SPEED WEEK 2004/DAY FOUR – AUGUST 17, 2004:
Got
out on the Salt early again this A.M., to see Art’s second licensing run. I stopped at the impound area to take a few
pictures and watched the crews thrashing on their vehicles to get them ready
for their record return runs. I then
drove to the starting line to see Art’s second licensing run (150 to 175
MPH). His second run at 8:40 A.M.,
Mountain Time, and completed it at 163.587 MPH. Great run. 
The car was
brought back directly to pre-staging from the return road. Art was sitting in Brendan’s Suburban with a
big smile on his face. I then called my
wife at home and handed the phone to Art so he could personally tell her about
his great run. Ray and Jerry handed me
their cameras so I could take pictures for them as they were busy with the car.
I think I spent half of the day taking pictures.
Yes, I am having a lot of fun. Brendan
has now gone out on his first licensing run (125 to 150 MPH). He has completed his first run at 137
MPH. Another great run. The car is
still running and looking
strong. Again they went from the return
road to pre-staging. They got the car
to the staging line now and it has started to rain. The officials have decided to cancel the racing for the rest of
the day, it is now 4:00 P.M., Mountain time.
On Monday, Art’s daughter Michelle and her three boys, Ryden, Hayden and
Keigan arrived from Longview out on the Salt to see Art. It was nice to see them.More
observations. Even after all these
years I’ve been coming here I am still amazed at the innovation and personal
engineering skills that go into all these vehicles. I always take a lot of pictures while I’m here. I have always considered the Bonneville Speed
Week to be the ultimate in car shows.
When
I’m here I listen to a country station from Salt Lake City. The reason I listen to it is because of the
traffic reporter. The reporters name is
General
Gridlock.. Yes, he doessound
like a General talking to his troops when doing his reporting. He is absolutely hilarious. The
speeds and times of the vehicles can be heard over C.B. Radio, this information
comes form the main timing tower. They
have also set up their own AM radio station during the Speed Week even that
broadcasts from dawn to dusk. 1610 on
your AM Dial.
ads by Google
SPEED WEEK 2004/DAY FIVE – AUGUST 18, 2004
Out
on the Salt early again this A.M. to watch Brendan’s second stage of his
licensing (150 to 175 MPH). There was
little it of rain this morning but not enough to hurt anything. Brendan is now at the starting line. I am going to take some pictures here and
watch his run from here also. I will
catch up with the group later in the pit area.
Brendan has now completed his second run at 165.780 MPH. and another great run. During this time the car has been running
strong and there was no need to go to the pit area to work on it. Back in the pit area now for picture taking
and loading up the gear to get ready to leave for home. I was happy that everything was going good
for them.I
called my wife at home and then handed the phone to Brendan so he could tell
her about his great run. Then I handed
the phone to Art so he could talk with her too.The
weathe r during the past few days has been everything you could ever image. Still
taking a lot of pictures now of the car with everybody getting their turn
standing next to it. After I talked o
Art and Brendan about the way the car handled,
I learned that the rear of the car wanted to wiggle at about 160 MPH. They don’t know if this is wheel spin or the
aero-dynamics of the car. It is about
11 o’clock now and Art and crew have left the Salt to head for home. Michelle and her three boys left a little
earlier. I wished them all a safe trip
home.
I
have been asked by a lot of people what the Speed Week is all about. Art, Ray and 
myself have come to the
conclusion that no matter how many pictures you show people, no matter how many
stories you share with them, they themselves have to be here to experience what
Bonneville is really all about. My
thoughts are, you either love it or hate it because there is no in between
about Bonneville.And
what Art did at the age of seventy years young is a great accomplishment. He has lived his dream. I know Brendan has lived his dream too.
ads by Google
SPEED WEEK 2004/DAY SIX – AUGUST 19, 2004:
My
last trip out on the Salt before I leave for home today. There was rain late yesterday and there is
water standing on some areas of the Salt.
There was none on any of the courses though. I visited with Courtney and Villa Hizer at the pre-staging line
this morning. Their car had been
plagued by a bad oil leak after they had to rebuild the turbocharger a couple
of days ago. I talked to their crew
chief, Jim Captain. He thinks that the
return line from the turbocharger was kinked and the scavenging stage of the
dry sump system was not pulling the oil out of it.This
was flooding the turbocharger and dumping oil into the exhaust. There was pure oil coming out of the
exhaust. Wish I could stay for their
run but have to leave now. After saying
good-bye to everyone. Can’t wait until
next year. In
conclusion I had a great time this year.
I would like to thank Michelle Catt for the typing, copying and sending
this out to other people on their e-mail.
Thanks
Art and Brendan for your understanding and letting me be part of the “Catt
House Racing, Buick” team. It was fun....Roger
The journal for 2005 and 2006 (combined) will be published soon on this website. Photography on this website will be made available to you at nominal cost. Keep checking back for new postings on: saltflatmemories.com
return to home page
GOTO PAGE 2
Please visit our other websites also.Click on image to visit!
