New Uk Pendine Sands event

[Reverend Hedgash]

Our fellow Canberra bomber UK bellytank constructor passed this event on to me which I though cool enough to show here:

http://www.vhra.co.uk/VHRA/Pendine_Sands.html

reverend Hedgash

[Milwaukee Midget]

This is great news - Thanks, Dik.

You have to admire the simplicity of the classifications.

A curiosity, though - the announcement indicates racing ended there in '27, although Eyston set a record there in August of '32?

Either way, a very historically significant LSR venue resurrection.

[Stan Back]

Great video!

I've often wondered how some of them went so fast with those oval wheels and tires that some seemed to prefer.

[kiwi belly tank]

Yeah, that "is" cool. Another old venue back on the map.

A question for the Kiwi's, whats the story with 90 Mile Beach?
It had been run way back, is it usable??
 Sid.

[Jack Gifford]

... I've often wondered how some of them went so fast with those oval wheels and tires...

Just thinkin' out loud... didn't some cameras have a "slit" shutter that moved vertically across the frame? Perhaps that could create the "forward lean" seen often in photos of fast-moving vehicles? (Or 'backward lean' if the slit moved top-to-bottom)? [Talking only about "still" photos]

[Malcolm UK]

A curiosity, though - the announcement indicates racing ended there in '27, although Eyston set a record there in August of '32?

And I thought I had organised the beach course at Pendine for Don Wales (Bluebird Electric) to succesfully set speed records in 1998 and 2000 - was it all a dream?.

Perhaps the VHRA only consider outright World Record attempts because the Brits did move from Pendine to other locations in the late 20's, which included Daytona Ormond Beach and of course Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah.

Malcolm, Derby.

[Reverend Hedgash]

And I thought I had organised the beach course at Pendine for Don Wales (Bluebird Electric) to succesfully set speed records in 1998 and 2000 - was it all a dream?.

I could well imagine it was a nightmare...

[Malcolm UK]

A nightmare ....

was when the night tide left the beach 'rutted' then we had to put off running until the tide had been in and out once more.

On one occassion we had a reasonable sand surface but sea fog came across the fastest part of the course. Don had to wait to make his return pass and even when it was just inside the hour he had to use all of the Campbell lineage b***ls of steel to set off in fog from the western end, accepting that as the course team we had called it as 'good to go' for the fastest timed section. Got the record that day.

The other nightmare is that someone had a camera when we celebrated through the evening in the Beach Hotel! 

I do remember seeing the sun come over the horizon in the morning, whilst still holding and drinking from a pint of real ale on the sea front outside the public house.  A colleague made it to breakfast to order a "full fry up with a bucket please" - the waitress was not amused.

I hope the VHRA get a good safe meeting.

Malcolm, Derby   

[VHRA]

Hello all, found this thread via the links on the VHRA stats page, thanks for your kind words.

We are aware of other stuff that has gone on at Pendine Sands and have in fact been in touch with Jon Williets of the Bluebird Electric team for a little help and advise. It's the story of Campbell and Parry Thomas makes such a dramatic impact as they were going for the all out records and as far as I'm aware 1927 was the last year that happened at Pendine. That and we wanted to capture an air of that nostalgia when promoting the event to our members.

The classes are very simple, but so are we and our cars! We've set up a little system that makes for a multitude of classes that people can build towards if we're lucky enough to make this an ongoing event. We're taking a few cues from the pioneers of dry lakes racing in California and hopefully giving it a new lease of life here in the UK all these years later.

[Reverend Hedgash]

Hello and welcome, er .. Mr VHRA.

I am definately planning to come and have a look this September. If the event continues and the timing is right for us it  would be amazing to take our Australian bellytank there to have a run somehow. To do the big three, Lake Gairdner, Bonneville and Pendine Sands would be an imeasurably complete a hatrick. As Rogers and Hammerstein say, "You have to have a dream to have a dream come true."

That is something you are offering the world to achieve with this event so thanks very much!

Dik

[VHRA]

No pressure then!

[Milwaukee Midget]

To do the big three, Lake Gairdner, Bonneville and Pendine Sands would be an imeasurably complete a hatrick.

An opportunity for class records on three continents? - Darned right, Dik.

Don't think for one nanosecond I haven't thought about taking the MG home for a "visit".

[Reverend Hedgash]

You'd be welcome to stay here MM, we have a spare room in the Midlands. The MG could nestle up to the Morrie and  we could all talk of bigger things.


And to you VHRA no pressure at all. Just organising it will be enough and have like minded people and cars in the one spot. Hopefully mother nature will come to the party to but if not then the pub at the end of the beach serves a good roast.

Dik

[Malcolm UK]

To my knowledge, apart from the blind driving record attempts, the last planned outright World Record attempt was to have been made by the motorcycle team - Maximum Impulse, with the rocket powered Gillette Mach3 Challenger - led by Richard Brown.  This was to have been in 1997/1998.  After a series of tests and attempted trials the team had to go elsewhere and indeed ended up running on the Bonneville salt flats.

Malcolm, Team Administrator, Gillette Mach3 Challenge by Team Maximum Impulse.