With the rest of El Mirage dry lake stretching out before him, a racer takes off after getting the signal from SCTA Chief Starter Jim Jenson to head down the course.
The Vintage Hot rod entry with Donny Cummings at the wheel takes off on what would be a record run at the lakes. The car, running in the Blown/Street Roadster division in the "D" engine class (between 261 and 305 ci) hit the traps at 192.673 mph on a record of 186.861.
The BMR racing team (part of the Milers club) put down a respectable 189.372 mph run on a 201.894 record in the Gas Roadster class with a "D" 261-305 cid engine.
The Rice/Vigeant racing entry (and members of the Gear Grinders club) hits the dirt in the H/Gas Lakester glass with an engine size between 62 and 92 cubes, but still managed a 160.318 mph run. They were trying to beat their own record, which they set in 2003 at 178.297 mph.
SCTA starter Wes Hutchins checks the safety belts in Robie Faulkner's Vintage Oval Track class entry. He ran 113.903 mph on a 151.617 record with his Ardun-powered Flathead engine.
Looking like something Darth Vader might own, the Tom Thumb Special nearly captured a record in the Fuel Competition Coupe class with an impressive 208.831 run on a 211.085 mph mark.
Speaking of a time warp! How great is it to see a vintage-looking belly tank making a run on the dry lakes? Bobby Green's Blown Gas Lakester competed in the V4 engine class for vintage pre-1935 American four-bangers. He ran 106.028 mph-a bit more than the 104.775 he ran at last November's meet.
All sorts of vehicles with "unique" body styles are raced at the lakes. Doug Alder's Vintage Oval Track entry was running in the XF (production V8 Flathead Ford/Mercury motors from 1932-53) engine class and he ran a 99.449 on a 133.342 record.
Go with Moon! You've got to figure the Cunha and Dorsey coupe, sponsored by Mooneyes, would be running Moon discs on the wheels of their Gas Altered entry. Willie Dorsey squeezed 169.102 mph out of the three-window against a 204.978 record.
Some of the racecars are pretty sharp looking, such as the Barbee Boys' Gas Roadster entry (with a "C" 306-372 cid engine). The flames must help because Alan Barbee ran 202.166 on a 214.608 record set in June of 1999.
In the unblown Vintage Gas Coupe class, Pat Riley (of the Road Runners club) was driving his Chevy that was equipped with an injected straight-six engine. He came oh-so-close to the 1998 record of 139.368 with a run of 137.219 mph
In the Fuel Modified Roadster class, Mark Johnson points the Frontuto Brothers entry down the course on his way to making a 224.008 pass on a 250.000 mph open record.
Innovation has always been the hallmark of dry lakes racing, and you can truly find anything and everything at El Mirage. This beasty sits behind the cab of the Salt Toy entry in the Modified Diesel Truck Division. The team almost got a record that weekend-they ran a 159.067 on a 160.023 mph record!
The Omega class of engines is reserved for non-thermodynamic cycle designs including battery power. That's the source of energy that powers Zachary Norman's hardtail springer to 69.708 mph (against a 100 mph open record).
With a "D" engine (261-305 cubes) stuffed into a '27, Shane Hill waits to take his Street Roadster down the course. Shane, a member of the Sidewinders, ran 168.063 on a 184.991 record.
Roadsters used to be the only body style allowed in the earliest days of dry lakes racing, and they're still among the most popular designs out there today. Karen Davis drove the 3-D Racing entry (foreground) to 164.180 on a 201.894 record while Eric Eyers (background) will run 206.662 on a 214.350 record before the meet is over.
SCTA/BNI
Orosi, California
559-528-6279
www.SCTA-BNI.org