1) Fossett's friends are still trying some things to find the crash site, see this Web site for an October 19

  update: www.stevefossett.com.    Charley Shaffer

  that the land speed racing community and the small town of Gerlach, Nevada warmly welcomed more than a

  dozen ThrustSSC team members from Great Britain back to the site of their 1997 supersonic land speed record. 

  In addition, Australian record holder Rosco McGlashan and 5-time record setting legend Craig Breedlove joined

  the festivities.  Richard Noble sent his regrets but he plans to visit Gerlach for a 25th anniversary celebration of

  the British holding the record on October 4, 2008 . . .if no one breaks it first.  McGlashan is planning to have

  Aussie Invader 5R, a rocket car, built in Las Vegas.  The planned venue for running the car is the Black Rock

  Desert, but Rosco had never before been there.  See www.aussieinvader.com.  The presence once again of two

  jet cars on the desert was a bonus.  On the morning of October 14, the Steve Fossett team drove into town with

  their jet car, which was purchased from Breedlove in September 2006.  This visit was only for team experience

  and publicity photographs, but it was a nice surprise.  Eric Ahlstrom, Program Manager & Chief Engineer,

  conducted a briefing to update us on the progress of their project.  Steve Fossett had funded the entire program

  out of his own pocket with a fully-paid crew.  With his unfortunate disappearance on September 3, Mrs. Fossett

  has given the team the go-ahead to continue the project for now, in order to give them a chance to find sponsorship

  and a new driver.  Ahlstrom reported several promising discussions, and the team hopes to be able to conduct

  some "low speed tests" (up to 600 mph) in southern California in Spring 2008.  He noted that although many

  changes and improvements had been made to the car since acquiring it from Breedlove, having a mostly-built

  vehicle saved them several years compared to what it would have taken them to start from scratch.  He did not

  go into great detail about the changes made to the car in the past year but here is an excerpt from their July 11,

  2007 press release: "Numerous changes have been implemented since the car's last runs in 1997, including

  a lengthened wheelbase and widened rear track to improve stability, this requiring major upgrades to

  the primary structures.  "To accommodate the higher speeds and aerodynamic stresses of 800+ mph,
  significant aero modifications have been made to the rear body and wheel fairings to reduce drag. The

  engine inlets have been re-designed to increase engine performance and safety, and the steering geometry

  has been modified to eliminate the roll and yaw instability which caused an accident in 1996. All-new

  systems for 2007 include supersonic-capable parachutes, electronic engine monitoring and controls plus

  revised suspension, electrical and pneumatic systems. Further improvements planned for 2008 include

  water injection, afterburner and nozzle modifications to increase supersonic thrust."  An August 13, 2007

  press release mentioned their "all-new parachute deployment and braking systems and data acquisition

  system."  Ahlstrom stated that the Black Rock Desert is not a preferred site for their team; they plan to use

  another dry lake bed in northern Nevada, which he declined to identify. However, it is known from a September

  4 Reno Gazette-Journal newspaper article that it is a 15-mile course in Eureka County, and the BLM permit

  process is indeed a public one.  Knowing that, most of you should be able to find it.  Should Nevada sites prove
  unworkable, the team has some other worldwide locations under consideration.  They have relocated a number

  of driver's controls inside the cockpit, putting many of them on the steering wheel, and that has made considerably

  more room for the driver.  See www.stevefossett.com.  The surface of the desert was much poorer than in 1997;

  the drought over at least the past two winters has robbed it of its usual smoothing water in the springtime.  The

  tracks locals use have worn into the playa several inches deep, and many small transient dunes have popped up

  all over.  The general character of the surface is not as smooth as it was ten years ago.  For these reasons, the

  North American Eagle test course was no longer than about six miles.  See
  http://www.nv.blm.gov/Winnemucca/recreation/Blackrock_advisory.htm.  Charley Shaffer, Seattle

  see you soon in person some way...I know it is a Tall Order to give tribute to the man...Especially when

  the whole world expects it...Keep me posted...I will never forget when I turned out after an aborted run

  and your father rolled over to me, opened my door to see if I was all right at BVille...What a surprise....

