Racing at the Bonneville Salt Flats

[@johndavey72]

Thanks Steve. I've seen a number of documentaries and "The fastest Indian" but this is the first time someone has taken the trouble to explain "behind the scenes " (to my knowledge). Take care and stay safe.

[@edsalerno2790]

Glad you mentioned the Saab Heritage Car Museum in Sturgis USA. Super cool video of the Flats and the trophy.

[@peterscandlyn]

That was wicked Steve. Thanks for digging your archive, ALWAYS interesting!

[@life02ab]

Man sooo very cool! I have never seen a vid on the flats as informative as yours!

[@TimHackettAustralia]

Exactly my thoughts

[@paulhall170]

Indeed, there's hundreds of Bonneville videos, but I haven't seen one that explains the processes and procedures like yours Steve, top job!

[@bryancohn9406]

I learned a few interesting details of your Bonneville runs: 1. I had no idea the Saab was still a column shift car, that’s both awesome and strangely funny at the same time. Leaving it period correct in that way yet modify so much else is just perfect. 2. I didn’t realize the push trucks pushed the cars off with them in neutral, I always thought the race cars were in gear. Makes total sense now that I saw how it all works in action. I was there for the 2008 BUB Speed Trials, all motorcycles so no push trucks. It’s an amazing place, the last true, unchanged race track left. I need to get back there again.

[@ThisWeekWithCars]

The minute you let the clutch out the car will take away from the truck pretty quickly. It looks like the truck lets off but you actually stay on the gas the whole time in the push truck and let the car drive away from you.

[@gregorytimmons2808]

Dude, I,m 69 years old this year and graduated high school in 1971. My biology teacher bought a brand new Sonnet just like this except it was white with black interior and with a built in roll cage of some sort that I am sure was a factory option if not standard. I always thought it was a V4 rather than a 2 stroke but I could easily be wrong about that. My uncle raced sports cars in the bay area mostly when I was growing up and this influenced my first car purchase of a 1959 Volvo PV544. A distant memory of seeing it in his parking space with the window sticker in place and actually knowing something about these cars when new.

[@johneastman1905]

Quite amusing and informative as our host Steve takes a ride in a Swedish buzz box …

[@PropanePete]

Great little video, interesting to see how the event is run and what you have to do

[@bcgrittner]

July 1, 1975 - From my home in Minnesota ultimately I was westbound on I-80 from Salt Lake City. I drove out onto the salt flats and opened the throttle on my Yamaha RD350, complete with touring load and windshield. The salt was very wet and people were driving erratically and chaotically all over the place. The best I could do was about 70. My front tire hydroplaned when I went faster. Missed the record. The post run wash job took 45 minutes. The bike developed an interesting patina over the next two years. Learned lesson: Leave the salt flats to the professionals. Fun video, though.

[@ThisWeekWithCars]

People tell me they want to drive out there to see the races and I always tell them do not do that. Fly in and rent a car, do not ever drive your personal vehicle onto the salt or you will probably have to replace your brakes when you get home.

[@bcgrittner]

At least my front brake rotor was stainless steel. Mid 1980’s I worked medical at the Lake Phalen ice races in St. Paul, MN. A Saab Sonnet with a locked differential and other mods broke a CV joint and went through the paddock at high speed. Lots of tool boxes and tools flew. No damage to any cars and no personal injuries. Whew!

[@pilbaraman1755]

I only clicked on this video due to thumbnail having a classic mini .. watched to see a mini run....

[@xx-bg2dj]

That mini comes from where I live. The WOW on the rear window stands for World of Wearable Art (Avant Garde fashion show)

[@pilbaraman1755]

@@xx-bg2dj cheers, I am currently searching the MINI's run

[@TornadoCAN99]

Ya..."click bait" for me too! Any luck finding the mini runs?

[@pilbaraman1755]

@@TornadoCAN99 kzbin.info/www/bejne/d36onIR8m7akpNU here you go mate 😀

[@craigpennington1251]

Wow! 2cycle and 3 on the tree. Very interesting. And in a SAAB too. Thought they were going to show the Mini run.

[@ridethroughlifertl]

I didn't see if you had one or not, but a video outlining things a new racer would want to know would be really helpful. Pricing, directions, maps, classes, etc.

[@transsib]

Love the 2 stroke sound!

[@RandysFiftySevenChevy]

Thanks for the ride along..Ive got to get there and see what Mike Cook keeps talking about.

[@vrooomie1]

If I ever won the lottery, I would do this with a DKW… :-) Only problem is, I'd have to go buy one of my old ones back…!

[@caroldave4037]

Brilliant insight into salt flats( more please) cheers from dave in UK

[@Mike-xt2ot]

Great video. I appreciate Your info on procedure. More like this!! Great job on the record. Car sounded amazing!!

[@2H80vids]

Funny how things work out Steve. Until yesterday, I had never heard of a Saab Sonnet. I watched someone on KZbin restore a Matchbox model of a Sonnet III and Googled it to see if they were actually *real* cars. Google images turned up photos of the Sonnet II, the V4? and the Sonnet III. By pure coincidence, I had this video in my inbox to watch today. So, in 24 hours, I've not only discovered a new car, but had a high speed run in one. Weird.😁 Thanks for sharing such an interesting piece - shame it was so short. Cheers for now, Dougie.

[@GarJaMi]

Not a coincidence. All worked out by Google & KZbin!

[@2H80vids]

@@GarJaMi Not so much in this case. I see what you're saying but I *subscribe* to both channels. I very seldom follow KZbin recommendations, as I'm subscribed to enough channels already.

[@kasperkjrsgaard1447]

Not a big deal but it’s Sonett, not Sonnet. But yes, a great swedish car.

