2023 - Bonneville - Speed Week

Rain led to the cancellation of last year’s Speed Week event. It seemed that 2023 would suffer the same fate. A storm flooded the Bonneville Salt Flats two days before the racing began. However, the forecast changed with the sun and wind making an appearance that aided in drying the area. The change in the weather and efforts of the Southern California Timing Association (SCTA) resulted in a useable three-mile course.

The 2023 event, held from August 5 – 11, was the 75th running of Speed Week. The entry included competitors from as far away as Australia and New Zealand and as close as Canada.

Vehicles racing at the Salt Flats compete in one of seven broad categories depending on their construction and the technology employed. Within each category are a number of classes.

Special Construction Category: This represents vehicles competing within the quickest classes. These are hand-constructed vehicles, not modified production cars. Streamliners (covered-wheels) and Lakesters (open wheels) are in this class. Modes of power in these classes are gasoline, diesel, electric and turbine engines.
Vintage Category: This category is for cars produced before 1948.
Classic Category: This category is restricted to coupes and sedans produced between 1928 and 1981. Minimal modifications are allowed to the bodywork, and engine management systems are limited to OEM designs.
Modified Category: This category includes domestic and foreign coupes and sedans. These vehicles have been modified so that they do not meet the rules of other categories.
Production Category: Vehicles in this category have a very limited number of modifications. It includes – production-based coupes, sedans, grand touring sports cars and pickups with different induction systems.
Diesel Truck Category: This is a catchall for diesel trucks constructed with varying degrees of technology.
Motorcycle Category: This category includes production, modified, special construction, streamliner and sidecar classes.

Within each category, there are a number of classes, and speed records are set for classes. Classes are determined by attributes such as engine displacement, fuel type, induction system, body style and modifications, etc.

For those in attendance during the week, it was an opportunity to see records broken and broken again.

Heavy winds overnight blew water from the east end of the Bonneville Salt Flats to the entrance and the pits. As a result, attendees were forced to travel a couple miles across a shallow lake filled with potholes. The scene was enough to cause some competitors to turn around and wait until next year to set new records. However, many teams stayed and participated in the 2023 Speed Week.

Late Tuesday morning, SCTA officials held the driver’s meeting and announced that a three-mile course was ready for racing. The first vehicle down course was the 7198B entry of John Williams. Williams rode a 2000 Yamaha 1000 in the M-G class of the 1000cc Motorcycle category. The division record was 187.484 mph, set by the Hunter Sills Racing BMW in 2021. By the end of the event, Williams’ best result was 168.970 mph.

Unsurprisingly, the Speed Demon team collected the HOT ROD Trophy for a record eleventh time – awarded by Hot Rod magazine for the top speed of the event. The task was made that much easier when some of the fast vehicles, such as Team Vesco’s Turbinator II, were not entered. Regular Speed Demon pilot, George Poteet, vacated the driver’s seat in favour of Chris Raschke. On Wednesday, Raschke went 333.360 mph.

With the uncooperative weather and proceedings delayed on Monday, some competitors took the initiative to unload their racers and positioned them for a photo opportunity. This is a 2001 Chevrolet S10 Extended Cab Pickup driven and owned by Jack Albright of Carbondale, Colorado. The 510 Team competes in the Blown Fuel Modified Mid-Mini Pickup category. Albright established a new record of 184.204 mph.

There are almost as many interesting tow vehicles at Bonneville as race cars. This is a Fageol Twin Coach moving truck. Based in Kent, Ohio, the company produced buses, small delivery vehicles, marine engines, and aircraft and truck components. The company underwent a series of different owners, with divisions often being sold off. By 1975, the last division, Cortez Motor Homes, went bankrupt.

This is a 1937 Harley Davidson Knucklehead with a displacement of 1000cc. The motorcycle is owned and ridden by Atsushi ‘Sushi’ Yasul from Tokyo, Japan. The bike, prepared by Tweakers Racing, competed in the 1000cc Motorcycles category. The class record set in 2000 is 104.292 mph. The best Sushi could do was 103.665 mph. However, he competed on other motorcycles and set four new records.

With the only available course being the three-mile layout, it was thought that the Speed Demon would be challenged for the top speed at the event. The most likely rival would be Ed Umland, the owner and driver of the 89 B/BGS Unblown Fuel Streamliner. His 439 cu.in. Chevrolet V8 set the class record of 369.162 mph in 2018. At this year’s Speed Week event, the best Umland could achieve was 231.865 mph.

Entered in the Blown Fuel Competition Coupe and Sedan category was this 1971 Datsun B110 from Team McLeish Datsun. Perhaps the doors and quarter panels are the only original components from a Datsun 1200. The original 1171cc four-cylinder A Series engine has been replaced with a motor from a Suzuki. The owner and driver, Derek McLeish, set a new record of 178.517 mph for the H/BFCC class.

