"Hot Rod", I gotta say I think Wes Potter has put it best. These guys-- Vesco,
Teague, Burkland-- are hot rodders, driving hot rods. Vesco and Teage are among
hot roddings "founding fathers". And never mind Tom Burkland's engineering
degree-- it just makes him an uncommonly talented hot rodder. Spend a little
time in the Burkland pits and you'll know you are among people with the genuine,
hot rodder spirit.
The ones who are NOT hot rodders are not defined by the kind of engine they use.
They are defined by the BIG corporate sponsorships, corporate engineering
participation-- and most of all, by the attitude of secrecy and elitism in their
pits (a lot like CART). One nice thing about Bonneville is that we don't seem
to
have very many of those attitudes (although the additional money in our sport
would be nice).
Russ Mack
Want1937hd@aol.com wrote:
> In a message dated 9/7/01 10:56:23 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
> wester6935@home.com writes:
>
> << wester6935@home.com (wspotter)
> To: basavage@earthlink.net (Bryan A. Savage Jr), FreiburD@emapUSA.com
> (David Freiburger), land-speed@autox.team.net (land-speed@autox.team.net)
>
>
> Wes, I agree with enerything you said. Bob in connecticut
> David, Bryan, List,
>
> Having watched the Vesco car through several engine installations and
> watching their progress, I'm reminded of the Mormon Meteor that Ab Jenkins
> ran on the salt in the 1930's. Mormon Meteor II was a specially built body
> on a Duesenberg chassis designed for racing. Running a Duesenberg engine in
> it's first configuration it was not competitive with the airplane engine
> powered British cars of the day. With the installation of the Curtiss
> Conqueror airplane engine and new body work it instantly became a record
> setting car, rebadged as Mormon Meteor III.
> The Vesco car is a true hot-rod. It, like the Burkland's car is home built.
> Rick like Gene just happens to have exceptional skills in that area. It has
> had American automotive engines (one year an attempt to use an Offenhauser
> or two) over the years it has run on the salt. Al has stayed with the
> Chrysler engine since that car was first built and run as a lakester as far
> as I know. I have a problem with your decision because the Vesco's are only
> doing what other racers have done in the past ... going with the powerplant
> that gave them the most horsepower.
> If you will consider the 444 Vesco car recently campaigned by Terry Nish, it
> set records with everything from a Riley 4-port conversion on a model A
> engine to the "Fastest SB Chevvy on planet earth." Where do you draw the
> line there? Aftermarket speed equipment or blocks that never saw the
> Chevrolet factory? Or in Al's case, how much of his powerplant is actually
> manufactured by Chrysler? All of the big three automakers experimented
> extensively with turbine engines in the fifties and sixties ... what if they
> had been able to solve clearance problems and other concerns? How many
> additional turbine engines would be running today on the salt?
> Obviously I'm only raising questions, not volunteering answers. However my
> opinion is that the 111 car is a true, wheel driven, hot-rod in every sense
> of the word.
>
> Wes Potter >>
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