Speed Test at Ohakea
On the weekend of 7–8 June, kiwi speed pioneer Bill Ward was at Base Ohakea with his team to test out their racing vehicle before they take it to Bonneville Salt Flats in USA in August this year.
Bill Ward. (0H-08-0372-01).
The team prepped the vehicle in the Ohakea Fire Flight hangar before venturing out onto the runway.
With support from Ohakea Operations and Fire Flight personnel they successfully conducted a couple of test runs. However on the final run the vehicle spun and left the runway part way down. The vehicle was only slightly damaged (an easy fix according to Bill’s crew) and Bill was unharmed. Ohakea fire crew are pictured retrieving him from the vehicle (such things are apparently par for the course in the speed record business).
Overall they were very happy with the test runs and were able to iron out their operation. The team was also delighted to have the opportunity to use the runway and receive support from Base personnel. They are on track for their bid in August to bring home a world record in their selected class.
Bill Ward was the first Kiwi to race a car at Bonneville. He consistently shattered world speed records between 1979 and 1984, but was unable to claim the records due to technical difficulties. Since then it has been his dream to return to the salt and bring home an official record. He will be campaigning another car at the 60th anniversary of Bonneville Speed Week in 2008 and over 200 Kiwis will be there to support him. A supporters club is active and this site documents the team’s progress.
The Kiwi-A-Salt racing car and crew during testing at Base Ohakea. (0H-08-0372-17).
This car is quite a radical one, being designed to fit into a relatively new class. Bill is determined that this new car will come back home with an official world record in its XF/BRMR class. The car is a Blown Flathead Ford rear engine modified roadster. It's height to the top of the roll cage will be about 28 inches (700mm), with a wheel base of 184 inches (4.67 metres.) Bill will be in a reclining position in front of the fibreglass 1927 Ford Roadster body. The engine and all mechanicals will be under the body. Long and low is the theory and down force will be controlled with a negative venturi belly pan. Although this is a relatively new class, already at this year’s event some entrants have run at over 184 miles per hour (286 kph). The Kiwi-A-Salt team have their sights set on over 200mph.
More info at: http://www.kiwiasalt.blogspot.com/.