List
John's five points raise issues of the differences in organising "record
attempts" against a speed racing event.
The SCTA/BNI organises two land speed racing events for its members.
Whilst the FIA observe and ratify land speed records.
With modern communications and a safety scheme for two way attempts the two
way run requirement is not as disruptive as many make out. Its not as if
the few would want all other one direction drivers to wait for them surely.
The number of those making attempts on records at one and the same time
will affect the cost. And I do appreciate that in some small way each FIA
record contender pays a minute part of the salaries of Max and Bernie.
Restricted categories & classes is just the wrong use of words. If you
have a vehicle that is a blown or unblown automobile or is thrust powere by
jet or rocket the FIA have a class - but you will run against the record
speeds of the most effective body shape - often but not always the
streamliner. look at the FIA lists and you will see sedans, specials and
sports cars listed.
As to an interest ofcourse the FIA are interested - but their regulations
place the organising of an attempt onto the competitor and the National
sporting authority of the country where the bid is being made. That is the
nature of their rules!
The outright Thrust records have been challenged on the Black Rock dirt and
Lake Gairdner salt. Motorcycle bids have been made at Lake Gairdner and
will be challenged in South Africa in the future. Al Teague tried the Lake
Gairdner salt and the record broken by the late Don Vesco had been set on
Lake Eyre. At the present time there are many top class streamliners in
the USA, but projects have been and are being planned in other countries.
My guess is that not many have the Bonneville salt flats at the top of
their list of selected sites for making a two way attempt - sorry if that
sounds harsh (I do love the place myself) but it is not the place that it
was in the 30's to the 60's.
As Don Vesco set the World's best for wheeldriven vehicles - a cause
championed by LAN - the speeds of the Burklands, and others, are class
bests, because of the different power units used. Its the media who want
to follow the fastest ever, hence an interest in Donald Campbell, Summers
Bros, Al Teague and Don Vesco in automobiles and Arfons, Breedlove,
Gabelich, Noble and Green in the thrust outright race.
Just as an aside, the reason for the Summers Bros 409 being in the wrong
category today, is that the FIA did once have a category that combined
'blown or unblown' engines as well as an 'unblown' category. It was
changed in the intervening years, thus Al Teague set a 'blown only' record
at 409 too.
The question still awaits an answer - in claiming World Authority would the
SCTA/BNI attend two way one hour record attempts by any nationality driver
anywhere in the world and would they cater for all types of propelled
vehicles?
Malcolm Pittwood, Derby, England
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