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Landspeed Historians Sports Fans
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SOCIETY OF LANDSPEED RACING HISTORIANS Newsletter #19. Websites posting
the newsletter are:
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President's Corner: By Jim Miller.
1) Fossett's friends are still trying some
things to find the crash site, see this Web site for an October
19
update:
www.stevefossett.com.
Charley Shaffer
Editor's note: You will notice that Newsletters #18
and #19 came out today. The reason is that Bill Groak sent
out an invitation to the Media about the new exhibit at the Wally
Parks NHRA Motorsport Museum and most of
our members are part of the Media. Since there was little time in
alerting you, I moved up the next issue to today.
Editor's note: The following email by Ugo Fadini
was sent out September 2006, but I could only access it this
week. My apologies to all.
2) Model available. #so05 - Mal Hooper's "Shadoff
Special" streamliner - new version. Bonneville AAA
Speed Trials 1953 - 6 FIA Class C International records,
driven by Mal Hooper. Limited edition of 200 -
delivered in a clear display box - mastered and built by Ugo
Fadini. The Shadoff Special was the third
and last of of the incredibly successful early 50's
streamliners designed by Dean Batchelor. Between 1953
and 1960, driven by three different drivers (Mal Hooper, Bob
Bowen and Don Clark), this car set 15 FIA
International and 3 SCTA mile records. Even more
significantly, the Shadoff Special set records in every
one of the six years it actually competed at Bonneville,
except one. This new version reproduces the car
as it ran in 1953, both at Speed Week and at the AAA/FIA Speed
Trials where it set 6 International Records
driven by its owner Mal Hooper. Story and photos at
http://www.ugofadini.com/shadoffstory.html. Model
has full cockpit detail. Ugo Fadini, Via G. Storlato 19, 35132
Padova, Italy, ph/fax +39.049.613755 email
ugo@ugofadini.com,
visit us at http://www.ugofadini.com.
3) The North American Eagle team's experience on
the Black Rock Desert during the ThrustSSC 10th anniversary
reunion was well described by Jon Higley in SLRH Newsletter #15. However, I don't think anyone has reported on the concurrent appearance on the playa of Steve Fossett's 'Target 800 MPH' team. First, I would like to state
that the land speed racing community and the small town of
Gerlach, Nevada warmly welcomed more than a
dozen ThrustSSC team members from Great Britain back to the
site of their 1997 supersonic land speed record.
In addition, Australian record holder Rosco McGlashan and
5-time record setting legend Craig Breedlove joined
the festivities. Richard Noble sent his regrets but he plans
to visit Gerlach for a 25th anniversary celebration of
the British holding the record on October 4, 2008 . . .if no
one breaks it first. McGlashan is planning to have
Aussie Invader 5R, a rocket car, built in Las Vegas. The
planned venue for running the car is the Black Rock
Desert, but Rosco had never before been there. See
www.aussieinvader.com. The presence once again of two
jet cars on the desert was a bonus. On the morning of October
14, the Steve Fossett team drove into town with
their jet car, which was purchased from Breedlove in September
2006. This visit was only for team experience
and publicity photographs, but it was a nice surprise. Eric
Ahlstrom, Program Manager & Chief Engineer,
conducted a briefing to update us on the progress of their
project. Steve Fossett had funded the entire program
out of his own pocket with a fully-paid crew. With his
unfortunate disappearance on September 3, Mrs. Fossett
has given the team the go-ahead to continue the project for
now, in order to give them a chance to find sponsorship
and a new driver. Ahlstrom reported several promising
discussions, and the team hopes to be able to conduct
some "low speed tests" (up to 600 mph) in southern California
in Spring 2008. He noted that although many
changes and improvements had been made to the car since
acquiring it from Breedlove, having a mostly-built
vehicle saved them several years compared to what it would
have taken them to start from scratch. He did not
go into great detail about the changes made to the car in the
past year but here is an excerpt from their July 11,
2007 press release: "Numerous changes have been
implemented since the car's last runs in 1997, including
a lengthened wheelbase and widened rear track to improve
stability, this requiring major upgrades to
the primary structures. "To accommodate the higher speeds
and aerodynamic stresses of 800+ mph,
significant aero modifications have been made to the rear body and wheel fairings to reduce drag. The
engine inlets have been re-designed to increase engine
performance and safety, and the steering geometry
has been modified to eliminate the roll and yaw
instability which caused an accident in 1996. All-new
systems for 2007 include supersonic-capable parachutes,
electronic engine monitoring and controls plus
revised suspension, electrical and pneumatic systems.
