Reporting from the Silver State Classic Challenge in Nevada...

[russg]

First of all I can't believe I just drove a day and a half to get here and work this event and neither can my wife who I left behind with the kids    But I'm glad I did as I love the Western part of the US and cars and speed.  I will try to find Interesting Mopars and get pics for you, I'm working on the 90 mile course about 10 miles from the finish line, maybe I can catch some video as well.  There are a couple old mopars running around here with major firepower under the hood and few srt's of course.  Tonight is the parade, tomorrow is the 1 mile top speed shootout, then Sunday the main 90 mile event.  Rally Mike..shame on you, I drive all the way out here and your not running!


Yes, I drove the 07 Charger not the 73 for the 1,300 mile trip, can you blame me?


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WITH ROADS LIKE THESE...


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THIS IS SOMETIMES THE END RESULT...note which way the needle is swinging  Thank God for my radar detector!!


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[thedodgeboys]

That event just got added to my bucket List 

[69bronzeT5]

It's already on my bucket list. When I get around to my Coronet, it's going to built for the Silver State Challenge

[472 R/T SE]

That event just got added to my bucket List 

Going there & Speed Week @ the Bonneville Salt Flats are on my list.

I was able to cross off Carlisle this summer so some of my wishes have actually been attainable.   

[Bob T]

Great stuff russg, really looking forward to some more pics

Cant help humming the theme from Vanishing Point looking at the down the highway shot 

[russg]

Great stuff russg, really looking forward to some more pics

Cant help humming the theme from Vanishing Point looking at the down the highway shot 

Bob, there's even an old white Challenger running around here, must be in a higher speed class cause it has major nose work / front air dam on it.  There is suppose to be a mandatory car show in a park for all participants so in between the navigator and course worker classes I'm attending today I'll go snap some pics.. also the mile speed run today!  the way the mile is setup you can't get very close to the road however.  Corvette is definately the car of choice here

[Brock Samson]

        Thanks to our intrepid reporter!

[kokxville]

Great shots,have fun there 

[Ghoste]

Yeah, one of my bucket lists trips too.  Awe inspiring photos!

[4cruzin]

Looks like a whole lot of fun to me!   

[russg]

Getting ready for my course workers class.

By russg at 2010-09-18

The car show, most cars showed up except those that were running the mile shootout today, again LOTS of vettes

By russg at 2010-09-18

Here is the Challenger I mentioned..

By russg at 2010-09-18


By russg at 2010-09-18


By russg at 2010-09-18

And an old Charger as well..

By russg at 2010-09-18


By russg at 2010-09-18

Still the old Charger..is that a hole I see in his gas tank?

By russg at 2010-09-18

Trying to stay Mopar related but for some reason I've always loved the back end of a 911

By russg at 2010-09-18

[grdprx]

I think that "Challenger" is actually a Cuda...   

[russg]

Ooops, I should know better !

[472 R/T SE]

Too cool.  Thanks for the reports & pix.

The front end on that Barracuda looks like it's some sort of bolt on & off set up.  I'd love to be able to see how that's done.

Apparently these folks with the old iron aren't worried about the front window trim coming off at speed?    Both rides look like they've done it before so maybe it's not an issue?

[russg]

Here is some video I took of the one mile shootout for you guys.  Not many participated in this and there was very limited viewing access, basically at the starting line only so these are basically takeoffs as they disappear down the road.  On the Optima vette shot, look for a dust cloud growing on the left side.. we lost one car during this event, a late model Mustang left the road at high speed flipping off onto the desert floor, driver was ok but caused an hour delay.  The yellow Porsche was pretty quiet but damn it seemed to disappear as fast or faster than most.  The black firebird is from Norway and he bought along a HUGE entourage plus film crew filming a documentory.. Appearantly he recently broke a european speed record with this car and he is here to take a run at the longstanding top average speed record at this event.  See below, got as close as I could with my zoom but there is some major plumbing under that hood.  Now click the high def version and crank up those speakers!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwvcxdncnvE

Here is the bigwig from Norway and his old firebird..


By russg at 2010-09-18


By russg at 2010-09-18


By russg at 2010-09-18

[Vainglory, Esq.]

Love it!

[RallyeMike]

Rally Mike..shame on you, I drive all the way out here and your not running!

Worse yet, I drove from Seattle to Bullhead City AZ the same weekend and purposely drove through Salt Lake City to avoid the area. I knew I wouldnt be able to stay away if I got too close, but I was on a mission helping my in-laws move from AK to AZ.

