Good news for land speed racers: Bonneville is ON!
The Southern California Timing Association (SCTA) has confirmed that Speed Week 2020 is green-lit for August 8–14. The news is a welcome reassurance among land speed racers, as motorsports events across the country have been canceled or rescheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speed Week is held on the famed Bonneville Salt Flats, a slice of publicly-owned land through the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Out of the pure-white salt crust, a miles-long speedway is built every year to support an assembly of the world’s fastest and nuttiest race cars. The catch is that, because of its reliance on the natural land, the SCTA works in partnership with the BLM and the local officials of Tooele County, Utah, to sanction the “track” that comes and goes like Burning Man’s Black Rock City. Together, they built a set of guidelines in order to set best practices during the event, which allowed the SCTA to successfully acquire permits for this year’s race.
We’ll share those changes here shortly, but (wait!) there’s more good news for salt fiends: the Utah state legislature approved $1 million in funding for the “Restore Bonneville” program, a massive success for preserving the iconic salt crust of the Flats well into the future. The SEMA Action Network is also asking for your help in thanking the lawmakers who graciously approved the budget during these crazy times, as it’s the close communications between racers and local officials which has always supported the endless chase for speed at Bonneville.
Swinging back to this year’s Speed Week, according to a recent statement by the SCTA/BNI, these protocols will be in place:
Speed Week 2020 BLM Stipulations:
1. Install Sneeze Guards on the Registration Trailer, Sales Trailer, BNI Trailer, Motorcycle Trailer & Impound Trailer
2. Gloves & Mask/Bandana for workers in the trailers mentioned above
3. Mask/Bandana for workers near people
4. Porta Potties – Will have hand sanitizer in each unit
5. Hand Sanitizer Stations by each trailer mentioned above and the Start Line
6. Blue Tape for Social Distancing by each trailer mentioned above
7. Increase Pit Spaces to increase the distance between race trailers
8. Have designated workers reminding people to social distance
9. Place Social Distancing Signs in areas below
a) Areas where lines tend to form
b) Areas where people tend to congregate
c) Starting Line
10. Distribute Flyers at Entrance to every vehicle with these Stipulations.
11. Recommend people bring their own masks/bandanas & hand sanitizer
12. Recommend if you are sick, to please not attend this event.
For more information visit the SCTA-BNI or BLM websites below:
