Bonneville salt flats bonneville motorcycle speed trials. Aug 20, 2017 throughout the early days of salt flat speed trials, the course typically ran nine miles. Black rock desert in nevada, another landspeed record test ground. View all hotels near bonneville salt flats on tripadvisor. The century of speed exhibit will celebrate the 100 year anniversary of land speed racing at the bonneville salts flats and raise awareness of the current save the salt campaign. Upon his return to his home state he convinced a local daredevil to travel to bonneville to race automobiles on it. The first t120 bonneville model was unveiled at the earls court bike show and went on sale in 1959.
All bonneville salt flats posters are produced ondemand using archival inks, ship within 48 hours, and include a 30day moneyback guarantee. Insane speed records are broken at bonneville salt flats newsela. The land is so flat for so far that it is even possible to see the curvature of the earth. If you are a motor guy or gal speed week in august at bonneville slat flats is a must see. The bonneville salt flats are free and open to the public most of the year. The famous bonneville speedway is located in the western portion of the flats, near wendover. Bonneville speed week 2017 going for broke fuel curve. The flats can easily be seen as you drive i80 between salt lake city and wendover, nv. If you go out onto the salt flats on your own, let someone know where you are and when you plan to return.
This alien world is one of the most incredible destinations utah has to offer, and. Bonneville salt flats, stretch of barren salt flats covering about 100 square miles 260 square km in tooele county, northwestern utah, u. With bonneville speed week just ending were sure many of you still have salt fever and wouldnt mind reading about the history that surrounds the salt flats. This page has links to all bonneville slat flat racing pictures, stories, legends and information. Bonneville salt flats synonyms, bonneville salt flats pronunciation, bonneville salt flats translation, english dictionary definition of bonneville salt flats. In most forms of racing, each class is called to the starting line or staging lanes as a class group and that class runs, then the next class is called up and runs. Those that are in the know about bonneville realize that the weather plays a huge part of the bonneville salt flats racing season. As you may have heard, at speedweek 2007, boyd coddington star of tvs american hotrod show had a very tough couple of days. Its time to restore the bonneville salt flats sema. To hot rod and motorcycle enthusiasts around the world the bonneville salt flats are the ultimate speedway and proving ground to test and see if your rod truly is the fastest around.
The bonneville salt flats in utah have hosted speed chasers for. Photograph the bonneville salt flats, bonneville salt flats. Bonneville speed week 1959 exceptional photos by william hewitt. Gords dedication to salt flat racing shows in the record.
Where cars try to hit mach 1, the salt of the earth is crumbling. Harleydavidson powered motorcycles set a number of records at the annual bonneville salt flat nationals in 1970. Vast, tranquil and untouched, the bonneville salt flats is simply stunning. Throughout the early days of salt flat speed trials, the course typically ran nine miles. Motor vehicle use is limited by seasonal closure during the spring when the salt is moist or has.
Multiple lanes of some of the fastest vehicles, bikes and such tearing it up. A report from a recent flyover by a friend of bmst indicated that the area affected is looking more saltflats and less mudflats. The bonneville salt flats are a densely packed salt pan in tooele county in northwestern utah. Customize your bonneville salt flats poster with hundreds of different frame options, and get the exact look that you want for your wall. The bonneville salt flats are found west of the great salt lake, in western utah. Buy bonneville salt flats posters designed by millions of artists and iconic brands from all over the world. People end up on the salt from every corner of the earth it seems, and with all sorts of fascinating stories about how they got there. Just when i thought that the white sands in new mexico was absolutely gorgeous, salt flats just phuckin blew me away. Further attempts to promote automobile racing on the salt flats failed until the. Sep 09, 2017 bonneville speed week 2017 going for broke.
Bobby thompson on his speedster turned in an average 172. The bonneville salt flats race track is listed on the national register of historic places. On our last day in salt lake city, we decided to visit the salt flats because we had some time to kill before our flight to new york. On the third week of august, dedicated racers whose ultimate goal is to set a land speed record lsr, descend on the bonneville salt flats near the city of wendover, located on the western side of utah near the nevada border. Bonneville is a mighty big place the salt flats currently cover 30,000 acres of nothing but wide open, flat space. Rishel recognized the bonneville salt flats as a viable course for races other than the bicycle course he was seeking. Munro set his first new zealand speed record in 1938 and later set. Sep 19, 2012 with bonneville speed week just ending were sure many of you still have salt fever and wouldnt mind reading about the history that surrounds the salt flats. Bonneville salt flats wendover all you need to know.
