Kinda OTSpeed record attempt at Mojave Fri

[Race5]

If anyone is out at Mojave on Fri, the BAR Honda F1 car team will be making speed runs on the 10000ft runway. They were planning to attempt a class record of 400kmh at Bonneville, but the weather has the flats flooded. They have decided to try at Mojave instead. The first runs are scheduled for Friday Nov 4th.

[Low-n-Slow]

Re: Kinda OTSpeed record attempt at Mojave Fri

Hmm... interesting. Fi cars are not exactly the last word in low drag coefficients (higher priorities in play, like mungo aerodynamic downforce and FAT gumball tires for cornering and gobs of cooling). any serious attempt would require an almost complete new body (no/vestigial wings, splitters, diverters, diffusers, batter boards, non suction undertray, optimized for speed intakes, revised ducting, ...), a hard, skinny wheel/tire combo and vastly revised suspension settings. But hey, unlike unlimited aircraft, FI teams DO have a vast quantity of cubic $$ to throw at go faster solutions to any problem.

We can only dream.

cheers
Low

[Race5]

Re: Kinda OTSpeed record attempt at Mojave Fri

From what I have read on it, they are going to try to do it in regular race trim. They are going to set the wings to 0 and change gearing. The only major change will be to part of the rear wing to fit the parachute required by the land speed record organization.

[Nemesis]

Re: Kinda OTSpeed record attempt at Mojave Fri

We took Nemesis down to the BAR Honda hangar this afternoon, REALLY COOOL. We got to tour the setup, WOW! We can't wait to hear it go 19,000 RPM WOW! We offered to race for pinks, but we couldn't settle on a course....
Cheers,
Jon

[Race5]

Re: Kinda OTSpeed record attempt at Mojave Fri

Ok, so tiny V-10, 750hp give or take, weighs nothing, oh wait 19k RPM. I don't think the needed gear reduction would fit in the cowling... Here is the teams website about the attempt. http://www.bonneville400.com/flash/default.aspx

[Fence Sence]

Re: Kinda OTSpeed record attempt at Mojave Fri

I wonder why they didn't try the Black Rock Desert. It's really the best place. I think it is the largest flat spot in North America. Well, now that I think about it, it is probably the logistics of getting a base camp out there. When the landspeed trials were out there, both teams were on the playa for over a month. I was out there the day Breedlove tipped it over at 600+. Yikes! That was the last time they let spectators out on the measured mile.

[Fence Sence]

Re: Kinda OTSpeed record attempt at Mojave Fri

After looking at their site, I don't see why not Black Rock. If Mohave is just a run up and Boneville is under water, Black Rock is perfect. Get out of the salt boys and come to Nevada.

[Race5]

Re: Kinda OTSpeed record attempt at Mojave Fri

It is my understanding that Blackrock has deterorated since thet Thrust / SOA trials. I know the American team that wants to use the F-104 based car looked at it, and said the surface has developed alot of rolling bumps almost like whoops. I don't know if the surface would be smooth enough for the F1 car. Definately worth a look though!

[Nemesis]

Re: Kinda OTSpeed record attempt at Mojave Fri

So Far today the F-1 team has done 5 runs, WOW! They go back and forth on runway 12/30 10,000 feet long. They're really screaming, but I think we could take em....They won't go as fast across the desert...Oops there they go again, gotta go listen! They're having way to much fun!

[Peashooter]

Re: Kinda OTSpeed record attempt at Mojave Fri

Are they running Michelins?

[AirDOGGe]

Re: Kinda OTSpeed record attempt at Mojave Fri

Looks like a lot of fun getting there, and next to a healthy Merlin Mouse Motor there's no engine as mechanically sweet sounding as a V-8/10/12 screaming at 14,000+ rpm

Hmmmmm...If they put some driver-ajustable wing incidence controls in the cockpit, then they could also try for the world record "time to climb" altitude record for automobiles too (spoken tongue-in-cheek of course).

If they did so then that parachute would REALLY come in handy on the recovery!

[Bill@Interstell]

Re: Kinda OTSpeed record attempt at Mojave Fri

It is my understanding that Blackrock has deterorated since thet Thrust / SOA trials. Definately worth a look though!

Black rock gets a lot of traffic these days. Almost every car commercial you see these days is shot at black rock. How many cars are spinning brodies out there? They also have the burning man festival out there every year, which I understand is a pretty big event.

It can flood too. I went out in March one year and found the biggest shallowest lake I've ever seen (Lake Lahonton returns), but then that's how it gets smoothed out again.

[MustangFan]

Re: Kinda OTSpeed record attempt at Mojave Fri

Anyone have any information on how fast they ran yesterday? Thanks in advance.

[Air Race Addict]

Re: Kinda OTSpeed record attempt at Mojave Fri

Anyone have any information on how fast they ran yesterday? Thanks in advance.

NOTHING NEW ON THE WEBSITE AS OF 1020 PST 11-05-05.
Bill

[Nemesis]

Re: Kinda OTSpeed record attempt at Mojave Fri

Hi
The report was they went 260+ MPH, on "donut man" tires.... We were right outside the hanger on the last run of the day. Wow what a rush!!!Unfortunately on the last run of the day the drag chute deployed about 200 yards out of the hanger. Sad. Car stayed straight, and spun the tires abit before he stopped. Another report from the CHP, had a radar gun on the guy as he was departing the hangar, at about 100-150 yards out he was clocked at 160+ MPH each time he blasted off. I think the CHP was going to write 'em up, for a mantle piece... I still think we can take him, espeacially on the turns out in the desert....They had no down force wings on the back, but a rudder that was coupled to the steering. It was about half the size of the NXT rudder. Everything has been packed up, and it is reported they are heading to Pocono. Soounds like they had fun, even in the 50 MPH crosswinds...They had WAAAAAY to much fun!
Jon