El Mirage Dry Lake Bed (Southern California)

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by California98Civic

Eventually, this is a great possible site for SoCal meet-ups and testing?

If you could do nothing more than record video of the runs you'd have something valuable.The dust vacuumed (or not) up into the cars wake would give a very good indication of aero tuning.

[California98Civic]

A fall 2012 meet-up here for testing and skill shares, before the winter rains? It's about 100 miles from me.

[TOOSTUBBORN2FAIL]

I'd be down for that, depending on the date.

[California98Civic]

El Mirage 2013:
May 18-19
June 9
July 14
Sep 15
Oct 20
No 9-10

I might go for either the May, June, or July dates. Being in Southern California, this is much closer than Bonneville. And I was at Bonneville last year. Anyone on this board ever been to El Mirage? Would be a fun place for a Southern California meet-up, I think.

Looks a lot like Bonneville, if dust were salt and if salt could rise into the wake of the vehicles:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oZu6RYmP04

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by cfg83

Hello -

Looks like Bonneville light :

El Mirage Dry Lake Bed

El Mirage Main Page

El Mirage and Bonneville Land Speed Racing Event Schedule


This could be a great place to test aero mods in SoCal, but I can't tell how much it costs, or where our "stock" cars would fit in terms of class.

CarloSW2

Southern California Timing Association doesn't have anything like USFRA's '130 Club',and the lake
bed is really short in comparison to Bonneville.Any low-power car is going to have a tough time reaching terminal velocity there,even if they let you do it.
If you can't reach top speed you'll learn nothing useful.
Also,we need to know what affect the dirt surface of the lake bed has on rolling resistance.
If your aero AND R-R are BOTH variables it's gonna be tough to sort out your data after it's all over.
PS If you do run there,make sure you get the density-altitude for the hours you're on the track.You can call the Automated Weather Observation System phone number for the Lancaster Municipal Airport and get it on the telephone.From this you can calculate the local air density at 'race time' to help reverse-engineer your new Cd. Or,if Rick Gold (who sells racing fuel) is out there,he'll have the data you'll need.

[California98Civic]

I'm planning to make the 100 mile drive to El Mirage for the SCTA finals event Nov 9/10. Not to run. Just to observe. To spectate. See the aeromods. Hear loud engines.

If anyone else is going and would like to meet up, PM me or just post here.

james