MAY EL MIRAGE RACE REPORT


 


What a great weekend!  Beautiful sunny weather with a little afternoon breeze and mild temperatures. 


This was a two day SCTA meet and El Mirage Annual Cleanup Days all packed into one weekend. SCTA had 


arranged for its members to pick up trash and do other projects on Friday so that we could fulfill 


our obligation and not interfere with our racing on Saturday and Sunday. SCTA had a pretty good turn-


out for Friday's cleanup. Most of us decided our efforts were best spent cleaning up areas where the 


off-roaders camp out. Ed Safarik and I teamed up and picked up half a pick-up load of trash and dis-


carded junk just out of one large camping area. I only saw one snake while reaching in the brush to 


retrieve trash. Those bushes were rough enough on our old skin as we were both oozing blood by the 


time we finished.


 


Late Friday morning and were off to get inspected and do some car inspections. I was on the lakebed 


at 0745 to drop off the trailer and unload the truck and equipment so that I could do the cleanup at 


9 AM. I met with our electrical contractor at noon to look over our (SCTA) property development project.


Back to the inspection line. Co driver Steve Toller and I got our gear inspected and new helmet stickers 


for '06 and then got the truck inspected. Its now 3:30 and I'm a half hour late to the property meeting 


I had set up. Sorry about that. Back to the inspection area and push the truck back to the pits. After 


a little prep work on the truck it was course walk time. Did I mention the afternoon breeze? Our club 


does the "back door" to the finish line and that breeze is now at 22 MPH and we are really leaning into


it. I would like to have that much "EL Mirage horse power" on a pass down the course sometime. after 


the course walk it was off to town for a body cleanup and some grub.


 


Saturday morning we're on the lake bed early to get all that iron warmed up and get the truck in line. 


Its Steve's turn to drive. An absolutely gorgeous morning, about 50 degrees with a little tail wind and 


course conditions that were perfect. When Mother Nature does it right there is nothing better and this 


was one of those times. Good news is it should be great all season so dust off that hot rod and get it 


out here. Steve missed the record by only six-tenths. Might even be a new nick name. By the time 132 


entries had run it was 4PM and time to move the course in preparation for Sunday and walk the new course. 


Same deal as Friday afternoon except that breeze might have dropped a tad. Off to town for a little more 


hygiene and dinner with friends.


 


Sunday morning was about the same as Saturday, as close to perfect as one can have it. My turn down the 


course. Not an ounce of tail wind and I was worried. We've been knocking at the door for a record for 2 


years. The truck ran good but the tach looked a bit short of the mark. Steve was in the push truck and 


when he got to me at the end of the run he informed me of the "bad news" as he put it. "We have to go 


to impound."  We just squeezed in there with a 155.240. I owe a lot to my family and all my friends who


have struggled along with me on this quest to get in the record books. Sunday's racing finished after 


the third round (second for the day) right at 2 PM. The course was so good there were only 2 spins and 


no accidents for the meet. A total of 24 cars and bikes set records. A big thanks to all the volunteers 


who set up the courses, do the course prep, do course walk, inspect vehicles, do patrols and time the 


vehicles. Without all this help from involved people there could not be land speed racing. We also remember


and thank our military personnel who maintain our freedom allowing activities like our sport. I hope to


see you all out here for the June Meet.


 


Jim Dunn


 


PS Pictures and results on the web at SCTA-BNI.ORG