Nearly every current world land speed record has been established on the bonneville salt flats, including a new one set in midaugust by a bulletshaped car built by rick vesco of rockville. The unique scenery is not the only reason that brings people to the bonneville salt flats. Peter vincent has practically taken me there with his glorious book of photography to the point where i can almost hear the sounds and smell the smells of one of motoring greatest events. Bonneville salt flats history book expanded and updated. He said that the author made the book very intersting and informative. A facility this large is operating on a space bigger than most cities in the usa. Bonneville salt flats louise a noeth 9780760306055 hpb. The fims refusal to ratify an amasanctioned record didnt seem to matter. Upon his return to his home state he convinced a local daredevil to travel to bonneville to race automobiles on it. A century of speed, a history book on the bonnieville salt flats, has been expanded and updated for 2015 in its second edition. The area is a remnant of the pleistocene lake bonneville and is the largest of many salt flats located west of the great salt lake. Lepps bonneville salt flats, speed limit mph, the task is easy. History of the bonneville salt flats captured like youve never. Peter vincent is arguably the most experienced photographer of u.
The bonneville salt flats is a densely packed salt pan. Each year, devoted gearheads and adrenaline junkies from. There are 4 annual events held on the bonneville salt flats. The blm bonneville salt flats travel advisory warns that if you decide to leave the access road and drive onto the salt flats, travel is at your own risk. Bonneville salt flats by louise a noeth 1999 description. The automotive legacy of the salt flats wasnt cemented until 1935, when malcolm campbell rode his blue bird past 300 m. Named after an early military explorer, the flats are about 12 miles long and five miles wide. Debate rages over the future of the bonneville salt flats. Its a pictorial book and the photographs are spectacular. I wrote this article in 2010, after my first time racing at scta speed week at the bonneville salt flats. Paul lees major help on the salt trey demarest transportation to the salt and help on the salt john patton major help on the salt michelle piccinino emotional support help on the. Salt flats survival guide for bonneville speed week and. Dec 10, 2016 1940s salt of the earth, bonneville salt flats, viintage racing book, utah, salt bed, mormon meteor by shopdadscollection on etsy. Motor vehicle use is limited by seasonal closure during the spring when the salt is moist or has standing water on the surface.
Books nstuff usfra apparel bonneville books nstuff usfra membership posterncalendar specials entry record trophies ecommerce, open source, shop, online shopping, store. The bonneville segment is just over eight minutes in length. Online store of, utah salt flats racing association. The detailed info below relates to bonneville in general, and to the scta events in particular. The bonneville salt flats is the largest vehicle racing operational space in the world you could put a dozen nascar facilities inside the place and still have miles of room around it. Buy bonneville salt flats by noeth, louise ann isbn. Keep in mind that in this part of the country it can be a long way between towns and cities, so plan. The devils arrow shot across the bonneville salt flats, setting the new absolute speed record of 193. Includes bibliographical references page 152 and index.
For more than two decades vincent has made an annual pilgrimage to speed week and he has become an integral and respected part of the scene. The bonneville salt flats events orientation overview website. In 1931 ab jenkins of salt lake city broke all former world speed records. Rishel recognized the bonneville salt flats as a viable course for races other than the bicycle course he was seeking. There, a crusty yet perfectly flat strip measuring nine miles long by just 80 feet wide was formed 50,000 years ago when a 45,000squaremile sea receded in what is now western utah.
Nowhere else have so many land speed records been set as at the bonneville salt flats, utah. Bonneville salt flatsutah motorsports marriott library the. The text is very light to nonexistent and there are no historical footnotes to explain what the book is all about. This book is a chronicle of the determined people who pilot hot rods, belly tankers, lakesters, motorcycles, streamliners, and more to shoot the salt and race on the bonneville salt flats to try to break the list of land speed records. Heres what a 427mph crash on the bonneville salt flats. Racing at bonneville and breaking land speed records has been going on since 1896 when w. Bonneville salt flats, utah this streamliner, built by students at brigham young university, set a landspeed record for the worlds fastest electric car. Stay on the paved road as it curves to the right away. This is a photo book about land speed vehicles speed queen is the name of a lakester style land speed car and the story of 5 retired new yorkers that traveled to the 2008 world of speed event at the bonneville salt flats in utah with speed queen in an attempt at the class speed record. This terrain was first used for speed races in 1912 and the first record in land speed was set here in 1914. The bonneville salt flats are a 30,000 acre expanse of hard, white salt crust on the western edge of the great salt lake basin in utah. They cover a large area and have a very unique environment.
Triple treat of bonneville speed trials books riders library. Bonneville salt flats for beginners salt fever is bonneville on your bucket list. At close to 300 pages, the book features art direction and reproduction on par with the photography showcased. The bonneville salt flats are a densely packed salt pan in tooele county in northwestern utah. The bonneville salt flats are located just off of exit 4 on interstate 80 in utah, just before reaching the nevada state line. If you have questions or need assistance contact us. The main road just 15 miles east of wendover heads right out to the center of the flats. The bonneville salt flats are found west of the great salt lake, in western utah. During speed week, usually in midlate august, vehicle enthusiasts from around the world gather at bonneville. Sometimes two wheels are just flatout better than four bonneville salt flats, 1954.
