On Saturday, August 20, 2005, at 07:44 AM, Thomas E. Bryant wrote:
>
> George Fields said that they tried to use a grader, but when the blade
> was put down it lifted the tires off the salt. This was the hardest
> salt I have ever seen and the most uneven surface I have seen. I just
> hope that we don't see this again!
>
> Tom, Redding CA - #216 D/FCC
Nancy and I had the (dubious) pleasure of driving one of the trucks
dragging the course (dubious 'cause it was the unit without working
lights -- and we ran it from 6.30 'til about 10.30 Thursday evening,
seeing only by following the taillights of the drag truck in front of
us. No lights, no radio -- but a pleasant lightning show over the
mountains to the northeast, so at least we had something to watch --
saw a falling star, too. Won't tell you what else we did in the dark
truck. . .).
The truck in front was pulling the "big" drag -- the one with ballast
and dubbed the "cutting" drag. We pulled the "polishing" drag. After
our shift Roy Creel - who spent his evening keeping track of us,
coordinating the project - stopped us to say that our work wasn't
making much of an improvement. The salt was that hard. Dragging
continued all night, anyway, I guess using just the bigger drag.
Next morning the motor grader came into play -- but George (who drove
the truck before I did) is right -- no real results were gained. I
guess the grader eventually got put into service creating access roads,
return roads, spectator roads, etc.
The pits were so bumpy that observance of the "5 MPH in the pits" speed
limit was universal -- you'd shake the fillings out of your teeth if
you went faster.
Roy sure put his heart into trying to provide us with a decent race
course. So did everyone else.
But good course or bad, we sure had a fine time.
Jon Wennerberg
Seldom Seen Slim Land Speed Racing
Marquette, Michigan
(that's 'way up north)
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