This is the history of minimums as far as I can remember.  In 1978 the Southern California Timing Association begancreating new classes for its rulebook. The newly created classes were accompanied with minimums for bothBonneville and El Mirage.  The 200MPH Club in turn honored those minimums set for Bonneville by the S.C.T.A.  

For example, in 1991 the S.C.T.A. decidedto separate the super charged engines from the naturally aspirated engines andnew gas classes where implemented for the classes that had only fuel classes atthe time.  The S.C.T.A. attachedminimums to these new classes for both Bonneville and El Mirage.  These new class minimums were treatedlike a record by the Bonneville 200 MPH Club and needed to be broken in orderto gain entrance.  In 1994 theS.C.T.A., for whatever reasons, decided to drop the minimums it had establishedfor Bonneville but they kept the minimums for El Mirage.  I can only assume that the reasonS.C.T.A. kept the minimums for the lakebed was that it did not want some one tocherry pick the point system.  When the S.C.T.A. dropped the minimums in 1994 the 2 Club board had to decidedwhether or not to keep minimums. The board decided that in order to maintainthe integrity of the club it would establish minimum for all the current andfuture open classes created by the S.C.T.A.  

To the best of  my knowledge this wasthe 2 club board in 1994 that made the decision to keep and establish minimumsfor new car and motorcycle classes. President: Gordon Hoyt (past S.C.T.A. & 200 MPH Club President, entered the club in 1979).  Vice President: Monte Wolfe (past S.C.T.A. & 200 MPH Club President, entered the club in 1972).  Board Members: Don Vesco (entered the club 1963) Fred Larsen (entered the club in1959); Don Cummins (entered the club in 1969); Bob Kehoe (entered the  club in1970); Roy Fjastad (past 200 MPH Club President, & current Board Member,entered the club in 1989); Larry Volk (past U.S.F.R.A. President, current SaveThe Salt Chairman and current 200 MPH Club President, entered the club in1975).  

As you can see, these are some of the most respected names in Land Speed Racing.  The boards’ goal inkeeping the minimums was to protect the integrity of existing 200 MPH Clubmembers that had sacrificed and worked hard to gain entrance into the 2 Club ona record or minimum that was established. The intent was not trying toundermine the hard work of the people who have tried hard to gain membershipinto the club.  I know because myson and I tried really hard to get him in the club for 18 years.  During that time, he easily went over200 MPH over 50 times (you see, 200 MPH, although impressive, was not a hugefeat for our car).  It was notuntil he made a two way average of 231.045--which was the first time an A/GR had ever gone that fast--that made it an accomplishment worthyof entrance into the Bonneville 200 MPH Club.  The Bonneville 200 MPH Club minimums and records areachievable, but not easy... which is what makes membership into the club aprestigious and honorable event and not a handout.

Sincerely,

Bonneville200 MPH Club President