Further improvements planned for 2008 include
water injection, afterburner and nozzle modifications to
increase supersonic thrust." An August 13, 2007
press release mentioned their "all-new parachute
deployment and braking systems and data acquisition
system." Ahlstrom stated that the Black Rock Desert
is not a preferred site for their team; they plan to use
another dry lake bed in northern Nevada, which he declined to
identify. However, it is known from a September
4 Reno Gazette-Journal newspaper article that it is a 15-mile
course in Eureka County, and the BLM permit
process is indeed a public one. Knowing that, most of you
should be able to find it. Should Nevada sites prove
unworkable, the team has some other worldwide locations under consideration. They have relocated a number
of driver's controls inside the cockpit, putting many of them
on the steering wheel, and that has made considerably
more room for the driver. See
www.stevefossett.com. The surface of the desert was much
poorer than in 1997;
the drought over at least the past two winters has robbed it
of its usual smoothing water in the springtime. The
tracks locals use have worn into the playa several inches
deep, and many small transient dunes have popped up
all over. The general character of the surface is not as
smooth as it was ten years ago. For these reasons, the
North American Eagle test course was no longer than about six
miles. See
http://www.nv.blm.gov/Winnemucca/recreation/Blackrock_advisory.htm. Charley Shaffer, Seattle
4) I am sorry to hear about your father...I
have been meaning to send you an email but I figured I would
see you soon in person some way...I know it is a Tall
Order to give tribute to the man...Especially when
the whole world expects it...Keep me posted...I will never
forget when I turned out after an aborted run
and your father rolled over to me, opened my door to see
if I was all right at BVille...What a surprise....
He offered me a soft drink too...I will never forget
that.....Bobby Sykes Jr
5) A media preview for new exhibit honoring the
70th Anniversary of the Southern California Timing Association
(SCTA) exhibit. Presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California, the exhibit is a retrospective on the organization formed in November 1937. The SCTA held its first race in 1938 and has been sanctioning races at El Mirage dry lakes and at the Bonneville Salt Flats ever since. The exhibit will comprise a number of milestone land speed racing vehicles, including Stuart Hilborn’s Ford-powered streamliner—the first hot rod to go 150 mph; Mickey Thompson’s 4-engined Challenger, the first American car to go 400 mph, Al Teague’s Spirit of ’76, the first single-engined, wheel-driven car to go 400 mph; Kugel & LeFever’s Pontiac Firebird, the first stock-bodied passenger vehicle to exceed the 300 mph barrier; and the Toyota Prius Greensport hybrid which went 130.74 mph at Bonneville in 2004. In addition to all the high-speed exotic speed machines, the exhibit will include rarely seen memorabilia from the private collection of the late Wally Parks and other landspeed racers, including minutes from the first SCTA meetings, early programs, photographs, clothing and other SCTA-branded artifacts. Media preview 1-1:30 pm; public opening 3 pm. Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, presented by the Auto Club of Southern California, 1101 W. McKinley, Bldg. 3A at the L.A. County Fairplex in Pomona, California. The Museum’s monthly Prolong® Twilight Cruise Night program is on tap that evening. Admission to the Museum is free during the Cruise, which runs from 4-8 p.m. Hundreds of street rods, muscle cars and hot rods fill the Museum’s parking lot for this event. A true family-fun, So-Cal treat. Video/Photo Opps: Past and present SCTA members including Alex Xydias, Pete Chapouris and Jimmy Shine of the SO-CAL Speed Shop; Dick McClung, who raced at El Mirage in 1946, past SCTA president Mike Cook of Thunder Motorsports; current SCTA president Jim Lattin; and racers Al Teague and Jerry Kugel. Media Contact: Bill Groak, PCG Campbell 310/224-4940; onsite cell: 310/849-3676, bgroak@pcgcampbell.com. (from Bill Groak)
6) We originally had a date of October 20,
at Perris. An outlaw show came into town and took that
date,
so we had to cancel for 2007. We hope all will be ok for
2008, watch the web site for updates. Don
Weaver Readers: The email from
Don Weaver refers to his Legends of Ascot Reunion
that he puts on every
year after the end of the racing season at Perris Automotive
Speedway, or the PAS. A great dirt track out in
Perris. While his event is not geared towards landspeed
racing, it attracts some 700 racers from around the
country and about 100 of them have raced at the dry lakes or
Bonneville. It is a great place to see people that
you might only see once a year or less.