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. One bonneville tradition that tells you a lot about the nature of bonneville competitors is the order that cars make record return runs. A sign marked the desolate area, welcome to the bonneville salt flats, home of the land speed record runs. It is particularly noted as the venue for numerous land speed records.
Experienced bonneville spectators make the extra effort to be at the track at sunrise to watch the days record runs. In the summer of 1960, the contest moved into overdrive, with eight men contending for the record on utahs bonneville salt flats. Its where insane speed records are made and broken. With nowhere to be and nothing to do for the next 24 hours, we decided to explore some unknown territory and drive from salt lake to jackpot, nevada. Utahs bonneville salt flats are a unique land formation that beckon visitors from around the world. Pontiac bonneville, a car that was named after the salt flats. So when rod asked me to do a temple of speed story on the bonneville salt flats. There have even been times when speed week has been. The first land speed record was set there in 1914 by american race car driver, teddy tetzlaff who was well known for his indy 500.
The iconic bonneville name was conceived following johnny allens landspeed record runs at the salt flats in september 1956, when he reached the record breaking speed of 193. Renault recently achieved a new speed record at the bonneville salt flats with a 60yearold classic dauphine. In fact, this was her first time there as well as gords. Sep 25, 2017 augusts annual bonneville salt flats speed week doesnt mark the end of the gofast season, even if it is the most famous event. Indian motorcycle takes to the salt in celebration of burt munros 1967 landspeed record. That info, and the recent reports from the salt, indicate that conditions are improving and that we have a. Bonneville salt flats wendover 2020 all you need to know. If you really want to experience the salt flats go to wendover in august and attend a couple days of the speed week.
We headed out to the bonneville salt flats on august 15 to take in a. Land speed records generally bring to mind the streamliners as the scream across the bonneville salt flats at speeds of over 750 miles per hour, but theres actually more to setting land speed records than just the streamliners. Its a piece of land shaped roughly like a frying panflat and hotbordered by mountains, and crusted in fine white. Motor vehicle use is limited by seasonal closure during the spring when the salt is moist or has standing water on the surface. Much of the table salt that people have on their tables comes from the bonneville salt flats. Triumph bonneville, a motorcycle that was named after the salt flats. Utah salt flats racing association end of the rd bonneville salt flats, wendover, utah 84083 rated 4. The fastest cars to set speed records on the bonneville. Bonneville salt flats bonneville speedway wendover, utah.
Its so flat, and so smooth, its almost as if you can see the curvature of the earth where the salt meets the horizon. Augusts annual bonneville salt flats speed week doesnt mark the end of the gofast season, even if it is the most famous event. Im also delighted to hear that there is a third book on the way entitled boost and his theme centred around the bonneville salt flats should make for a fascinating read. Of such is the story of bonneville speed week 2017, at the salt flats in utah, and the racing that takes place here every year. Triumph land speed record broken triumph motorcycles. Indian motorcycle celebrates burt munro at bonneville salt. The history of the bonneville speedway rod authority. Bonneville salt flats is one of the most unique landforms, located 120 miles west of salt lake city in utah.
Bonneville speed week 1959 exceptional photos by william. Jan 02, 2018 with nowhere to be and nothing to do for the next 24 hours, we decided to explore some unknown territory and drive from salt lake to jackpot, nevada. Speed week bonneville salt flats, wendover traveller. There have even been times when speed week has been, like a baseball game, called on account read more.
Nov 22, 2019 read the latest bonneville salt flats news and browse our full collection of bonneville salt flats articles, photos, press releases and related videos. During speed week of 20, shunji yokokawa and his two man crew from japan, traveled to the bonneville salt flats to break a world land speed record. If you find that some photos violates or have unacceptable properties, please inform us about it. Twice a year, the deserted bonneville salt flats are transformed into the valhalla of speed where land speed racers battle it out to claim a record. My not so record breaking week at the bonneville salt flats. A plain of northwest utah west of great salt lake in the bed of prehistoric lake bonneville. More than a dozen vintage studebaker coupes raced at bonneville salt flats during speed week 2010. Here are selected photos on this topic, but full relevance is not guaranteed. Aug 01, 2016 bonneville speed week 1959 exceptional photos by william hewitt august 1, 2016 on the third week of august, dedicated racers whose ultimate goal is to set a land speed record lsr, descend on the bonneville salt flats near the city of wendover, located on the western side of utah near the nevada border.
