2010 Mike Cook Shootout Bonneville Salt Flats Utah

 

Wednesday morning was another one of those mornings where I felt a wave of appreciation and gratitude wash over me simply because I was alive and out here at the Salt Flats,able to experience this stunning natural beauty that is the Bonneville Salt Flats.As Burt Munroe said with moist eyes when he first arrived here from New Zealand,this is Hallowed Ground.The Legends of Speed have passed through here,and I know how Burt must have felt when he awoke in his car that first morning and saw the very same sunrise come up over those mountains to the east.A dream come true for Burt,and a dream come true for me too.Burt,good on ya mate,i`ll keep the lemon tree watered for ya !.

 I have  been hanging out and with Jon and Nancy Wennerberg of  Landracing.com,the only up to the minute forum for LSR racing events.If it happened on the track you`ll know about it ten seconds later by logging on to the Landracing.com  forum.

Right next to where Jon and Nancy are parked is Spectre Performance,
where Amir Rosenbaum brought a Cadillac powered 37' long Streamliner to the Salt in an attempt to take Al Teague`s 1991 record of 406 kilo,405 mph,and if they happen to run over 368 mph they would unofficially become the fastest gasoline powered vehicle on the planet,ever.
Yesterday on a run on the AA Bonneville Class 11 Motor(529 cu in),an exhaust valve went through the header and into one of the two turbos which ended that run,however Amir still managed to run 367 mph on only one turbo.He coasted into the pits and then began the complete teardown to remove the big 529 inch Caddy and replace it with a 485 cu in A Class 10 motor.They started at three in the afternoon and I stayed with them to photo document the event.They left last night at 12:30 am to go back to the motel to get a lttle sleep,and I really mean a little sleep,they were all back on the Salt by 7 am this morning,ready to finish the car to ready it for the record attempt.As I am writing this (9 am) I am watching them work to button everything up.In fact they just now fired up the newly installed engine.A really wonderfull group of people.Amir and I got into some in depth conversations.
He`s one of those people who get`s it.`Nuff said.....
 

 It`s a really beautifull Liner,matt black with the Spectre name in silver,nicely done.The following is a pictorial of the nights events.Today they shoot for the record run.Good luck guys,after being present throught the entire removal and installation of the new engine and seeing a cohesive team come together like that,you derserve to get a record.

 

 

Thats Mike Cook on the right,the organizer of the Shootout,with the Loctite crew,the sponsor of the event.
As they were having a beer after a long day,the Spectre crew were preparing for a long night in the pits.

 

Mike Cook gave me the ok to set up tent on the Salt by the pits,thank you Mike.It`s a magical experience to be camping right out on the Salt,hard to put into words.Ya really gotta be there.

As the sun set and everyone went back to their motels the Spectre crew got into their third shift of the day.

 

Steve Schmalz on the right,builder and crew chief of the Spectre Streamliner

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ken Rappaort

Midnight saw the new motor and intercooler finally in it`s resting place.The guys buttoned everything up and headed off for a few hours of well deserved sleep.The whole evening was fluid and drama free,givin the circumstances. So now the new engine is up and running,lets see what happens.Thank you to all the Spectre crew for allowing me to be a part of your pit.Good luck today............

Murph