08/18/19 Another retroactive post for an event - this time it's Speed Week at the Bonneville salt flats. Our goal with the electric D2 has all along been to do Pikes Peak at the end of June and then Bonneville at the start of August. We knew it was ambitious and that changes would be required to the car in between events. Didn't realize just how ambitious and the full extent of the changes at the time, but that's the case for all memorable endeavors.

Took 5 hours with pressure washer to get the salt out from under the van and trailer, and to clean the inside of the van. Will deal with the race car and the contents of the trailer on Monday.

Below is the record of the events reconstructed from dates on the pictures and other clues. As an indication of how crazy the whole thing was, I had to look up official run logs to figure out on which days the runs took place, and correct the blog as I wrote it.

07/10/19 A bit over week since Pikes Peak and a month till Bonneville. We now need to decide if we are actually going to do this, and what it's going to take.

If we change the gearing in the diffs to 3:1 (from 5:1), the car will be capable of theoretical top speed of 265mph. We have the power to do it - my many CFD runs at that speed show that our ~1,300 hp is about what it would take. Aero stability is the big unknown. We know we'll have to keep the wings but can set them flat to reduce drag while still providing some downforce - about 2,000 lb total biased towards the rear to roughly match weight distribution.

A while back I joined SCTA and got a copy of the current rule book. Going through it, the obvious list is parachute, tires capable of these speeds, head and upper body restraint limiting motion to 2", 11 lb fire system, steel driveshaft hoops, lexan windows, and probably some rollcage modifications. And swapping the diff gearing. A lot to get done in a month, but doable.

A quick check of hotels and AirBnB shows that the nearest available lodging that isn't over $200/person/night is 100 miles away near Salt Lake City. That would make for 1.5 hour commute each way, each day. Not great but doable (people in some parts of the country do that every working day of their lives).

So after discussions with Cascadia Motion, our sponsors and partners in these adventures, the decision is made to go for it. It'll be interesting.

7/12/19 From Pikes Peak experience I know that it really helps to reach out to the tech people in advance to try and limit race-day suprises. Which I did. A bit of time goes by during which I discover the only tires that will fit are Mickey Thompson LSR tires (at $740 apiece), but they will need custom wheels. After some dead end paths it turns out Forgeline can make us a set with the correct offsets that will clear the brakes and can be done in time. So orders placed for tires and wheels. It's a hefty expenditure so we're committed now!

For driver safety we ended up ordering a Kirkey full containment seat, hoping it will suffice. It showed up a couple days later.

In the meantime we pull the diffs and swap gearing, then reinstall them. As I mentioned there are two cars, code named C1 and C2. Each has its own battery pack (P1 and P2, predictably). C1 is the race car - it ran Pikes Peak and will run Bonneville. C2 is a general demo vehicle and we work on it when schedule allows. Hower P1 had an issue with some of the cells and needed to go back to EVDrive for diagnostics/repair, so we had to fit yet-untried P2 to C1 for the event. This means we should really dyno it and see how much it heats up delivering full power for 45-60 seconds.

7/19/19 In order to fit lexan windows we need to drill through the canopy for the retaining bolts. The current one doesn't have enough of a lip to do that, so we have to make a new one just for this race (and upper door skins too). The plan is to have the full door operational and latching. I start figuring out how to make that happen. Our two summer interns are getting direct experience in everything from CNC machining to composites.

7/23/19 Time is running short. The tech people have some big concerns about the rollcage and other items based on pictures.

Turns out a couple of tech inspectors live near Portland and are willing to come by the shop to take a first-hand look and provide feedback. Great! We set that up for the 28th.

In the meantime tires show up. It's interesting how they are 'concave', must be due to whatever is necessary to keep them from expanding at high speeds. They are rated for 450mph.

Parachute and window net ordered from Stroud Safety, they are custom built and will be done in about a week.

7/28/19 With only 9 days to go until we are scheduled to leave for Utah, tech inspectors stop by. The list of what they want changed is daunting, neither of them seems to think we can get it done. Major rollcage reinforcement, steel hoops on driveshafts, extra paneling. The left side of seat head restraint is not sufficient, it needs to go forward to the front of the helmet but only goes half way. Yet it already makes entry/exit very difficult, extending it would make it impossible. If it's made to be movable, it needs to lock in place securely and be releasable by the driver. Driver has to demonstrate unassisted exit from the car wearing full safety gear.

But, we're committed. I have some design work to do and the guys a bit of fabrication. Takes me a couple hours to crank out cage mods and get the drawings detailed to have VR3 make the tubes. They confirm the tubes can be made and shipped for monday delivery. Getting in and out will be tight but doable, based on a quick mockup of the changes. This of course is without bodywork.

8/4/19 Cage tubes showed up yesterday and Mark welded them in. Confirmed with tech that this will work.

