Magic Evening on the Salt

[DanStokes]

As many of you know, I'm back from my third year of volunteering in the Impound Yard at Speed Week. While I've had many wonderful and interesting experiences, I just HAD to share this one.

Seth Hammond's daughter, Tegan, qualified late in the day for a class record AND her 200 Club, 300 Chapter hat (she's already a 200 Club member). As one of the Impound volunteers I (along with a co-worker) were there to supervise Impound until closing time at 8:00.

Seth and the crew were doing those things to the Lakester that one does to a 300MPH + car to get it ready for the back-up run. Remember, that was going to be his DAUGHTER in it so they were crossing every "i" and dotting every "t" (or something like that).

As we wandered around, Seth's wife Tanice (a "2 Club"/"3 Chapter member) INSISTED that we join them for dinner at their pits in Impound. Turns out that she LOVES to cook when they're in Impound as sort of a "Half Way There" celebration.

So here we are at sunset on the salt with the breathtaking Seth Hammond Lakester on the trailer beside us, eating a gourmet meal and swapping stories with Seth, his crew members, the family, and several other bums who had the good fortune to be in the area at the time.

So I'm trying to explain what this is like to ME, my not-a-car-gal wife. She's a violinist so I explained it like this: Say you're at a concert and Mrs. Perlman invites you for dinner backstage. So you're sitting around with Itzak and his crew and family discussing performances past and present. Just for atmosphere his Strad is sitting on the table, ready for it's next performance. And it turns out that the Perlmans and the others are great folks and super to hang out with. THEN she got it.

Here's a pic that I hope works OK. I took some shots with my cell but they suck so I stole a pic from online. Yes - it really IS that beautiful.

Dan

[peewee]

Dan, as great of a guy that you are, there's no way you'd ever intentionally try to make any of us jealous. You wouldn't do that.

And even if you tried, it wouldn't work on me.

Dammit.

[Bob Holmes]

That is a fantastic car. That had to have been a fantastic evening. Almost surreal.

[Dynoroom]

I've been dynoing & consulting on Seth's engines since 2000. He, his family & crew are some of the best to run on the salt. And as far as checking the car over for Tegan it's no joke. In 2003 at the World Finals Seth crashed his original front engine turbocharged lakester at over 320 mph. LSR can still be very dangerious, just check out the Blowfish issues this year.

Sorry I missed you Dan, we just get so busy. I worked Tech in the a.m. the prepped my car and ran it in the afternoon. Next year!

[DanStokes]

See you IN IMPOUND next year! We really DO need to catch dinner and chew the racing fat (whatever THAT is).

Dan

[Scott Liggett]

I have found the best days of my life were the ones that included other people. Family, friends, or people I had just met. Sure, I have seen some of the most beautiful places on this earth. I've done some incredible things; but they all have paled to the simple times spent with others.

[studemax]

Having spent 8 days on the salt back in '98, I can say that just being on the salt with thousands of like-minded gearheads was magical enough.