As far as anyone in america knew, a triumphpowered streamliner was the worlds fastest motorcycle. There is no doubt that peter is one of the best to ever photograph a hot rod and he is at his very best when he is at bonneville. Bonneville salt flats landspeed record breaker settles suit with chicago museum chicago ap craig breedlove has settled a lawsuit filed against a chicago museum he says damaged the jet car he used to set a landspeed record at the bonneville salt flats in utah in 1964. The bonneville salt flats race track is listed on the national register of historic places.
Bonneville a century of speed bonneville a century of speed hard. Bonneville salt flats wendover, utah lake, park facebook. Where cars try to hit mach 1, the salt of the earth is. Every year for more than two decades he has visited this unique american landscape with camera in hand. It is particularly noted as the venue for numerous land speed records. Located in the great salt lake desert, the bonneville salt flats are both a geographic and landspeed marvel.
The bonneville salt flats in northern utah have long called to those who seek to go as fast as humanly possible and etch their names into history. The crusty yet perfectly flat strip measuring nine miles long by just 80 feet wide, was formed 50,000 years ago when a 45,000squaremile sea receded in what is now western utah. Since 1909, bonneville has hosted hundreds of races and speed trials featuring scores of remarkable cars. The bonneville salt flats is located in the northwest corner of utah, two hours west of salt lake city and right on the border of nevada. Bonneville is one of the most popular areas for speed racing in the world. Bonneville speedway also known as the bonneville salt flats race track is an area of the bonneville salt flats northeast of wendover, utah, that is marked out for motor sports. Gas stations at the bonneville salt flats exit on i80 provide hoses for a quick rinsing.
A rookies guide to racing at the bonneville salt flats. Bonneville a century of speed 100 years land speed racing wheel driven hard back book color pictures salt flats. In 2014, the bonneville salt flats near wendover, utah, marked 100 years since the first land speed record was set there. The bonneville salt flats in northwestern utah, usa are known worldwide for their many miles of flat, compacted salt. Bonneville books are few and far between, but this new exhibition book covers the collective history of bonneville racing in a massive 328 pages. On saturday, october 5th, 2019, cbs this morning aired a report on conditions at the bonneville salt flats. Bonneville salt flats, stretch of barren salt flats covering about 100 square miles 260 square km in tooele county, northwestern utah, u. The property is public land managed by the bureau of land management and is known for land speed records at the bonneville speedway. Bonneville salt flats scta speed week 2012 cycle world. The bonneville salt flats is one of the most unique natural features in utah, stretching over 30,000 acres.
It is the remnant of an ice age saltwater lake that. Bonneville salt flats for beginners hot rod magazine. Shop for the perfect bonneville salt flats gift from our wide selection of designs, or create your own personalized gifts. Bonneville speedweek in august, bub international motorcycle meet and world of speed in september and world finals in october. The name scott guthrie appears frequently in the bonneville salt flats motorcycle record books. Unfollow bonneville speed week to stop getting updates on your ebay feed. The ama land speed events bonneville motorcycle speed trials operates a bit different, but. It is located along i80 near the utahnevada border.
Since then i have ordered several used books and audiobooks and couldnt be happier. Most hot rod books put in text around the photos as mere filling, but in bonneville salt flats, you are in for a true education. The blm recommends avoiding the mud flats light brown that surround and underlie the salt flats white and staying on the clean, white salt surface as much as possible as vehicles can. Heres how to show up with a clue and leave with an infection. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The flats were formed when ancient lake bonneville slowly evaporated and left behind a hard, white salt crust that can be up to five feet thick in the middle, tapering to about an inch on the edges. In the years that followed, especially the 1950s and 1960s, the salt flats. Bonneville salt flats wendover 2020 all you need to. Since 1909, bonneville has hosted hundreds of races and.
Internet archive contributor internet archive language english. After exiting the freeway, turn right and drive north past the truck stop. Created to celebrate 100 years of bonneville racing, the book covers the root of land speed racing in 1898 in france and sweeps to america with an overview of the florida speed trials and the first. Some of the prices for entry may not be completely correct as there can be changes over the years. Land speed records jessi combs land speed record crash. The flats, part of the great salt lake desert, are a remnant of the bed of an ancient lake formed about 30,000 years ago late in the pleistocene epoch and named for b. You can shop with confidence using our secure online purchasing. An old school hot rod trying to pickup speed by sealing the driver inside the cabin, cutting down on wind resistance. Augusts annual bonneville salt flats speed week doesnt mark the end of the gofast season, even if it is the most famous event.
Bonneville salt flats racing public group facebook. I have not been to the bonneville salt flats in person, though i know many who have and it is still on my bucket list. Bonneville salt flat trip one for the books, great memories. Bonneville salt flats special recreation management area srma the bonneville salt flats are a 30,000 acre expanse of hard, white salt crust on the western edge of the great salt lake basin in utah. Here you will find all the latest in bonneville racing goodies. Utah salt flats racing association end of the rd bonneville salt flats, wendover, utah 84083 rated 4. So, when guthrie himself called to inquire if i wanted to ride one of his bikes at bonneville.