7) How are you and your many projects. We
have been busy as we have been correcting the suspension
problems... new leaf springs (good guys hard to find), -
shocks- etc. It is always work in progress and we
are trying to keep the car as Max intended. We will be at
Monterey Historic Races with the car- Old Yeller
II and last year was outstanding as it won the Rolex Phil
Hill Monterey Cup as the top Award. Rolex Watch
Company is sending the OYII to Connecticut to the Rolex
Vintage Festival at Lime Rock Raceway over
Labor Day weekend. Question: During the late 1940s into
early 1950s... what kind of timing system was
used at the Dry Lakes- Muroc- etc. Can you describe
...timers- and the distance to get to speed and etc
etc- thanks Ernie Nagamatsu,
http://oldyeller2.com/,
ETNracer@aol.com.
Readers: If any of you can
answer Ernie's question, please cc us as you respond to him.
Ernie and Elaine Nagamatsu bought one of Max
Balchowsky's Ol' Yellers, a hot rodders attempt to compete
with the fancy European Sports cars that road racers
were using in the 50's and 60's. Max's creations were
referred to as Junkyard Dogs with Bite and they gave the
sports cars of the day all they could handle.
8) California Racers listen up!! The fellow that spent all day recording you all on video has edited several
hours of film down to little over an hour of all the
sights and sounds, all the presentations, talks and friends
visiting with one another. He has it available for us at
a low price and you can call him direct to order, or
send your check or money order for 20$ made payable to Ad
Lib Productions, 1220 Greenfield Dr, El
Cajon, Ca 92021, Ph 619-442-5640. I believe we will all
be happy to have and keep these to go over and
reminisce again with the wonderful time we all had May
7th at Joe's Garage. I had a great time seeing
that you were all happy and having such fun visiting with
old friends. Sincerely, with big hugs to all. It
is on a DVD disc and he is paying the shipping and
handling, wheeee! Hila Sweet Readers:
Hila Sweet
is the owner and promoter of the California Racers Reunion and
she encourages all racers from all types of racing
to come to her reunion.
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Members: Jonathan Amo, Brett Arena, Henry Astor, Glen Barrett,
Lee Blaisdell, Warren Bullis, Gary Carmichael,
G. Thatcher Darwin, Jack Dolan, Ugo Fadini, Robert Falcon, Rich
Fox, Glenn Freudenberger, Don Garlits, Bruce
Geisler, Stan Goldstein, Andy Granatelli, Walt James, Wendy
Jeffries, Mike Kelly, Mary Ann and Jack Lawford,
Fred Lobello, Dick Martin, Ron Martinez, Tom McIntyre, Don
McMeekin, Tom Medley, Jim Miller, Don
Montgomery, Mark Morton, Louise Ann Noeth, David Parks, Richard
Parks, Wally Parks (in memoriam), Eric
Rickman, Willard Ritchie, Roger Rohrdanz, Evelyn Roth,
Ed Safarik, Frank Salzberg, Charles Shaffer, Mike
Stanton, David Steele, Doug Stokes, Bob Storck, Pat Swanson, Al
Teague, JD Tone and Jack Underwood.
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