and two miles for slow-down, but the difference is you&#8217;ve only got one timed mile in between. In order to run on the long course you&#8217;ve gotta reach a speed of 175 mph during the first 1\/4 mile timed.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"highslide\" onclick=\"return vz.expand(this)\" href=\"http:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/setting.record.at.bonneville.landspeedracing.003.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[5011]\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10859\" style=\"border: 2px solid black; margin: 4px;\" title=\"Record Breaking Plaques on Studebaker's Door at Bonneville Speedweek\" src=\"http:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/setting.record.at.bonneville.landspeedracing.003.jpg\" alt=\"setting.record.at.bonneville.landspeedracing, speedweek, salt flats, record holder\" width=\"575\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/setting.record.at.bonneville.landspeedracing.003.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/setting.record.at.bonneville.landspeedracing.003-150x85.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/setting.record.at.bonneville.landspeedracing.003-300x171.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/setting.record.at.bonneville.landspeedracing.003-400x228.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>At the track, you\u2019ll get in line and wait for your turn. As a spectator, this is one of the really cool things at Bonneville. First of all, varying classes aren\u2019t separated \u2013 so you might watch a motorcycle take off one minute and the next it\u2019s a streamliner. Secondly, as all these cars are lined up and waiting, you can go straight up to them \u2013 check them out and talk to their crew\/driver\/owner.<\/p>\n<p>When it comes your time to run\u2026 you push your baby and go as fast as possible! Depending on which track you&#8217;re running, the middle one or three miles will be timed. If one of those official times beats a previously-set record in your racing class, then congratulations, you\u2019re on your way to breaking a record!<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"highslide\" onclick=\"return vz.expand(this)\" href=\"http:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/setting.record.at.bonneville.landspeedracing.004.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[5011]\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10860\" style=\"border: 2px solid black; margin: 4px;\" title=\"Setting A Record At Bonneville\" src=\"http:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/setting.record.at.bonneville.landspeedracing.004.jpg\" alt=\"setting.record.at.bonneville.landspeedracing.speedweek, salt flats\" width=\"575\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/setting.record.at.bonneville.landspeedracing.004.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/setting.record.at.bonneville.landspeedracing.004-150x114.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/setting.record.at.bonneville.landspeedracing.004-300x229.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/setting.record.at.bonneville.landspeedracing.004-400x305.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>After a record-breaking run, the first place you\u2019ll go is impound. Impound is a holding area where you and your crew will be able to spend four hours working on any modifications you choose to make. This is a crucial decision because after those four hours are up, your car is gonna have to sit in impound, untouched, until the following morning at 7am when it\u2019ll be time for run #2.<\/p>\n<p>Run #2 will prove your speed-record time of your run #1. The average will be taken of both runs and only a record-breaking average of the two runs sets a new record. If you&#8217;re running the long course, they&#8217;ll be matching up each counted mile. \u00a0For example, if the previous record was 202.888 mph and your run #1 was 204.262 mph during mile 3 than your run #2 would have to be at least 201.516 during mile 3. Although run #2 didn\u2019t beat the record, the average of the two runs is 202.889, good enough. Obviously, if you had a better run #2, the record would be even higher.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"highslide\" onclick=\"return vz.expand(this)\" href=\"http:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/setting.record.at.bonneville.landspeedracing.005.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[5011]\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10856\" style=\"border: 2px solid black; margin: 4px;\" title=\"Inspecting Engine After A Record Breaking Run at Bonneville Speedweek\" src=\"http:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/setting.record.at.bonneville.landspeedracing.005.jpg\" alt=\"setting.record.at.bonneville.landspeed racing.speedweek, salt flat racing\" width=\"575\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/setting.record.at.bonneville.landspeedracing.005.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/setting.record.at.bonneville.landspeedracing.005-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/setting.record.at.bonneville.landspeedracing.005-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/setting.record.at.bonneville.landspeedracing.005-400x266.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>After you\u2019ve made both of your record-breaking runs, the record isn\u2019t official until tech inspection certifies that the engine and fuel used are legal for your running-class&#8230; One way they can verify if it\u2019s a legal engine is by pumping it. This is done by removing a spark plug, turning over the engine, and using a special machine that will let them know what displacement the cylinder is. Or if that\u2019s not possible they\u2019ll take off the cylinder head and physically measure displacement.<\/p>\n<p>Once those things check out, congratulations, you\u2019ve set a new speed record!<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"mr_social_sharing_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t<!-- Social Sharing Toolkit v2.2 --><span class=\"mr_social_sharing\"><a href=\"http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.myrideisme.com%2FBlog%2Fsetting-speed-record-bonneville%2F&amp;media=&amp;description=Bonneville+Salt+Flats%3A+Learning+How-to+Set+a+Record\" class=\"pin-it-button\" count-layout=\"none\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/images\/PinExt.png\" title=\"Pin It\" \/><\/a><\/span><span class=\"mr_social_sharing\"><fb:share-button type=\"button_count\" href=\"https:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/setting-speed-record-bonneville\/\"><\/fb:share-button><\/span><span class=\"mr_social_sharing\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share\" class=\"twitter-share-button\" data-count=\"horizontal\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/setting-speed-record-bonneville\/\" data-via=\"myrideisme\" data-text=\"Bonneville Salt Flats: Learning How-to Set a Record\"><\/a><\/span><span class=\"mr_social_sharing\"><div class=\"g-plusone\" data-size=\"medium\" data-annotation=\"none\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/setting-speed-record-bonneville\/\"><\/div><\/span><span class=\"mr_social_sharing\"><a class=\"mr_social_share_email\" href=\"mailto:?subject=Bonneville Salt Flats: Learning How-to Set a Record&amp;body=https:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/setting-speed-record-bonneville\/\" target=\"_blank\"><img src=\"https:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/plugins\/social-sharing-toolkit\/images\/icons_small\/email.png\" class=\"nopin\" alt=\"Email\" title=\"Email\"\/><span class=\"mr_small_icon\">Email<\/span><\/a><\/a><\/span><span class=\"mr_social_sharing\"><a rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"linksalpha_button linksalpha_link\" href=\"\/\/www.linksalpha.com\/social\/mobile\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/setting-speed-record-bonneville\/\" data-text=\"Bonneville Salt Flats: Learning How-to Set a Record\" data-desc=\"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.\" data-image=\"\" data-button=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img src=\"\/\/www.linksalpha.com\/images\/social_share_button.png\" alt=\"Share\" class=\"linksalpha_image\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"\/\/www.linksalpha.com\/scripts\/loader_iconbox.js?v=2.4\"><\/script><\/span><\/div><p>Email 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 \u201cworld\u2019s [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0},"categories":[384,19],"tags":[1758,2584,544,967,1386],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5011"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5011"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5011\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20366,"href":"https:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5011\/revisions\/20366"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5011"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5011"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.myrideisme.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5011"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}