  He offered me a soft drink too...I will never forget that.....Bobby Sykes Jr

5) A media preview for new exhibit honoring the 70th Anniversary of the Southern California Timing Association
  (SCTA) exhibit. Presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California, the exhibit is a retrospective on the
  organization formed in November 1937. The SCTA held its first race in 1938 and has been sanctioning races at
  El Mirage dry lakes and at the Bonneville Salt Flats ever since. The exhibit will comprise a number of milestone
  land speed racing vehicles, including Stuart Hilborn’s Ford-powered streamliner—the first hot rod to go 150
  mph; Mickey Thompson’s 4-engined Challenger, the first American car to go 400 mph, Al Teague’s Spirit of
  ’76, the first single-engined, wheel-driven car to go 400 mph; Kugel & LeFever’s Pontiac Firebird, the first
  stock-bodied passenger vehicle to exceed the 300 mph barrier; and the Toyota Prius Greensport hybrid which
  went 130.74 mph at Bonneville in 2004. In addition to all the high-speed exotic speed machines, the exhibit will
  include rarely seen memorabilia from the private collection of the late Wally Parks and other landspeed racers,
  including minutes from the first SCTA meetings, early programs, photographs, clothing and other SCTA-branded
  artifacts.  Media preview 1-1:30 pm; public opening 3 pm.  Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, presented
  by the Auto Club of Southern California, 1101 W. McKinley, Bldg. 3A at the L.A. County Fairplex in Pomona,
  California. The Museum’s monthly Prolong® Twilight Cruise Night program is on tap that evening.  Admission
  to the Museum is free during the Cruise, which runs from 4-8 p.m.  Hundreds of street rods, muscle cars and
  hot rods fill the Museum’s parking lot for this event. A true family-fun, So-Cal treat.  Video/Photo Opps: Past
  and present SCTA members including Alex Xydias, Pete Chapouris and Jimmy Shine of the SO-CAL Speed
  Shop; Dick McClung, who raced at El Mirage in 1946, past SCTA president Mike Cook of Thunder Motorsports;
  current SCTA president Jim Lattin; and racers Al Teague and Jerry Kugel.  Media Contact:  Bill Groak, PCG
  Campbell 310/224-4940; onsite cell: 310/849-3676, bgroak@pcgcampbell.com.  (from Bill Groak)

6) We originally had a date of October 20, at Perris.  An outlaw show came into town and took that date,

  so we had to cancel for 2007.  We hope all will be ok for 2008, watch the web site for updates.   Don

  Weaver    Readers: The email from Don Weaver refers to his Legends of Ascot Reunion that he puts on every

  year after the end of the racing season at Perris Automotive Speedway, or the PAS.  A great dirt track out in

  Perris.  While his event is not geared towards landspeed racing, it attracts some 700 racers from around the

  country and about 100 of them have raced at the dry lakes or Bonneville.  It is a great place to see people that

  you might only see once a year or less.

7) How are you and your many projects. We have been busy as we have been correcting the suspension

  problems... new leaf springs (good guys hard to find), - shocks- etc.  It is always work in progress and we

  are trying to keep the car as Max intended. We will be at Monterey Historic Races with the car- Old Yeller

  II and last year was outstanding as it won the Rolex Phil Hill Monterey Cup as the top Award. Rolex Watch

  Company is sending the OYII to Connecticut to the Rolex Vintage Festival at Lime Rock Raceway over

  Labor Day weekend.  Question: During the late 1940s into early 1950s... what kind of timing system was

  used at the Dry Lakes- Muroc- etc. Can you describe ...timers- and the distance to get to speed and etc

  etc- thanks Ernie Nagamatsu, http://oldyeller2.com/, ETNracer@aol.com.     Readers: If any of you can

  answer Ernie's question, please cc us as you respond to him.  Ernie and Elaine Nagamatsu bought one of Max

  Balchowsky's Ol' Yellers, a hot rodders attempt to compete with the fancy European Sports cars that road racers

  were using in the 50's and 60's.  Max's creations were referred to as Junkyard Dogs with Bite and they gave the

  sports cars of the day all they could handle.
8) California Racers listen up!!  The fellow that spent all day recording you all on video has edited several

  hours of film down to little over an hour of all the sights and sounds, all the presentations, talks and friends

  visiting with one another.  He has it available for us at a low price and you can call him direct to order, or

  send your check or money order for 20$ made payable to Ad Lib Productions, 1220 Greenfield Dr, El

  Cajon, Ca  92021, Ph 619-442-5640.  I believe we will all be happy to have and keep these to go over and

  reminisce again with the wonderful time we all had May 7th at Joe's Garage.  I had a great time seeing

  that you were all happy and having such fun visiting with old friends.  Sincerely, with big hugs to all.  It

  is on a DVD disc and he is paying the shipping and handling, wheeee!   Hila Sweet     Readers: Hila Sweet

  is the owner and promoter of the California Racers Reunion and she encourages all racers from all types of racing

  to come to her reunion. 

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Members: Jonathan Amo, Brett Arena, Henry Astor, Glen Barrett, Lee Blaisdell, Warren Bullis, Gary Carmichael,

G. Thatcher Darwin, Jack Dolan, Ugo Fadini, Robert Falcon, Rich Fox, Glenn Freudenberger, Don Garlits, Bruce

Geisler, Stan Goldstein, Andy Granatelli, Walt James, Wendy Jeffries, Mike Kelly, Mary Ann and Jack Lawford,

Fred Lobello, Dick Martin, Ron Martinez, Tom McIntyre, Don McMeekin, Tom Medley, Jim Miller, Don

Montgomery, Mark Morton, Louise Ann Noeth, David Parks, Richard Parks, Wally Parks (in memoriam), Eric

Rickman, Willard Ritchie, Roger Rohrdanz, Evelyn Roth, Ed Safarik, Frank Salzberg, Charles Shaffer, Mike

Stanton, David Steele, Doug Stokes, Bob Storck, Pat Swanson, Al Teague, JD Tone and Jack Underwood.