View From the Pits at Bonneville 2005
by Bill Brothen
Bonneville is a magical place. It’s a place where motorheads can go and be in sort of a heaven. It’s not for everyone but for those who dig it, it is very special.
Bob Duncan and I started for that magical place Friday morning with Joe Andre and Tom Campbell. We had one thing on our minds: to watch Lee make his runs. Most of us build hot rods to drive on the streets, but Lee builds them to go fast. That car has more beauty than the winner of the Ridler Award and you can drive it without a gold chain. Just kidding crows.
I rode with Bob in his 57-flamed Ranchero pulling Lanny Ness’s dune buggy. Thanks Lanny. Did we ever have fun with that thing. Known as the Bonneville Badboys, we had to live up to our reputation. Bob did most of the damage with his Supersoaker. I tried to stop him, but he just told me to shut up and drive. What could I do?
Because we were a part of Lee’s crew, we didn’t do anything, but just stayed out of his way. We were able to get pit passes for the buggy and us. Now the pits are something very special. It’s kind of like a time warp. All those different cars with their owners coming to Bonneville, some for 50 years, some for the first time, all trying to beat the clock. Like the seventy eight-year-old man on a V rod.
Watching Lee make his first run was something to see and all of us there will never forget it. After Lee made his 134-mph run on the bumpy salt, he was so high they had to tether him to the driver seat. He does look kind of cute in his little red suit. Lee made his C license the next day.
Thanks for building that special hot rod, Lee, so a bunch of nuts could come to watch you at the magical place.
Bonneville Blog August, 2005
by the Bonneville Bad Boys
8/11/05 Arrival in Wendover, UT: Lee, John, and Laura and Vince.
8/12/05 Tech inspection, like a "mechanical colonoscopy", took 4 1/2 hours. The lil' red race car passed inspection, no problem.
8/13/05 Lee qualified for his Rookie and D license by driving the lil' red race car 135 mph. The Salt is very rough due to spring rains. More Bonneville Bad Boys (and Sue) join the pit crew: Carl, Mike, Wayne S. and Steve, Dick and Dennis, Joe, Bill, and Wayne E.
8/14/05 Lee re-welded broken shock mounts. Did we mention the Salt is rough this year?
8/15/05 Lee hit 157 mph today with "hops" and "bounces" on the rough Salt Flats, qualifying for his C license. A grader smoothes out the Salt from 10 P.M. to 4 A.M. every day. Vince, Wayne S. and John will race the car soon.
To see actual results, visit the Southern CA Timing Association Bonneville Nationals site at S.C.T.A.
Click the shortcut to Speed Week results/photos. Then click Saturday 8/13 results and Monday 8/15 results and drill down to Car 994 Pip Racing. To see a picture of the lil' red race car on the Salt, go to Friday 8/12, page 4 and look up car 994.
8/16/05 Rain curtailed racing for a few hours, but Wayne S. raced the lil' red race car up to 111 mph.
8/16/05 Peter Vincent, professional photographer and author of the famous hot rod/race car "coffee table" books, shot many pictures of the lil' red race car "in line", but wanted clear shots against the backdrop of the mountains and the Salt. We arranged for a photo shoot the following day. Peter said, "Leave the car just as it is or I won't shoot it!" Lee said, "Okie, dokie, whatever you want!" Alas, Mother Nature got the last speed run and washed out the shoot.
8/17/05 More rain--The Salt Flats are flooded, so the Bonneville Bad Boys are coming home early. Overall, a good run for the first time out!
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