Untitled Document

Healeys ON the Bonneville Salt Flats

As stated, Monday brought 2" of rain to Bonneville. The first few pictures will give you some idea of just how wet it was getting to the race course. While the course was relatively dry, the water table was less than 1/4" below the surface of the salt and the water wicked up to the course surface, making it very crumbly and SLICK !

This is the paved road that extends 5 miles from
I-80 out to about 1 mile from the starting line.

This is the END of the paved road. We had to drive through a 6" deep
mini-Great Salt Lake to get to the race course and pit area.

The mountain's reflection is NOT a mirage... It IS water !

These water puddles were on both sides of the "path" out onto the race course.

More water ON the drive to the race course.

The paved road is as far back as you can see. We drove
about a mile on this wet salt to get to the race course.

Here is the "Healeys Return to Bonneville" pit area. The Healeys were
towed out on trailers and did not drive through the salty water.

Some of the race team ladies having a "spot of tea".

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The next series pf pictures will be of the Endurance car
followed by the pictures of the Streamliner

There is a lot of "Car Pushing" at Bonneville. The double line of cars waiting to
run was about 1/4 mile long and the Healeys were pushed forward into position.

There is also a lot of "standing around waiting" at Bonneville.
It takes a long time to run the 75 cars ahead of you.

IF a car crashes or blows an engine on the course, it can be several
more hours untill the mess is cleaned up and the course reopens.

We're only about 20 cars back now. The group
of people on the right are at the starting line.

The Healey was not the oldest car on the salt flats.
The Model T did not run.

Joe Jarick and Bruno Verstraete both drove the Endurance
car to speed. Here Joe is nearing the starting line.

Joe Jarick helps Bruno get his gloves on.

On the line... This is it !

Healey Marque Editor Reid Trummel takes a "parting shot"
picture as Bruno gets ready to leave the line.

Reid takes one last shot before Bruno fades into the horizon.

The race course is 7 miles long.
- 2 miles to get up to speed
- 3 measured miles
- 2 miles to slow down

Due to the curvature of the earth, one cannot see the opposite end of the course.

That green speck out there really IS Bruno on the race course. THIS is as close
to the high speed part of the race course as we were allowed to be.

Bruno is returning from a run and heading to get back into the queue at the starting line.

A local "Betty Boop" model showed up and gladly posed with many of the cars and drivers.

Waiting can sometimes be fun...

The Endurance car is off on another speed run with Bruno at the wheel.
Note the salt being thrown up by the right rear tire.

Another run by Joe.

The cars go out of sight VERY quickly.

Joe, Bruno (in the car), and Steve celebrating 127.411 MPH !
At the end of the day, they DID what they came to do !

Some people celebrated with more than "Colorado Kool-Aid" (Coors).

Bruno is really a 2-fisted celebrator.

Bruno Verstraete, Joe Jarick, Steve Pike, David Pike, and Udo Putzke

At the end of each day, we still had to drive through the salty water to get back to dry land.

The Endurance car on the salt as the sun falls.

Bruno is buttoning the car up for the night and is first in line for tomorrow's racing.

The Streamliner

There is STILL a lot of pushing going on at Bonneville.

Last minute checks as the Streamliner nears the starting line.

Both Healeys REALLY drew a crowd every time they came to the line.

A slight push from the assist car and he's off !

The first run was a BIG disappointment ! The Streamliner went about 100 yards and died. The blue coupling hose (remember that?) from the supercharger output to the intake manifold popped off and has now been replaced by a reinforced orange one.

In diagnosing any other problems, it was found that a roll pin holding two sections of the supercharger drive shaft had sheared. Udo was instrumental in coming up with a fix that allowed the Streamliner to run again.