I rode over to the Flats about 8:30 this morning, since the racing didn't start today until 10:00. The weather was clear and while the temperatures must have gotten only into the low 90's, the sun was bright and there was lots to see.
Spectators are allowed to wander the pit area as much as they want and most of the teams are really willing to talk to you about their cars. Some of these are really cool. The actual track (which actually consists of four "courses" about 10 miles long, running parallel with one another) are a good half mile to the south of the pit area, and spectators aren't allowed over there, for obvious reasons. So, getting good pictures of the cars roaring down the course is almost impossible.
I did see the first car below roaring by at 365 mph on the nearest course to the pit area. It's also the world record-holder for a single-engine piston-powered car (430 mph last year). It just looks fast:
The pit crew was stripping down the engine when I walked by.
This car is from Titusville, PA, near where we live:
Back in the days right after WWII, when racing began in the desert of Southern California, one of the more common forms of race cars were built from war-surplus aircraft drop tanks. This one was competing today:
I thought this one was interesting. I got to talk to the owner and driver. It's a motorcycle side-car racer powered by a 500cc motorcycle engine. It's the record-holder in its class at about 135 mph. The driver sits almost prone in the cockpit and the handle bars are down around his seat:
Here are few more of the interesting cars I saw today:
This one actually runs:
And then there was some old Geezer taking a break in a golf cart:
Anyway, it's back to the Flats tomorrow for more Racin'!
Miles today: 151. Total: 4,071.