Found a rem of 6" OD steel tube that is 3' long to make the steel hoops. This was the only thing available in time. Works out - I figure out how we're going to install them and Mark is able to get that done as well.

I text the pictures to tech for approval, and get it.

Parachute is here along with window net. After some figuring out how to mount it all and realizing we didn't get a release handle/cable (ordered, will be ovenighted), the window net is in and we have a plan for parachute mount.

Our fire system is 10 lb (more on that later), so to get to 11 we simply mount two of them. Cleared by tech.

With the cage mods done, getting in and out is possible but even more challenging, even without bodywork. I still don't have a head restraint solution. 3 days to go.

We scheduled dyno time for tonight at 8PM at English Racing. As we go to load the car, it does not want to move. After canceling the session, Chris from Cascadia figures out the solution and we're running. I call back to try and get the session done, and Lucas kindly agrees. We are there till almost midnight but do confirm that the battery pack can deliver 1,200+hp for over 45 seconds continuous. This is roughly 14C discharge - those who know batteries will be impressed, since even 'power' packs are usually only rated for 5C for 10 seconds. Temperature range was well within and slightly below expectations. We're good.

8/6/19 We are supposed to leave Friday early am so that we can start running Saturday. Huge amount of work remains. This is not looking good. Still don't have upper door skins made, but I think I finally figured out the head restraint. Mark fabricates it and it works! Tech approval received.

I find a suitable retaining pin on McMaster and order it for tomorrow delivery.

Door skins are being made.

Wheels show up from Forgeline and tires are mounted. Everything fits, which is a relief since dimensions are radically different from our normal setup.

8/7/19 Head restraint completed. Works even better than I hoped.

A few interior panels are being fabricated. Parachute mount is now done and bodywork is being installed.

We have now decided to skip Saturday racing and use the day for travel instead. The official schedule made it seem that tech and rookie orientation only happen on friday and saturday, so we confirmed multiple times that we can in fact get that done any day during the event. This is very different from how Pikes Peak is run, and the Cascadia folks are a bit uneasy still. But we have no choice.

8/9/19 The passenger side door is fixed and doesn't need to open, so that one is easy. Done. The driver side one I get to the point where it latches, but I don't have a release mechanism. Time for plan C.

We cut the door in half, bolt the lower half to the bodywork, and make an evolution of the Pikes Peak hack that has a roof-mounted latching button and a hole in the lexan window for the driver to access it.

It takes all weekend to get the remaining items sorted so we are way behind but still committed to doing this.

We get word that it rained on the flats and first day of racing is postponed till Monday, and then till Tuesday. So we didn't miss anything, yet.

8/11/19 No time to even take pictures, but by the end of the day all is ready and we load up the car and all the gear for the trip. Monday is the 12-hour drive to get to our AirBnB.

8/13/19 After the long drive yesterday, we get up at 4 am to be on the road by 5 for our 100 mile commute. We arrive to a long line of cars waiting to get through the checkpoint. For all of us other than Greg it is the first time here. It's quite the place.

Takes some time, then to find a pit space and set up. Rookie orientation and drivers meeting is at 8am and we barely make that. We are told course conditions are very challenging with the salt still being very wet. Instead of the usual 4-course setup, only two courses are running. The rookie/test short course is only 1 mile (instead of the usual 3), and the single 'long' course is 4 miles instead of normal 6.

There is an amazing variety of machinery here, both racers and just random hotrods driven by spectators.

Race cars are not allowed to move under their own power except on the course, so we have to tow the car everywhere. Getting it through tech is the first order of business - which takes several hours. There are many inspectors and each has his own approach to inspection and the rule book. They don't get many electrics here (despite over 100 classes for gas powered cars, there are only three electric ones going by weight alone). We are in the heaviest class, E3. The record in class is held by the Buckeye Bullet streamliner at about 315 mph. We have no chance of reaching that (our theoretical max is 265 mph) but because of classification we have to pass tech to the 300mph+ requirements.

When all is said and done we get conditional approval, provided we fix two issues. One is fire suit needs to be SFI 15 or higher, rather than Greg's SFI 5. He orders another suit for tomorrow, so we won't be able to run today. The other issue is that our fire systems are 10 lb 'equivalent', with actual charge weight of 5lbs each. They add up to 10 lbs so we are short of 11. We eventually reach an agreement with the inspectors that if we add a third extinguisher pointed at the driver we'll be good. Of course no store in town has one, so that's another item for tomorrow. It also has to be mounted securely so we have to figure that out.

We pack up and then head 100 miles east towards Salt Lake.

We stop at a tractor supply place which has no extinguishers (really!?) but at least has hardware. Greg was able to get an extinguisher from a friend so we figure out how to mount it, then go to sleep.

