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Show i t y t SALT FLAT NEWS, MAY, 1975 By Richard Nfenzies ; As if the perennial problems of erosion and vanishing salt werent enough, the problem of vanishing funds was recently added to the growing list of issues clouding the future of Speed Week on the Bonneville Salt Flats. Because s of a statewide money shortage, the racetrack will not be prepared this year, as in the past, from funds provided by the Utah State Highway Department and the Utah Parks and Recreation Department. world-famou- . Governor Calvin Hampton made the announcement last month that the state could not highly dangerous run that requires a salt surface worthy of come up with the necessary seven hundred miles per hour, $30,000, and like a hot potato, twice the speed of last years " the project was dropped square. fastest cars. One question raised during ly into the laps of the citizens of Tooele County and Wendover. .the meeting was that of the On April 10th, a handful of actual publicity value , of the Wendoverites, Tooele County Bonneville raceway.' While it was commissioners, and various acknowledged that you cant agency and department heads measure the publicity value in got together in Wendovers town dollars and cents, it was tacity hall to consider alternatives. The conceded that if one could, the upshot of the meeting was that town of Wendover would be due although some money can be approximately two emits. While can identify turned up from other sources, most the race track users themselves the Great Salt Flats with Utah, should at least have an opporvery few seem able to make the Wendover or the Tooele County tunity to help pay. Vernon Roblyer, who for the connection. The world at large, past fourteen yean has super--' it was noted, has a vague Impresvised race track preparations, sion of the Salt Hats being said the job entails lots of very somewhere in the vicinity of Salt Lake City. .. slow speed grading and semiring, Wendover representatives also . twelve hours a day, seven days a week. Mr. Roblyer added that complained that, as it stands, the driving three miles an hour all true dollar value of Speed Week day on the worlds fastest race doesnt amount to very much either. Falling on the latter part track is ah awful tedious job. of August, the week coincides cost Last year the project . : out-of-state- rs . $26,035, but with operating . costs and wages on the increase, the price would almost certainly be higher this summer.,: Other factors that could add to the cost are the weather and the, ABC television network, since the Wide World of Sports d has plans to film racing on the salt this year. That means two track surfaces instead of one must be leveled. In add!- -' tion, an assault on the world land speed record is. planned, a head-to-hea- with the peak of the tourist season, and with or without visiting drivers and mechanics and their families, the motels and casinos are pretty much jammed. It was agreed, however, that if the week could be moved to September, it would be a different matter. V, While the long term problems related to the raceway are many, the conferees concerned themselves mainly with the immediate issue of raising enough . . Wendover ponder the future money for this years event. Gerald Hillier of the BLM said user fees could probably be increased, but because of the nature of federal funding, thein-crease- d revenues wouldnt be available until next year. Various emergency funds were considered, plus the aforementioned ' option of BonneviBe: Like a hot potato in the lap. of passing" the potato along to .the racers themselves. No hot rod personnel being present, a second meeting was set for mid May .with heads of the Southern California Timing Association and possibly the United States Auto Club. Another hope was that the Gerald Hillier, District Manager, Federal Bureau Land jo f Management: I Yes, think it is worth saving. I think it draws quite a few people into town, but whether it draws enough to offset what it costs to maintain it, I dont know. But I think its worth it: Its the only thing like it in the United States, and; virtually in the world. with these businesses hereBut in my estimation, its just a big mess, the hot rod people. Weve already got more people in town than theyve got room for. The people they make their money on is the ones that come after the first of September the big cars and the guys that is around here awhile in them big cars. When the .town isnt full, why, they make some money off of them. ' - . -- -- ' THE SALT FLAT NEWS is published twelve times a year by' the Salt Flats Publishing Corporation, Jim Smith, President Editor: Richard Menzies T Richard Goldberger Artist: Richard Holdaway Reporter-At-Larg- ' Everett De La Mare, Tooele County Commissioner (not pictured): We feel it is. We'd like to change the date, (for' Speed ' Week), but well probably have to do it when theyre scheduled now. But we feel we should charge the users. Ray V. Petersen, Wendover citizen and longtime race watcher: I think its good advertising for the state as a whole, but as far as the town of Wendover is concerned, it doesnt make no difference. Because 'it comes at the peak of the tourist season anyway. It overcrowds the business houses at that particular time, so its hard for !em to handle it sftisr Bwr 6 chain-smokin- - Antelope Island. Yean ago, it seemed the annual pilgrimage of race can and race; car driven to Utah's Great Salt Flats was a permanent institution, Uke Christmas. Yet toddy ; the future of the world famous racetrack is in doubt If the track is to be saved, much of the saving will probably have to be done by the racetrack's nearest neighbors, the citizens of Wendover. So at the Conclusion of a town meeting oh the subject, we asked the golden question: "Do you think the Bonneville Raceway is worth saving?" and race track contractor: I couldnt answer that at all, because I have nothing to do At a grand opening ceremony held April 26th, Chief Rolling Mountain Thunder opened the doors of his Thunder Mountain Museum to the curious, including the Pershing County Clumber of Commerce. A tireless builder, sculptor, g Creek Indian, from and philosopher, the Oklahoma has carved out of the wilderness an unusual niche, using materials at hand plus an astronomical amount of cement. Luncheon guests at the .affair toured the grounds and examined ornate, rambling sculptures that the Chief says finished. And when it is finally ate only about 38 finished, what will it be? Well, more than meets the eyes, explains Chief Thunder, beginning on page four. rather, underwater road, to D Vem Roblyer, Wendover citizen ON THE COYER: governor would go to the legisla- ture and ask for extra funds. And, as the meeting was letting out, at least one disgruntled remark was overheard about the seven million dollar causeway or e: P.O.BOX 11717 . SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH 84111 associate member of the tt 1 , |