on 2/28/01 7:06 AM, paulblandavon at paul.blandavon@btinternet.com wrote:
> I was wondering about the other events at Bonneville, the only magazine
> coverage we get here is of Speed Week I'm presuming that's the big event of
> the year, (correct me if I'm wrong,) what are the World of speed and World
> finals like? do they get as many entries and spectators? how do they compare
> to speed week?
> Paul.
>
>
Paul,
Last year we had 103 entries at World of Speed. That's less than a third
of what shows up at Speed Week. We have some advantages for viewers in that
we run on one course instead of two. Temperatures in September are cooler
than in August ... last year the highs ranged from the low eighties to the
high thirties over the four days. Not the usual temperatures for Utah in
September. Usually we have highs in the upper seventies and low eighties.
Motel/hotel rates in Wendover are the regular prices, not arbitrarily
increased for the event. This year we are shifting to a weekend, Friday
through Monday and coordinating with the Wendover USA people to advertise
the event much as Speed Week did with the Salt Lake City Chamber of Commerce
during their first fifteen or so years. Part of that arrangement will be an
advantage for USFRA members over the usual weekend rates. As far as speeds
go, often it depends on salt conditions. Over the fourteen years since WoS
first started we have had very competitive top speeds, in part due to the
cooler temperatures and dry salt. Last year the Burkland's made their
fastest run by a wheel driven car, 438 mph, at WoS. Speed Week, with a
possible eight days of running, has the luxury of not running for a couple
of days when they get rain, we only have four days to run and rain can hurt
us more because of the shorter time. Another reason for smaller crowds is
that people schedule vacations for August and don't have to fight the school
schedules that cut down September participation. Being a Utah club we have
the advantage of knowing and using local resources like the Red Flame
Catering who now do the food for both events. We have a good crew of people
who do a great job despite only staging one event a year instead of nine or
ten. When you are the little guy you try harder.
Wes
///
/// land-speed@autox.team.net mailing list
///
|