Issue No. 13 April 1998
Issue No. 13 April 1998
View at the start line shows Mike Davidson, Rod H adfield and motorcycle waiting to make a pass on Wednesday morning.
Well, once again the dead calm and silence of the best salt lake In the world has been interrupted by the sounds or the internal combustion engine. The place; Lake Gairdner, South Australia, the event: the 1998 Dry Lakes Racers of Australia speed week. Approximately 30 drivers paid their entry to run the course which was in as good 1 condition as it has ever been for the last six years. Most will know that the 1997 event didn't happen because of unseasonal weather conditions which saw rain dropped on the lake and cost Australia's Rosco McGlashan the chance to be the first to break the round barrier.
The first members arrived on Saturday, unlocked and connected up the essentials at the newly required campsite on the Lakes edge, bought by DLRA members from Rosco McGlashan. Some Castlemaine members left Saturday morning taking In the Drag meeting in Adelaide that night then continuing on to Lake Gairdner on Sunday morning, The course location was chosen and a specially made pull was dragged the full three miles of the course to make it 100% flat under perfect skies.
Monday saw scrutinering underway, the track markers placed along each side and the timing caravan and equipment positioned and checked with a few passes being put down by early arrivers, by Monday night most crews had arrived.
Tuesday dawned very hot and the scrutinering continued, the press and spectators had arrived and licensing passes were put down by new drivers. All was ready for a great days racing on Wednesday, even though some crews had experienced troubles, Mark Hadfield breaking a gearbox In his Mustang John Lynch breaking suspension components and a Hemi powered T model breaking it's Auto (something you don't run at the salt).
The NSW crew, headed up by Bob Bowman, made many passes in the 150 mph range after completing licencing passes.
Wednesday arrived and all could tell that records would tumble, the air was cool no wind and light cloud cover. Ray Charlton In his`32 Roadster upped his best speed, his son, Stephen in his XB sedan also put in his best pass ever, then the staggering pass by Mike Davidson in his side valve T model running 176 mph, with nitrous assist, this caused great excitement at the start line as the speed was announced over the radio. Rod Hadfield who had put down a couple of good passes the day before put everything into his first run and pushed the'53 Studebaker into the 200mph club with what turned out to he the fastest speed of the meeting before blowing the head gasket on the CRS rodent rotor as he crossed the finish line. Mike Davidson then decided to run again without the nitrous and still ran 165 rnph, don't ever say side valves can't go with the right attention. John Lynch's bad luck continued as he screwed the tailshaft out of his bellytank on a warm up run after the parachute accidentally deployed during a test run earlier in the day, Also experiencing more bad luck was "Lucky" Keiser with his streamliner bike powered by two cylinders cut from a Roils Royce Merlin. Mark Hadfield returned from Adelaide with another gearbox as brother Rod pulled the Rodent engine apart to find he had the wrong head gaskets forcing him to pack and head for home.
Thursday saw more bad luck for the Lynch mob with a split water tank after replacing the tailshaft. The wind began to blow early allowing only a few cars to make passes, the stewards then closed the track and most crews decided to pack although the wind died down later in the day.
There were many passes put down over the meeting and it was great to see the Sydney crew in the Bob Bowman built car, Kevin Saville couldn't get the new combination to perform like the old ones, but much was learned this year, many people contributed to the events success, especially Andy Jenkins, Leigh Fielder, Wayne O'Grady to mention just a few.
Dick Williams from U.S.A, is In Australia at the present time arranging for another U.S. tour next year and says he has 10 cars lined up including world Record holder Al Teague, The Summers Brothers famous Golden Rod, and the beautiful '34 Roadster of Chuck Salmon's, Three New Zealanders have also got their names down including Richard Hollywood with his vary fast XP Falcon and drag racer Garth Hogan, so do yourself a favor and keep next March free for the 1999 Lake Gairdner Speed Trials, you will never experience anything like it.
Kevin Saville's blown six cylinder Holden powered bucket is a 180 mph performer on the salt.
Story : Rod Hadfield
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