[@JourneymanRandy]

Wow, very interesting. Looks like a lot of fun.

[@davidandvarley]

Thanks for sharing. Love to see more. What development did the 2stroke SAAB have?

[@davebeedon3424]

Nice behind-the-scenes info! I was a spectator at World of Speed in 2007 and didn't see much of what you show: mainly I just saw vehicles speed by in the distance. Your video adds some context to what I saw.

[@ThisWeekWithCars]

Bonneville is not a spectator sport as you describe all the action happens miles away from you.

[@Split10uk]

Wow i enjoyed that. I had no idea how all that worked etc. Thank you!

[@kenem1946]

WOW ... I thought you were going to drive off the edge of the earth! :-)

[@lolbr6818]

Ya know, you bring your everyday grocery getter but we aint goin to the grocery store type of coverage. I like it ...

[@USAACbrat]

Love the Saab ride

[@scottloudon14]

I have no real idea why but love the little Sonnet, quirky and questionable but. Thanks

[@timothynewkirk2654]

Extremely Interesting! TY ...Newk from Kentucky

[@notrut]

Did I hear 2-Stroke SAAB ...? More info please ...

[@billrandell4641]

When I was a kid they would race 2 stroke Saabs on the Connecticut River (Winters were a lot colder then)..I would sneak out and travel 6 miles on my bike to watch them..

[@reginalddentry7338]

Nice shifting I was watching the steering wheel . I was in my neighbors 67 427 vette in 1967 145 he bumped the wheel we changed lanes . Unexpectedly.He couldn’t like it.

[@gregorytimmons2808]

I too was the proud owner of a Corvette of the same vintage with lift off top in Forest Green. A few years old at the time.

[@elund408]

love to see anything salt flats related. I would like to know more about the class and car.

[@mikego18753]

That was a well put together enjoyable vid. Thanks.

[@bryanfranks1378]

I would like to see what it takes to qualify a lawnmower and what the rules as to what it has to be and what I could do to still be considered a lawnmower or lawn tractor ?

[@racerd9669]

This is by far the best information I have found about coming to the salt flats and racing. One thing I would love to know, is their any way to stop all the salt from sticking to your car. I have hear of using Pam and other sprays. ????

[@ThisWeekWithCars]

I have heard that as well but I would say that because it is in the air and will get into everything, and I mean everything, do not ever take a vehicle on the salt that you are not wanting to disassemble.

[@racerd9669]

@@ThisWeekWithCars YES I was afraid of that, what about getting an entry is that hard to do?

[@ZCHRL4]

good learning! Thanks!

[@dlhooper1]

Looks like a challenge.

[@edwardmulder3777]

Expected to see the Mini, what happened?

[@davidpayne4315]

It looks like a good time

[@jamesdearman814]

who knew a saab sonnet would go 125 mph?? how cool is that

[@mikefandango3343]

Loving it from the Uk

[@Entity_BlackRed777]

Never mind, it's almost the whole video!

[@erichaskell]

More please.

[@Mercmad]

I ran 23 Ford T roadster with 354 Hemi, on the salt in Australia.Great Fun, ! Was that the mini on Jay Lenos channel recently?

[@ThisWeekWithCars]

I doubt it, that car came from England for the race.

[@quickcat08]

Yes it is the mini from jay lennos. It came from Nelson in New Zealand. Not England

[@alexjenner1108]

Yes, that looks like the Project 64 Mini from New Zealand. The Bonneville records show the I/BFALT record as being held by Nelson Hartley, who is the brother of Brendon Hartley, the Le Mans winner and former Formula One driver. On the video at 4:03 it shows the month as August, 2016 which was the same month the NZ Mini set the record.

[@nlewandowski5828]

great video

[@bradscott5613]

Super Steve...

[@harshithsadhana7475]

hi old TOP GEAR UK they came to Bonneville salt flats drove from standing still.

[@ThisWeekWithCars]

They went on a weekend that allows street cars and no class rules. At SCTA speed record events all cars must have cages good for a couple hundred mph no matter how fast they go.

[@harshithsadhana7475]

@@ThisWeekWithCars they never had any roll cages in their street cars, i think the corvette did 160, caddy cts-v did 160, challenger did 150 mph. it was my intro to Bonneville salt flats.

[@alexjenner1108]

Quite a few cars are using a standing start, including a lot of (most?) electric racers and gas turbines. From the videos I've seen, it looks like Reg Cook did this during his first few years in the Nissan, which must have included his G/PRO record he set in 2011. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eHeunaqJj8yYn5I

[@Entity_BlackRed777]

Oooh, that rotary sound around at 4:10!!!

[@erikwestrheim804]

Nice.

[@mrearthshome1375]

That Green Car sounds like a dirt bike

[@wmcbarker4155]

I hear you

[@johnhalchishick7094]

I like your videos but would e better if you showed all these guys MPH

[@Andrew-hh3ol]

That thang sounds like a Honda cr125

[@dr.fragalot1076]

why do they push these cars to start? is it something with the gearing?

[@ThisWeekWithCars]

Yes with the gear the cars would be very slow off the line.

[@bextar6365]

Narrator speaks like a robot !

[@paulcarlos4415]

2stroke engine ?

[@reginalddentry7338]

Hey don’t wreck it my kid doesn’t know we borrowed his Mini Cooper

[@peterward8349]

Where was the Cooper S click bait

[@ThisWeekWithCars]

It is the first thing in the video and one of the thumbnails KZbin suggested from the video. Click bait is showing something not in the video or making you wait till the end.

[@davebb36]

You talk funny. Like a kid trying to act for the first time

[@madeleyinc]

Click bait crap.

[@mikehunt9894]

Explain? Your comment is that of a dumb spybot.