UT: the salt flats

**DSMKilla** · 03-15-2007 08:11 AM

I don't know if anybody has done it before, but how bada**would a run through...or over...the salt flats be?

It's about a two hour drive from salt lake. Pure open salt bed goodness.

And the salt is...I don't know the word for it. Its not loose like beach sand. it's ...sticky?

**timber** · 03-15-2007 10:16 AM

Originally Posted by DSMKilla

I don't know if anybody has done it before, but how bada**would a run through...or over...the salt flats be?

It's about a two hour drive from salt lake. Pure open salt bed goodness.

And the salt is...I don't know the word for it. Its not loose like beach sand. it's ...sticky?

I've always wanted to go out there and watch the land speed record trials.. I should get up there. I don't live that far.. It would be a lot of fun to thrash out there

**tom'sti** · 03-15-2007 04:51 PM

i used to live in SLC and have driven by the flats many times. i too have wondered how fun it would be, it seems like an endless expanse in which you could just do whatever you want.

**DSMKilla** · 03-26-2007 07:18 AM

I'm thinking sometime this summer, I'm gonna have to make a run down there.

oh...how fun the detailing will be afterwards!!

**smorris** · 03-28-2007 04:23 PM

I drove on the salt several years back. There's the long road that goes out to the race area. I drove out there late at night once when I was passing through, to see where the races were held. Just as we got near the end, a couple sets of headlights came on. Seems we got there the night before the Speed Week started. So we slept in the truck at the nearby gas station and came back the next morning.

After watching the cars run for a while, it was time to hit the road again, so we took off back up the long straight road out of the middle of the salt flats. About halfway back, the edge of the road was just a rolling hill down to the flats, so off I drove! Blasted across the salt, slide to a stop, turn around and come back the other direction, for about three miles. I hit 97 MPH indicated, and claimed the self-proclaimed Ford Ranger Land Speed Record!

. Got back on the road, then the highway, and back to Ohio.

**chazly413** · 03-28-2007 04:37 PM

So, are the salt flats open to anyone who is willing to drive there?

**DSMKilla** · 03-29-2007 06:54 AM

Yup. Depending on the time of the year, they might be holding contests or things, so there might be certain areas blocked off, but it's public-owned land. You can go there whenever you heart desires.

**chazly413** · 03-29-2007 11:50 AM

Sweeeeet.

**timber** · 03-29-2007 07:07 PM

Originally Posted by smorris

I drove on the salt several years back. There's the long road that goes out to the race area. I drove out there late at night once when I was passing through, to see where the races were held. Just as we got near the end, a couple sets of headlights came on. Seems we got there the night before the Speed Week started. So we slept in the truck at the nearby gas station and came back the next morning.

After watching the cars run for a while, it was time to hit the road again, so we took off back up the long straight road out of the middle of the salt flats. About halfway back, the edge of the road was just a rolling hill down to the flats, so off I drove! Blasted across the salt, slide to a stop, turn around and come back the other direction, for about three miles. I hit 97 MPH indicated, and claimed the self-proclaimed Ford Ranger Land Speed Record!

. Got back on the road, then the highway, and back to Ohio.

Awesome!!

**smorris** · 03-30-2007 03:02 PM

That was in 1993. I wonder if I still hold the record.

Below are two shots from Google maps. The exit is the first one in Utah from Nevada (state line is just off scree left.) We drove out that long east-west road out into to the flats. Then stayed back at the interchange in a gas station lot.

Take a look out on the flats in the upper right. See those little dots? The next shot is zoomed in. Seems the satellite was passing over during a big event. That's exactly what we did. Drive out and park with the cars (after paying a nominal "membership" and signing a waiver) to watch the speed runs. That was a fun trip!

(Which was part of a non-stop drive from Ohio to Mt Rainier in WA, then two weeks backpacking, then a roundabout trip back, 2/3 of which was without a muffler, as I had the dead one in the truck to take back to Tuffy for a freebie. No Tuffy's where I went.)

**joeyhill79** · 03-30-2007 03:47 PM

I could be wrong here.....but I've heard that salt is pretty hard on youre tyres........ is that true?.....if so.... I'm not goin any where near it. The last thing I need is to wear my tyres faster than I already am. I've already reached the top speed in my car..... top speed runs just dont do it for me. The wide open expanse, however, would be cool for some cone rallies

**DSMKilla** · 03-30-2007 03:49 PM

Not too sure on your tires. Its not good for the rest of your car, that's for sure haha. Eats at paint, underbody, etc. Nothing a good bath can't fix.