The Bonneville Salt Flats is the Mecca for Land Speed Racing. Team Swampwitch powered by a Cummins Diesel, went to Bonneville this year attempting to break the record in the 239 cubic inch Diesel Streamliner class and perhaps the 200 mph mark. This feat would put owner/driver Eric McClain into the 200 MPH club a special chapter of land speed racers.
The week started with some challenges for the Team traveling from Tacoma, Washington. They had two flat tires and after a stop at Les Schwab Tire Co., and a night stay in Boise Idaho, they finally made it to the World famous Salt Flats in Wendover, Utah. The first pass McClain said "something is wrong! We have no power and the engine is missing". That run only toped 119 mph leading some of the crew and Paulson's Complete Auto repair teammates to believe the new water injection system could be cause for some of the power plant problems. However after a second run at 123 mph it was then pinpointed to be a fuel problem. The Team was puzzled but confident that the H&H Diesel built fuel pump would be a large part of helping them meet their goal this year. After identifying this problem and finding its culprit; a banjo fitting limiting the fuel supply, the team ran a qualifying run at 164.057 MPH breaking the current record. On the backup run the following morning the Swampwitch locked in the new world record by running 165.628MPH setting the record at 164.842MPH. This fourth run was bitter sweet as Team Swampwitch was excited to push the record up but unfortunately they had overheated and broke some critical components for which they didn’t have backup parts.
The week ended early but we feel accomplished said Crew Chief Dean Conway as we improved from the prior year. This is only the second year for which the team has been racing a 4BT Cummins engine and the streamliner class. Bonneville Salt Flats Speed week 2010 ends tomorrow Friday August 20th. For more details you can visit SCTA-BNI.
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