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Just got back home late last night. What a great week. Best salt I've seen
in ten or twelve years maybe longer. WE HAVE ALL GOT TO WORK TO KEEP THE
SAVE THE SALT PROGRAM MOVING FORWARD. They have done a super job and the
payback has shone up in this years great salt.
Before I get into all the great and wonderful things we did. I want to thank
Dan Helfter for his help in keeping our Nitrous bottle filled. Never having
used Nitrous on the salt before I was in for a big surprise. Among other
things a ten pound bottle is only good for one pass with our combo. And
guess who doesn't have fifteen lb. bottles. Dan was prepared and brought his
own nurse station. Last I heard he was within two MPH of his record. Way to
go Dan.
Great contingent of East Coasters at this years event. We're growing, and
quite a few records set by us as well. How bout that Don McMeekin, first run
ever on the salt and he qualifies for a record. Before the week is out he
sets two records. Very respectable.
Joe and Lionel got the #251 S-10 running respectably, right off the trailer,
and set a new record for C/MMP at 175 MPH and also qualified for the long
course. When they moved over Joe said the course was much better and they
were marching towards the end of the three mile, on what they hoped would be
a 190 MPH run, when detonation took it's toll. Looks like the crank might be
salvageable, and perhaps the gear drive. Heads can be rebuilt, but the rest
is junk.
The old Chevette did OK too. Took a little tuning on the "new" 258 motor,
but we finally got old Dave Hinni up to a 210 MPH average speed, a record,
and a place in the Two Club. Next up was Joe Timney. Since he broke his
first ride, we were a little skeptical, but on his first run in the car he
turned a 210.972 MPH and broke the record by .004 MPH. He returned for a 212
MPH average and a new record. Joe and Dave said the care handles perfectly
at speed and has now gotten three people in the Two Club (hint, hint - it's
For Sale - motivated seller).
Shouldn't have worried about Joe (the junk master) breaking anything, cause
I can do it all by myself. It was time for me to drive with the Nitrous.
Made my first pass to see how she reacted with 100 HP set up...no
problems...maybe a little fat... and not enough HP for the gear. Only ran
208 MPH. But it hooked up fine. So we put in the 175 HP jets and a new
bottle of nitrous, thanks to Dan Helfter, to see what it would do. Big kick
this time. It was marching at 218 MPH through the middle mile, probably a
230 MPH run, to bad we didn't retard the timing a little more and use some
colder plugs. Ouch, that learning curve hurts. Didn't burn through the top
of the piston like Keith. We burned the ring lands, what a mess. Can you say
cylinder sleeve.
OK, we had so much fun we're going back to WOS. Hear the weather is super in
September. Stored all our race vehicles etc. at Big Stuff Storage in Herber
City. Neat place and Buds a super guy. Will bring back a rebuilt engine,
install it, and try for some new records.
John Beckett, LSR #79, E/GCC
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