The last entry was during the thrash to complete the roadster late nites, weekends and oh yeah, a heat wave. Less than bitchin circumstances, but we got it done.

One week before we were scheduled to leave the 302 World small block Chev. showed up   from Billy Mitchell (Ronkonkoma N.Y.) motor all stacked up with injector, blower, intercooler and my cam driven, belt to pump fuel drive, E.C. (Ernie Ladner – Father in law) and I split to see my buddy John Beck, Pro Machine, Chico, CA for some Dyno Time. One full day on the Dyno and a number of pulls later we finally got it barking to the tune of 784 H.P. without full potential use of the intercooler. I think conservatively we could add another 50 H.P. in the equation once we ran the ice water thru the cooler. Motor Dyno’d and ready to stab in the car we headed back to O.C. finishing the 1000 plus mile trip. I must love to drive. By Sunday nite, the motor was in but the starter wouldn’t fit. Monday we went to M&L and Phil built me a high torque starter to fit. Back to the shop, bolt it in and lite her up. I’ll try to post some video/audio so you can hear it. I’ve heard many crazy engines but this thing sounds like a nitro motor, in one word VIOLENT.

Tuesday, try to focus on shop work and the sort out business before splitting to B-ville. Wednesday – load, of course I always forget stuff. Thursday morning, 4 am . E.C., Chopper Dave and myself head out. Once past Vegas we take the 93 to the 318 then the 6 into Wendover. Great drive, lots to see, wild horses, elk and dead badgers.

In Wendover we hook up with my ’06 crew from Ohio some of the B.S.M. boys. Josh Shaw and Mike Whitney along with Josh’s pop Dan. We had a few beers in the parking lot. Friday was kickin’ the pits and teching the car. Everything was looking good for a run on Saturday. After staging the car Saturday mornin’, went down to the drivers meeting, had the talk then we all got to drive down the course in our pit vehicles to check out conditions first hand. The course was beautiful. By about 2pm we got our 1st chance to make a pass. Now remember that B-ville is 5 miles to be timed in. When I hit the 2 ¼ I was at 198 mph on a 203 record and the car was pulling hard. We were on our way to a qualifying run. That’s when things went bad. Unfortunately during fueling with required fuel at the E.R.C. truck, the guy that taped the fuel cap to certify the tank mistakenly covered the vent. I didn’t catch it and the crew didn’t either. It was just an unintentional mistake with no one to blame. What that caused however, was a vapor lock in the system, the motor went lean and burned #4 real bad. Once again Robin ‘Silky’ Silk saved my ass. When we left on Thursday I left behind my only spare piston on my desk at the shop. Silk saw it when we left and he left the following day and thought Jimmy might need this, I’ll take it to him. If it wasn’t for Robins keen eye we would have been on the trailer, heads hung low and on our way back home. Thanks Silk.

Sunday, we tore the motor down, Chopper Dave used Muriatic Acid to burn the aluminum off the cylinder. We got some head gaskets from Mike and Gary Brauer. Molly rings from John Beck. The M.S.D. Distributor cap looked bad so Mike Cook announced over the radio that we needed a new cap. A local dude named John Hanson from Wendover took the cap off his Nova drag car and loaned it to us. Thanks John. By Sunday 6 pm we had it making noise again.

My wife Nikki and daughter Kayla flew in on Saturday, watched us burn it down, rebuild it Sunday but had to leave on Monday by 1pm. They hung out until 1:15pm when we got to run again. I’m glad they did because on that 203 record I pulled the chute at the 4 mile mark – qualified with a 208.081

Side note – At Bonneville to get a record you have to qualify over the existing record. Following day you run again, both times are averaged. If the average is higher than the existing record, you got it.

Couldn’t sleep Monday night, Tuesday morning the pressure was on. We prepped the car in impound then towed down to do the back up record runs. We were about 10 cars back, gusting cross winds starting at the 3 mile.  Suited up, got in the car, lit the candle and pushed off. All I had to do was make it thru the 4 with at least a 200 M.P.H. run. Traction for the first mile and a half was shit at best. Rolled into the throttle hard at about the 2 ½ , wind pushing the car high to the right of the track. Ran through the 4 at 6500 rpm’s just missing the flags, I knew we ran the number, pulled the chute, it set, the car snapped hard to the left, hard right then left again off the track at 204 M.P.H. straightened it out back on the course then off at the 5. What a ride!

This is about the time now when things get a little fuzzy. The relief of getting the job done, patching the car back together, all the hard work, anticipation, maybe some anxiety too. All factors coming together, all done, victory was mine. A life time goal accomplished. Needless to say tough guy here had a few tears in his eyes.

To get a land speed record at Bonneville in a open wheel model ‘A’ roadster with a blown V8 is by no means an easy thing to do. A lot of help from many sponsors and friends. I would really like to thank all the S.C.T.A. and B.N.I. people that make this possible, without countless hours of hard work, all voluntary as well. None of us would have this opportunity to race our vehicles in search of that holy grail of  hats, the 200 M.P.H. club red cap.

For a real story look for Chopper Dave’s article in an upcoming magazine, I’m not sure which mag but I’m guessing it won’t suck.

I would specially like to thank the following:
World Products, who have now supplied two bullet-proof motors that have run Bonneville. Others who have helped include: AutoMeter, John Beck Racing Engines, Nathan Bugg at BDS, B&M, Boss, Brauer & Sons Racing, BSM from Ohio, Callies, Chopper Dave’s Casting, Crane Cams, Crow Enterprises, G&J Aircraft & Competition, Fender Musical Instruments, Jesel, Ladner Trucking, Manley, Mooneyes USA, Moroso, MSD Ignition, Robin “Silky” Silk, SO-CAL Speed Shop, Specialized Powder Coating, Taylor Motorsports Products, Hustler clothing , and Total Seal Piston Rings. Also, thanks to the Falschlehner and Thacker families.