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Bonneville Salt Flats History Book

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Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter Three | Chapter Four | Chapter Five | Chapter Six
Chapter Seven | Chapter Eight | Chapter Nine | Chapter Ten | Chapter Eleven

"Books about Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats are nothing new, until this one . . ."
Shave Glick, Motorsports Columnist Los Angeles Times

"This is a great book, I really enjoyed it." -Jay Leno, Tonight Show Host, NBC-TV

"The book does full justice to the little guys who invade Bonneville every August; it is rich in human stories . . ." Book of the Month
Mick Walsh, Editor, Classic & Sports Car, UK

"One of the best tributes to the Mecca of all-out speed ever written."
HOT ROD Magazine

"LandSpeed Louise has captured the essence of what is magical in the salt's many attractions for special breed of automotive experimenters . . .(we) are deeply indebted to author Noeth for her preservation of that awesome history."
Wally Parks, founder and Chairman, National Hot Rod Association

"Fascinating Reading . . ."
Popular Mechanics Magazine March 2001

"The best book ever written about the salt . . . even if you are not a land speed fan, this book makes for great reading."
Jeff Smith, Editor, Chevy High Performance

"Louise digs into the heart of the matter . . . "
Ed "Big Daddy" Roth, Columnist, Drive! Magazine

"Louise Ann Noeth has captured the unique flavor of this extreme edge of the motorsports world."
RACER! Magazine, December 2000

 

 

 

Yours for $37. (tax, S&H included) Mail check or money order to: LandSpeed Productions, 1761 Dwight Avenue, Camarillo, CA 93010-3848

Chapter One . . .From the Ice Age to the Train Age

It's 1914 and "Terrible" Teddy Tetzlaff (arms crossed) has just set a new speed record -- the first on the flats driving the German-made Blitzen Benz, That's Utah Govenor Spry, still living the dream with the goggles on. Teddy's riding mechanic casually resting on the front tire.

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Two . . . If You Build It, Are They Supposed To Come?

Time trials were all done by hand with stopwatches back in the 20's.  Here Ab Jenkins roars by drivng a souped-up Pierce Arrow from Indiana completing one of many laps on his way to yet another endurance record.  It was decades before Jenkins ever allowed someone to help him co-drive; he was no doubt the first "iron butt" in motorsports, driving 24-hours non-stop and sometimes even more --just to be sure the record stuck

 

 

 

 

Chapter Three . . . Daytona's Demise is Bonneville's Sunrise

A rare photo of Sir Malcolm Campbell sitting in his monsterous land speed racer affectionately called "Bluebird". When he abandoned Ormond Beach (better known today as Daytona) for the salt flats, world record setting would remain in Utah for the next 50 years plus.

 

 

 

 

Chapter Four . . . The Monster Car Era

The massive eight-wheeled "Thunderbolt" of Englishman George Eyston is fueled on the line in preparation of a speed run in the mid-1930's. The car never ran without having at least one tire deflate in the process. It is the biggest and heaviest car to ever set a record on the salt. Note the curve in the course.

For years Eyston was locked in combat with fellow Brit John Cobb who favored lighter, more streamlined speed attempt vehicles. Cobb eventually emerged victorious nailing a 394mph record in 1947 that stood for more than a decade.

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Five . . . Boys, Toys and Noise

By 1949 the hot rodders of Southern California came to the salt. More than a half-century later, they are here, holding the Bonneville Nationals Speedweek each August that attracts more then 300 cars, trucks and motorcyles from all over the world.

 

 

 

 

Dave Ratliff is doing what hundreds of record hopefuls did, breaking in the engine of his race car while on the way to Bonneville.  Most racers worked on their cars right up to the last minute and the 700 miles poked with mountain roads were daunting for tow vehicles, so many a race car was pressed into temporary "mule duty" back in the 50's and often wound up towing the tow vehicle!

 

 

 

 

Chapter Six. . .Got the fever, Beaver Cleaver?

Rollie Free fills the Vincent Black Shadow Motorcycle of John Edgar (far left) prior to his now famous World Record run. Just moments after this photo was taken, Free ripped his leathers and had to ride nearly naked in the prone positon to bump the speed past 150. Ab Jenkins (dark glasses) came to watch; he was the first to ride a motorcycle on the salt around the turn of the century.

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Seven. . . Learning to fly, or not

A classic exmaple of the car that started the hot rod community ticking:
the venerable roadster, seen here from the salt's perspective. Note the big hoop roll bar and leather helmet on the driver.  Safety rules would soon start to drive race car development.

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Eight . . .The Jet Age

Jet car pioneer Walt Arfons surveys his Wingfoot Express prior to setting a new World Land Speed Record in the ealry 1960's.  A heart condition and cut tendons took Arfons out of the driver's seat giving Chicagoan Tom Green a forever slot in the history books witha 403 mph average.  Supremacy was fleeting as Arfon's brother, Art came along a few days later and snatched the record away.  That's how it goes, that's racing, where speed is the deed to stay in the lead.

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Nine. . . Losing Ground; New Found Fun

Tom Senter, reknown for his snorting brute of an engine known as an Ardun, makes small adjustments to the heads.  In the backgorund is his wild roadster that he campaigned with partners Mark Dees and Geoff Irvin.  This book is dedicated in part to his memory; he was dear friend of the author who would work on cars in his garage listening to tape recordings of cars making run at the salt.  Turned up so loud, the neighbors actually thought he was staging races along the side streets.  He passed away suddenly in the mid-eighties.

 

 

 

Chapter Ten. . . Passing the Wrench: The Hot Rodders' Kids Go Racing

This is the world's fastest coupe, driven by Will Handzel, that's owner/engine tuner Doug Robinson on the left.

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Eleven . . . The Nineties and Beyond

A head-on view of World Land Speed Record champion Al Teague's "Spirit of '76" supercharged streamliner.  Teague, who is claustraphobic, set the stunning record of 409 mph in 1991.  He is considered the hero of the hot rodders mainly due to his humble disposition mixed with an unquenchable zeal for homegrown, backyard engineering.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don Vesco stands with the 458 mph Turbinator streamliner -- the fastest wheel-driven car on earth.  Vesco is holding the HOT ROD Magazine "Top Time" trophy" an honor he has won three times, the last in 2001 and presented for attaining the fastest speed at Speedweek. It is the oldest and most coveted of all Bonneville awards.

 

 

 

 

Tanis Hammond often drives her husband Seth's #77 lakester, built by Tim Rochlitzer. The car has put more people into the 200mph club than any other car in the sport: 16 in all. Tanis has driven the car faster than anyone, even her husband, romping over 300mph during the 2001 season.

 

 

 

 

The 1998 SCTA Points Champions push off the starting line at Bonneville. Driver John Wright, is helped by ace builder-tuner Dave Brant and crew chief Randy Speranza.

 

 

 

 

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