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The So-Al Special's not so special year

To: <land-speed@autox.team.net>
Subject: The So-Al Special's not so special year
From: "Keith Turk" <kturk@ala.net>
Date: Tue, 20 Nov 2001 05:55:19 -0600
Doug... Tom... thanks for the update's .... always a joy... guess it's time
to do the total recall on the So-Al Special.... or semi Special as the case
maybe... ( if you don't want to read this don't delete it until you read the
last paragraph Please )

After the Magic of last year... Muroc 2 club.. Two folks in the ECTA two
club....and a freature Article in Hot Rod as well as a nice mention in Chevy
High... a 228mph pass on the Salt in one of two events....well this year
about had to go like this...

Our focus this year was on the Salt and trying to get this silly Aluminum
motor to actually work....  Maxton started out with several soft records and
not a lot of real racing... We built the Mule motor and did a bunch of
testing on this silly six speed though ( I'm not convinced it's the way to
go just yet either ).... finally got to run the Rodeck the meet prior to
Bonneville and of course it was REAL average and very forgetable at 170
mph.....  So we took it to bonneville anyway....   What I learned on the
salt this year could be written in volumes rather then e-mails....  Mostly
it was about remembering why I'm there in the first place... to have fun and
socialize.... oh and SET RECORDS.... that is FUN... That means you can't
rebuild your car on the salt.... it has to be READY... something that up to
this point in my life has always been the case.... BUT  I took for granted
that it would remain as good as it had always been..... it wasn't
obviously.... I was outta handling, outta motors, and outta temper.... NOT
FUN....   Somehow breaking expensive motors isn't enjoyable.... Hmmm not
good...

The Last meet we ran the So-Al special was with Donald Wales driving and got
him his C lic.  Grib then shows up and allows him to make a dang B lic. pass
just to upstage it..... ( thanks Bob for your help throughout the year )

Bottom line on the salt really comes down to preperation and more
Preperation.... ....Write a good game plan and Stick to it.... which is what
I'm doing for this next year....  I'm having the Motor Professionally built
in NY by Dave Dahlgrens crony who actually knows what he is doing and
rebuilding my Cast Iron Motor myself....( Yheaaaaa )  I'm going to test the
car at Maxton with it's new suspension system first part of the year and put
the Rodeck in 3 meets prior to running on the salt... hopefully I'll be able
to actually take a meet or two off and NOT run the car before Bonneville....
which would of course mean that it's Pure Ready to go.... and all the
systems check out....

Okay I gotta take a sec and thank some folks who gave me a hand this
year..... First Brad Johnson and Dave Dahlgren for thier willingness to put
up with me....  Bill Bennett the infamous Maxton Crew.... Yep... Bill is the
Man.... been there done that.... ya wanna know how to get into racing....
show up and offer a hand.... David Frieburger... wow.. for helping out on
the salt...( Still amazed that the Editor of THE MAGAZINE would pitch in and
get his hands Filty and be a freind ) AND everyone on this list who have
become my friends... If you don't think I'm eternally grateful to each and
everyone of you for sharing your thoughts and woes..... On the End of the
Day.... the most important person we can thank is the Volunteers who give us
a Place to race...  Thank each and everyone of you....

Keith

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