UK readers please note: the Black Rock Desert is on Pacific Daylight Time, 8 hours behind British Summer Time.

1700 hrs

Spirit of America will now not run this evening. A run at 0800hrs tomorrow is planned.

1400 hrs

Spirit of America made a couple of runs with its new engine this morning - speeds unknown. A further run is planned for 5pm this evening.

0900 hrs

The ThrustSSC Team are on the Black Rock Desert, Nevada, USA, for the head-to-head race against the Spirit of America Team to set the first ever supersonic World Land Speed Record.

Microplex Web Cameras

The very latest status of the car and team on the Black Rock Desert can be seen through the live pictures from our Microplex Web Cameras.

Individual Status Reports

Car

1. ThrustSSC has reached a peak speed to date of 624mph on Friday 12th September 1997
2. The car is on the desert being prepared for the next runs of the Black Rock Campaign

Team

1. The ThrustSSC Team are settled into life in Gerlach and on the Black Rock Desert

Black Rock Desert, Nevada, USA

1. The desert is dry for some 15 miles and the 13-mile course is good
2. 20 tracks have been surveyed
3. Tracks 7, 8, 9 and 10 have been used
4. Tracks 5 and 6 have been lined and fodded from Mile 0 to Mile 13
5. Tracks 3 and 4 have been lined from Mile 0 to Mile 13, and fodded from Mile 0 to Mile 5, and Mile 8 to Mile 13
6. Occasional sumps are being filled as they are found

Weather

1. The weather is generally warm to hot with a light breeze. Occasional dust storms are being kicked up by higher winds.
2. Today has started warm with a breeze and a few clouds

Web Site

1. Accesses are currently running around 1,626,000 a week
2. The memory capacity problems caused by the increasing workload on the Intel-based PC Server that handles the Runs Database and Photo Gallery have been resolved. The server will be back online once we have reconfigured the software. Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience caused by their unavailability.

Jeremy Duck...

... was rather worried by the dust storms, but survived them OK and is now checking out the Aireshelta..

Plans

• Car
  
  1. The rear suspension is being moved from it's current lowest-possible position to a higher position
  2. Next runs are scheduled for Thursday
• Team
  1. Everyone is taking a day before the next runs
• Black Rock Desert
  1. Continue track preparations
  2. The USAC timekeepers are setting up their timing equipment
• Web Site
  1. Continue reporting
  2. Bring databases server back online
  3. Bring upgraded emailing list capability online

(Please note: any details published on this Web Site about the status, speeds and plans of the Spirit of America Team are not official. Official details are available on the Spirit of America Team's Web Site at http://www.spiritofamerica.com

The Spirit of America Team are on the Black Rock Desert, Nevada, USA, for the head-to-head race against the ThrustSSC Team to set the first ever supersonic World Land Speed Record.

1. Spirit of America has reached a peak speed to date of 675mph on the Black Rock Desert, Nevada, USA, during the October 1996 record attempt
2. Spirit of America has reached a 1997 peak speed to date of 328mph on the Black Rock Desert, Nevada, USA
3. After returning to Rio Vista, California, for an engine change, the Spirit of America team returned with their car on Sunday night
4. The team plan to run their car again today.

Mazola Excursion

Aerodynamicist Ron Ayers and a journalist from Der Spiegel magazine were out on the desert 'fodding' (picking up the stones). The journalist turned to Ron and said: "This isn't the first time the British and the Germans have met in a desert!" The two of them looked at each other and simultaneously replied: "Do not mention the war!" It must be a universal thing...

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