KT
You are so right about the "modified rules" with regard to the 2 club.
What started as a quest to make two runs in opposite directions above
200 while under the watchful eye of a recognized timing authority
evolved into the requirements we have today. Try as I might in
Bonneville Salt Flats, it was near impossible to track down the
specific person, date and reason why the rules and regs changed. What
I could find and verify is in the book, the rest is up for tasty
debate.
One thing is certain Howard's record was a longer, more difficult
quest than Donald's if for no other reason than he had to make one
more run at speed.
As for this business of comparing speeds . . . well, let's make sure
we have a level playing field, shall we? At the salt, and I presume we
speaking big numbers, so I will exclude the short course from this
discussion, vehicles run over a course of 5 miles, 3 of which are
timed. None of the other venues have this much space.
To sustain a high speed over such a distance requires not only a great
mechanical combo and state of tune, but applies a great deal of
pressure to the driver's skills and strategy. Metaphorically speaking,
it's one thing to lift a heavy weight, but to sustain the lift
validates the strength and endurance.
In other words, all NHRA records are based on a 1/4 mile track -- at
various elevations and density altitudes which factor into speeds and
ET's, but that's where the racer must apply their "smarts." would you
say a record set in Denver (5,000 feet) is worthy of more respect than
one set a sea level where the air is dense? You can see the point,
each venue has its challenges, but the distance over which the vehicle
ran remains constant.
I suspect there might be a little posturing going on here to give the
ECTA and SCTA a bit more "world" status, so let's explore that point.
Let's say the SCTA announces it will start handing out "world" records
based on a stringent set of record rules, in sympathy with, but
separate from those governing the FIA records. Why should the rest of
the world respect such a move? Because the organization has tenure?
Because they have conducted more than 60 years of speed trials?
Because most of land speed racing occurs on American soil?
The lists goes on. In the end you may find that the rest of the world
take issue with such a move for the same reason many American racers
tend to short shift the FIA -- they are foreigners.
A record set a Bonneville has such an deeply ingrained international
pedigree to begins with, that the nomenclature or "world" or
"national" is frankly moot. A Bonneville record is, without exception,
a world class record, one that defines the driver, the vehicle, and
the team as achievers, that the sanctioning body who inked the numbers
is utterly secondary to the accomplishment. I might include
Australia's Lake Gairdner in the same atmosphere, but that place has
to rack up a bunch more runs to get the same respect from me as
Bonneville currently enjoys.
My point is, unless a world record has worldwide respect it isn't
worth the ground its run on -- save those who set it and their pals
who support them. Is the world-record-setting rules of the FIA so
horrible that we really NEED to change the process, or do we WANT to
make things a bit easier on ourselves?
And if a world record is easier to set, who wants such a limp-wristed
thing anyway?
Pot stirred.
Next.
Speedy Regards,
"LandSpeed" Louise Ann Noeth
LandSpeed Productions
Telling stories with words and pictures
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