Good job on the reporting. I feel guilty for never having been as thorough. Hope you are having fun, and hopefully you have the bug BAD now and it will accelerate your efforts to join in the craziness! Perhaps next year?

[russg]

Had to get up at 3:30 in the morning to man my post.  Where in the world am I in the middle of the desert?.. 37.74042 Lat   -115.119601 long if you want to know exactly.  Here is my post just as the sun was coming up.. I have never experienced quiet where you could hear absolutely nothing, no wind either in the morning and 29 deg (95 by mid afternoon!).  Turned out I was stationed with one of the 8 main radio operators along the route so I had company and access to much more radio info going on during the event.


By russg at 2010-09-22

This is the only unfortunate contestant to overturn.  A 95 Mustang in the 150mph class.  The barb wire fence is 50ft off the road and was untouched, somehow he cleared the fence.  Notice destroyed driver side front tire which started the bad turn of events, also notice the passenger compartment and the importance of a well constructed/installed roll bar.  He was taken to hospital and later released with just bruises and quite a bit sore I hear.  They OVER emphasize the importance of good tires and proper inflation here and I see why but a small nail or sharp rock can ruin a good day.  There is not much runoff once you leave the road here, it drops sharply.

By russg at 2010-09-22

Here is our Cuda driving by in the 170 mph class, he had to average 170 so probably flying by a bit faster at this location.  Notice he just started smoking as he went by me.  He did make it to the finish 10 miles down road.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEJBw39nV9k

This 1969 Ford F1 was cool, also in the 170mph class, the car wasn't much taller than my kneecap.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0T-_YEeM-E

Here is our Norweigen freind.  I don't have results yet to see if he beat the record, I'm betting not with the fierce headwind that popped up in the afternoon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0hAlMhYpmE

This guy in the 180mph class was cookin pretty good in his 94 Camaro.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rZJJ_dbJyU

Well, this concludes my coverage of the 2010 Silver State Classic, time for a long drive back to Iowa.  Signing up for a course worker gave me a good insight as to what to expect if I come back as a contestant.  They let you attend all navigator and driver meetings and also be apart of the welcome parties and the awards banquet.  If I sign up as a course worker again, I'm flying in!  My goal, however, is to return as a contestant.  This has me thinking of if I want to take time to prepare the old 73 for a race like this, I need to run through the suspension, not knowing any history on my motor, probably a good idea to rebuild it and install up to date reliable parts, change the rear end to taller gearing and of course i would have to trailer it 1,300 miles out.  It would be easier to sell my 07 V6 Charger and the 73 and buy a ready to go race car... Charger SRT as I could drive to event, participate, and drive home.  The only problem is as i wish to move up in speed classes (all say this is inevitable once you get bitten by the speed bug) I would need to install a roll bar which can't work too well on a nice interior that I need to stuff clients in. Hmmmm.

By russg at 2010-09-22

[Hemidog]

Nice writeup!

Here's some info on the Norwegian Transam:
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,65820.0.html

[russg]

Rally Mike..shame on you, I drive all the way out here and your not running!

Worse yet, I drove from Seattle to Bullhead City AZ the same weekend and purposely drove through Salt Lake City to avoid the area. I knew I wouldnt be able to stay away if I got too close, but I was on a mission helping my in-laws move from AK to AZ.

Good job on the reporting. I feel guilty for never having been as thorough. Hope you are having fun, and hopefully you have the bug BAD now and it will accelerate your efforts to join in the craziness! Perhaps next year?

Hey Mike,
Yes, hoping to join the madness next year, probably will have more questions for you regarding suspension and making sure my motor will not grenade along the way.  I'm concerned that I'm now considering selling both the 73 and my 07 Charger and buying an SRT to have an all in one ready to go car but not too happy about the possibility of tearing up a nice car with a roll bar as I wish to increase speed along the years.  Honestly my late model HO V6 Charger could compete up to the 115 class with proper tires. At close to 100 mph Im turning less than 3,000 with it's 5 speed and getting 28mpg while doing it.  Decisions...

[GTXtreme]

I think that "Challenger" is actually a Cuda...   

Its not a cuda, its a MonteCuda!

[200MPH]

@russG  who hold the record is it Big red Still?

[russg]

The standing record did not fall at this event.  Current record holder is from back in 2000, a White Chrysler LeBaron (full race car) at 207 average mph

[200MPH]

the old churchhill special??hmm i will have to google it lol

[russg]

the old churchhill special??hmm i will have to google it lol

http://www.sscc.us/results-record.htm