Bonneville 200 MPH Club History  - LINKS IN A CHAIN                         

 

 When the Dry Lakes racers of the SCTAfirst ventured to the Bonneville Salt Flats in 1949 they had no idea what theywere starting.  This pioneeringgroup of land speed racers laid the foundation for what has turned into one ofthe largest and certainly fastest motor sports events in the world.

 

Theoriginal idea for the formation of a club to recognize the accomplishments ofdrivers setting speed records over 200 mph on the Salt Flats was the brainchild of So-Cal Special driver Dean Batchelor and Hop Up magazine editor LouKimsey. The go ahead and support came from Hop Up magazine publisher Bill Quinnin 1953.

 

      The driversinducted that first year were:

1)   WillieYoung with the Kenz-Leslie Twin-Ford from 1950,’51 and ’52 at a fastest speedof 255.411 mph. Young was the first American to exceed 250 mph.

2)   ArtChrisman driving the Chet Herbert “Beast III” to 239.991 mph in 1952.

3)   GeorgeHill with the Hill-Davis “City of Burbank” at 230.16 mph in 1952.

4)  John“Sonny” Rogers ran 224.144 mph in Lee Chapel’s “Tornado Special” in 1952.

5) Otto Ryssman in the “Post Special” averaging 222.57 mphin 1952.

 

The firstmeeting of the 200 MPH Club was held in September at that year’s BonnevilleNationals. The five charter members voted at that time to include foreigndrivers who met the Club’s requirements. With this, three more names were addedto the exclusive membership:

1)   CaptainG.E.T. Eyston of England, a three time holder of the land speed record with afastest two-way average of 357.5 with his “Thunderbolt” streamliner in 1938.

2)   RudolphCaracciola, a Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix driver, setting an International Class“B” record at 268.9 in 1938:.

3)   Col.Goldie Gardner of England, holder of many records, with the MG “EX-135”streamliner at 204.3 in 1939.

 

Attendingthe Club’s banquet that first year (1953), Captain Eyston was elected theBonneville 200 MPH Club’s first President. During his remarks that evening, hepredicted that if the Land Speed Record was to be broken by an American, itwould fall to a hot rodder who gained his experience at the BonnevilleNationals.

 

 A review of the Club’s membership willfind some of the most famous names in motorsports. Internationally recognizeddrivers such as Art Arfons, Craig Breedlove,

Malcolmand Donald Campbell, Gary Gabelich, Don Garlits, Andy Granatelli, Andy Green,

DonaldHealy, Phil Hill, Bobby Isaac, Sir Stirling Moss, Sir Richard Noble, Mickey Thompsonand Bobby Unser have all raced on the salt.

 

The LandSpeed Racing form of motorsports is truly a family affair. The club has atradition of family members continuing on in the foot steps of those that wentbefore and gaining club membership for themselves. Brothers, fathers, sons,daughters, uncles, grandchildren, husbands and wives all share the exclusivityof the club. A look at the membership roster finds family names spanningseveral generations. The club can currently boast of 15 female members, provingthat land speed racing is not an exclusive ‘boys club’.

 

Theaddition of new classes, improved technology and changes in record settingformat over the years has increased the number of new members from an averageof five in the 60s to 26 per year in the first decade of this century.

 

But,still, the personal satisfaction that comes with joining these pioneers withmembership in a club that celebrates the history of our chosen sport cannot beduplicated. Many of our men and women members have raced for decades beforeachieving their goal of the certified record over 200 MPH necessary to receivewhat has become our club’s trademark – the Red Hat of the Bonneville 200 MPHClub.   By way of honoringdrivers gaining a 300+ mph record, a 300 MPH Chapter was formed with a Blue Hatto mark the accomplishment.

 

That is astrong chain of history going back over 60 years. The chain continues tostretch ahead with a link added with every new induction into the Bonneville200 MPH Club.

 

PatKinne/Dan Warner – 2010