Alfa Odyssey at Bonneville - Day #6

[DBesic@domain.elided]

8/17/99 

    The crew arrived early at impound for the second day in a row but their 
pace was much slower, having learned that being first in line is not 
advantageous.  Mike was suited up and Bonnie pushed to the starting line.  
Previous cars had compacted the salt nicely so we couldn't use that excuse 
again.  Here we go.....  At the end of the timed mile, Mike is clocked at 
144.413 mph @ 6600rpm.  Is it enough?  NO!!!!   The average of the qualifying 
run and the record run yields a speed just 4/10ths of a mph short of the 
record.  AAAAAHHH!!!  What happened?  The crew speculates it was a nasty 
headwind...  We learn that Bonneville does not give up its records easily.

    The car owner, Dick Kreines, learns that the connecting rods for the 
normally aspirated 1470 had not arrived at our hotel as promised.  A phone 
call to Carillo informs us that the rods were never shipped.  Dick informs 
Mr. Carillo where to put his rods.  If Mr. Carillo follows Dick's advice, Mr. 
Carillo may never walk again. The normally aspirated 1470 is abandoned.  We 
learn subsequently that a new record had been set in H/MS of 134 mph by a 
highly modified Spitfire.  A British car!!  How much more pain and abuse must 
we suffer? 

    The crew has a choice now...  Do they continue to chase the record in 
H/BMS with the blown 1470?  or do they pull the motor and run the blown 2.0 
litre in G/BMS?  The record for G/BMS is 211.714 - probably out of reach with 
the undersized blower and 3.08 gear we have.  They decide to go after H/BMS 
and try to make up the 4/10ths somehow.  The airdam opening is reduced to a 
mere slit and the car lowered slightly.  Craig Bielat is tapped to make the 
qualifying run.

    Our push car, Dick's venerable Milano Verde, is almost unrecognizable.  
The body is no longer red as it is completely crusted over with a layer of 
salt.  The interior is trashed with salt, empty cans and bottles. Besides 
pushing Bonnie all over the pits and staging lanes and return lanes, it 
carries refreshments, a fire extinguisher and tons of camera stuff.  Early on 
in the week, we learned that we could get more exit speed out of the traps if 
Bonnie was given a 30-35 mph push off the starting line.  After a dozen 
pushes, its getting tired.  All the paint has been scuffed off the front 
bumper.  By Friday, the Verde will be ready for the scrapyard.... and Dick 
still needs to drive it back to Chicago!  

No results yet on the afternoon/evening runs... I'll let you know.

Darren Besic

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