8/14/19 We are back at tech with the SFI 20 suit and the extinguisher, but get a different inspector who finds a number of other issues. One is to close the gap on the passenger side between firewall and bodywork. It needs to be done with aluminum sheetmetal, though aluminum tape is acceptable to secure it. If only we can find some sheetmetal. Some asking around yields nothing, but then I remember that we have a pair of old license plates in the trailer. That'll do! Some fabrication, a few more labels and stickers and we finally get the one that matters - inspection passed!

Even though Greg has been here before (on a bike, doing about 210 mph), the car is new so the chief tech inspector has to witness our first run which has to be under 175mph. We proceed to the short course, spend a fair bit of time in line and are eventually lined up. Then a few more minutes to wait for the inspector, and Greg does a first run at 159 mph. Pefect. We are signed off to go faster now, up to 175 mph.

As soon as Greg leaves the starting line we drive along the return road to retrieve him.

Even after just one 1-mile pass the car is already clogged with salt, including the radiators. Fortunately we are not relying on the radiators for these short runs and we know the pack can do what we need without cooling. All temps look normal and we only used 6% of the battery for the pass.

We do two more passes, at 167 and 174 mph, working up to speed cautiously. No issues so far although the salt is rough and wet. This is a one-mile, rather slushy course so we are told it's pretty good for the conditions. We are also told that the water table is just below the surface and rises throughout the day as the temperature goes up. So it's considerably wetter the later in the day we go. The car does kick up quite a bit of salt with the aero. Just like Pikes Peak, earlier in the day is better.

We tried charging from the generator we brought but the charger keeps shutting down after 20-30 seconds (we had only tested it for maybe 5 seconds back at the shop to verify functionality, guess should have been more thorough). So that is a problem we need to solve since we are now at about 80% charge and a long top-speed run will take a lot more than the short ones have been taking.

We also have to check out from the AirBnB tomorrow since it was originally booked when we were going to start racing on the 10th, and I wasn't able to extend the stay. I did find another one that became available in Wendover. So no more 100 mile commute. And, it has an electric stove! Charging problem solved.

8/15/19 Today is when we are hoping to go for it. First, a run on the short course. When we retrieve Greg he says the speedo showed 197 mph through the trap. Then an official drives over in his truck. 'We seem to be having a computer issue - do you have a speedo? How fast do you think you went?' - 'About 197' - 'Ah, ok then, they said 196+'. 196.960 to be precise. Seems it's a pretty good time for the standing mile in the slush and they wanted to make sure :) Another official later told us she thought it was the fastest run of the meet on the short course, and looking through posted times that appears to be the case (it's a bit confusing looking at the lists because there are also 'short course' runs on the long course, where the competitor has to pull off after 3 miles, so the way to tell an actual short course run is that it will have a 'quarter' speed but no 1 mile or 2 mile speed).

One issue is that at about 190mph the lexan windshield popped in, knocking the cockpit camera off its mount. It popped back out as the car slowed down. We'll have to figure out a way to support it before we do another run.

At this point our spirits are high and we head over to get in line for the long course. It is not as bad as it was yesterday (some people spent entire day in line without getting to run), but still long. This is all because of the conditions and only having one long course instead of three. But the wait gives us time to figure out windshield support.

I take a mental note of everything that could possibly be used for the purpose. Aluminum angle would be ideal. Ah, the trailer door trim! As we wait in line, Tristan and Jay go back to the pits returning with the material.

By the time our turn comes up it is mid-afternoon and course conditions are bad. We are told to stay out of the middle because it's slushy and rutted, and stay as close to the cones as we can. Mile 3-4 is in the best condition, but we are not approved to go the full 4 miles yet. After some discussion we get a waiver because it's likely the only run we'll be able to make today.

We do our usual preflight - belts, restraints, net, door latched. Greg takes off and even before we get a chance to follow him in the van the door pops open. Parachute is out shortly after. Bummer.

Greg said that shortly after the door popped the car started going sideways and he pulled the chute which straightened it right out. We look at the latch and it appears to engage, but now seems to pop off with even moderate pressure. We are certain it was checked on the starting line. Some cleaning and adjustment and it's functional again.

We discuss whether to run again today or try early tomorrow morning. Conditions are already bad and only getting worse, so we opt for the latter hoping the morning will be better. My key concern is that the car is wide at 81" and wheelbase is relatively short at 104". The middle of the course is slush and we have to run off to the side. If one side hits slush while the other is on solid salt it's going to want to spin, and after thinking about it I'm pretty certain that's what happened on this last run (initial thought was that it was due to aero change from the door).

In the evening we keep checking for any announcements from SCTA. The one that comes through is not good - the course conditions deteriorated further and only the competitors who qualified for a record today will be allowed to run so they can validate the records. We still plan to show up early and maybe beg our way in to a run.

8/16/19 We are on the salt at 6:30 am. Good opportunity to roll out the car and get some cool pictures.

Unfortunately the answer is no - we will not be allowed to run today. Disappointing, but after some discussion we decide to come back for World Finals in october. So the adventure will continue, and maybe I'll finally figure out the doors by then!

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