If you dont do anything else in life you must see this place before its all gone. 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. Bonneville salt flats come along with grand adventure to camp at utahs bonneville salt flats, one of the most unique land forms in the world. The trip was shunjis first ever to the salt flats where racing and attempting to break the world record became more challenging than the crew had envisioned. Racing at bonneville and breaking land speed records has been going on since 1896 when w. Dan parker talks about racing at the bonneville salt flats duration. The hard salt crust is perfect for both speed and safety. The bonneville salt flats are all that remains of pleistocine lake in utah and are a denselypacked salt pan located west of the great salt lake this area is wide open and extremely flat. Bonneville salt flats news and information autoblog. The local weather outlook for the bonneville salt flats. This stunning piece of earth is fascinating to most people, but to speed freaks, including me, its heaven on earth. Motorcar racing has taken place at the salt flats since 1914.
Imagine a brilliantly white landscape so flat that you can see the curvature of the earth, coupled with distant mountain peaks rising in the distance. 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. The salt flats are about 12 miles long and 5 miles wide with total area coverage of just over 46 square miles. We visit the bonneville salt flats for speed week 2017.
Bonneville salt flats definition of bonneville salt flats. The books read like many of his tv scripts and if somebody dares to translate it to television i am keen to see how it is received. Flathead engine breaks 300 mph barrier recycled teenager shatters 300 mph barrier. The bonneville salt flats in western utah are other worldly. Heres how team vesco just drove a recordsetting 483 mph at the. Bonneville salt flats bonneville speedway wendover. Apr 21, 2012 those that are in the know about bonneville realize that the weather plays a huge part of the bonneville salt flats racing season. Harleydavidson motorcycles set records at bonneville. During landspeed racing events andor filming projects, special security restrictions may be required to maintain public safety. Pure white salt stretches out as far as the eye can see.
There is a fee to enter and you drive out on the flats and park anywhere along the race route youd like. The inside story of the land speed record in the sixties chronicling the epic. This 1953 studebaker coupe looks like she was born on the salt. The property is public land managed by the bureau of land management and is known for land speed records at the bonneville speedway. Sep 18, 2012 we found a place where the automobile is king and speed is the one true god.
Unfortunately, as the flats deteriorated over time due to mining, the course switched to a fivemile strip. 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. My homegirl and i did a road trip around utah and arizona for memorial weekend and i couldnt help but make sure that we stopped here before we did anything else on the itinerary. Munro was 68 and was riding a 47yearold 1920 indian motorcycle when he set his last record. Member products and sponsored race teams have helped set scores of world records. Samuel hawley introduces a sampling of interviews and audio clips he collected while doing research for speed duel. Read the latest bonneville salt flats news and browse our full collection of bonneville salt flats articles, photos, press releases and related videos. Bonneville salt flats definition of bonneville salt. We headed out to the bonneville salt flats on august 15 to take in a day of highspeed action. On our way, we stumbled upon what looked like an alien world. Herbert james burt munro was a new zealand motorcycle racer, famous for setting an under1,000 cc world record, at bonneville salt flats, in 1967. The salt flats is also home to the bonneville speedway, which opened in 1911, and holds several land speed records.
It might be time to plan a trip to the utah desert and the famous bonneville salt flats. Indian motorcycle this past weekend, indian motorcycle kicked off the 69th annual bonneville speed week by paying tribute to its iconic heritage and the 50th anniversary of burt munros historic land speed record in. Sets new speed record with antique ford engine bonneville salt flats, utah driving with ideal weather and surface conditions, ron main, 60, a reinforced steel contractor from chatsworth, california, recorded an astonishing top speed of 302. We found a place where the automobile is king and speed is the one true god. They cover a large area and have a very unique environment. And then there are the people that come from around the world to do other worldly things with speed on the salt. Bonneville racing events are different from many other forms of racing. Located in the great salt lake desert, the bonneville salt flats are both a geographic and landspeed marvel. Hydrology and surface morphology of the bonneville salt flats and pilot valley playa. Filmed october 2122, 2017 at the bonneville salt flats and silver island mountai. Bonneville salt flats wendover 2020 all you need to. No plant life, no insects, not even a blade of grass sticking out of the dirt somewhere. The car bagged the new speed record in the classic gas coupe cgc category by. Check out this beginners guide to outright land speed records and one of the places theyre synonymous with.
The land speed world finals are scheduled for october 3 to 6. The bonneville salt flats are unlike anywhere else in the world. The greatest tapestries woven communicate magnificent tales of legend and lore. It will feature 100 of the greatest land speed record cars and motorcycles of the past one hundred years. 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. Boyd and his wife jo were running a beautiful roadster, hoping for a class record, with a full tvcrew recording their racing efforts.
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