Curt Leitch from Alberta entered this 1995 Suzuki Cappuccino in two classes – J/BGMS and J/BGT. The Cappuccino, which was never imported to North America, is powered by a turbocharged three-cylinder, double overhead camshaft engine with a displacement of 657cc. The car has a curb weight of 1,598 lbs. Leitch set a new record in the J/BGMS division of 93.314 mph but was not close to the top speed for J/BGT.

The black smoke on acceleration is a tell-tale sign that this vehicle was diesel-powered. No. 672 is a 1984 Dodge Rampage powered by a 1.5-liter Volkswagen diesel. The production Rampage was equipped with a four-cylinder, 2.2-liter gasoline engine. Sharing the driving of the Salty Frog Racing entry were Steve Menendez and Darrell Hake. The quickest they went was 115.568 mph. The record is 135.003 mph.

This beautifully prepared vehicle is a 1961 Ford Ranchero. The Ranchero was initially equipped with a 2.8-liter straight-six engine. However, it has been replaced with an L28 series motor used in the Datsun 280Z and 280ZX. Barry Hoffman of Vernon, British Columbia, owns and drives the truck. Hoffman was attempting to set a new record for F/CFALT, which was 174.748 mph. However, the best he could manage was 134.059 mph.

Teams weren’t the only ones bringing some interesting vehicles to 2023 Speed Week. The spectator areas also included some unique cars. This is a Franklin from the late 1920s to early 1930s. The vehicles were manufactured from 1902 to 1934. What made the Franklins special was that the engines were air-cooled. The motors were 274.2 cu.in. inline six cylinders with overhead valves produced 100 horsepower at 3,100 rpm.

It’s a safe bet that they will set a new record every time the Guthrie-Levie Racing team from Elko, Nevada, competes at Speed Week. And they didn’t disappoint in 2023. On Thursday, August 8, the Suzuki-powered sidecar set a new record of 207.327 mph for the SC-G class. Interestingly, the first run was 202.765 mph, but on the return, a speed of 211.889 mph was set.

Another team leaving the event with a new record was the Erik Hansson and Ruth Lundring-owned Blown Gas Roadster. The 1929 Ford Roadster with a 292 cu.in. Ford Model A motor aimed to beat a speed of 129.405 mph set in 2012 by the VP Auto H&H Old Crow effort. Lundring piloted the car and went 128.697 mph and then 134.174 before establishing a record of 131.723 mph.

Another quick car entered at Speed Week 2023 was the Real Steet Valley Fever entry. The vehicle competes in the F/BFS class for Blown Gas Streamliners. The streamliner was built in 2013 and is fitted with a 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine. It is driven by the owner, Brad Bosworth, of Fresno, California. At this year’s event, Bosworth’s top speed was 184.122 mph. The category record is 316.299 mph.

Competing in the 750cc Motorcycle category was the 1355B of Ryo ‘Tommy’ Tomisato. Tomisato’s bike is based on a 1956 Triumph with a 680cc engine. He races in the APS-VG class. Before this year’s event, the record stood at 116.171 mph, set in 2011 by another Triumph rider. During his record attempt, he went 122.778 mph, followed by a speed of 114.923 mph to establish a new mark of 118.850 mph for the class.

The Bonniville Bob team set the record for the AA/GRMR class in the Gas Rear Engine Modified Roadster division in 2013, with Rock Jackson performing the driving duties. At this year’s Speed Week event, the owner, Jackson, shared the car with Ken Carlson. The vehicle they raced was a 1927 Ford with a 588 cu.in. Chevrolet V8. The best the pair could do was 213.073 mph, shy of the record at 257.612 mph.

The Jesel Line Equal 8 Team Dodge uses an engine designed and built by Jesel Valvetrain Innovation. The motor is perfectly symmetrical, meaning the ports are across from each other, allowing the flow to be equal and direct, and the pushrods operate perfectly straight with no angles. The engine displacement is 429 cu.in. and produces 1,235 horsepower. The 2006 Dodge Ram set a new record of 179.117 mph with Jack Line behind the wheel.

The White Goose Bar Racing team established a new record for the H/BFMMP class of the Blown Fuel Modified Mid-Mini Pickup category. The 1980 Volkswagen Pick-Up, powered by a 1.5-liter Rabbit engine, was driven by Keith Pedersen and is owned by Mike Manghelli. On Wednesday, Pedersen went 96.444 mph, followed by a return run of 141.581 mph. The combination sets the speed to beat at 119.012 mph.

France’s Stephane Carre entered this 1955 Velosolex, which has a displacement of 49cc. Solex is a French company that manufactured various parts, including the moped, from 1946 to 1988. In 1955, the firm introduced a new frame but used the same motor. The most exciting feature of a Velosolex is the engine uses a roller that makes contact with the front tire. Carre set three new records at this year’s Speed Week.

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