Landspeed Ladies @ Salt Flats

Motorcycle racer Erin Sills, 56, mid-air next to her motorcycle, jumping of joy after setting yet another land speed record.

Signing Of "Bonneville Women of Land Speed Racing"

Now here's an event - a book-signing to be exact - that you don't want to miss!

By Doug Stokes

Fri, Aug 27, 2021 12:32 PM PST

Featured Image: Motorcycle racer Erin Sills, 56, jumps in joy after setting yet another land speed record. Hailing from the San Francisco area, she is quite comfortable and utterly controlled above 200MPH, with a FIM World record 229.266MPH. A strong advocate for gals on two wheels, Erin is also Co-Chairwoman of Women Riders Now.

All Photos Courtesy: Landspeed Productions and Louise Ann Noeth.

Author 'LandSpeed'-Louise Ann Noeth and a team of women included in her newly-released book "Bonneville Women of Land Speed Racing" are set for two big-bash book-signings at Bonneville Salt Flats.

When And Where Are The Signings?

Tuesday, August 31st - The first date on the docket - the signing will be during the Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials.

Saturday, September 11th - The second signing will be held in conjunction with the Utah Salt Flats Racing Association - World of Speed event.

Each signing will commence at 5pm by the registration area at the Bonneville Salt Flats, and promptly cross the finish line at 7pm.

Rhonnie Vesco getting her shoes tied by a team member before getting into the family streamliner at the Bonneville Salt Flats. — Driver Rhonnie Vesco, of Denver, CO, is a 3rd generation land speed racer about to climb in the family #444 streamliner at the Bonneville Salt Flats. She clocked a pair of runs to earn a 310MPH National record that also snagged her Fast Lady driver trophy of the meet at the Utah Salt Flats Racing Association's 2011 world of Speed.

What Else Is Going On At The Salt Flats?

Some fast females will be actively racing while a number of others are coming to the salt flats just to help inscribe a special speed marker in the historical timeline. "Sure, I created the book," explains author Noeth, "but more than 300 ladies inked the speed deeds, providing me with invigorating inspiration! ... Having some of the best of them join in the book signing is a gargantuan generous gift."

Copies will be available for purchase at the Historic Wendover Airfield gift shop which also stocks colorful Noeth's "Bonneville Salt Flats", released late last year which visually chronicles the speed deeds done there all the way back to 1914.

For those not able to make the journey to Kingdom Of Salt: personally autographed books may be ordered online instead.

image of the book "Bonneville's Women Of Land Speed Racing" — "Bonneville Women of Land Speed Racing" - by 'LandSpeed'-Louise Ann Noeth - chronicles some 300 women who have participated in hundreds of flat-out, high speed runs across the seemingly endless expanse of perhaps the most famous dry lake in the world.

A Little About Bonneville

A 12-by-5 mile stretch occupying 300,000 acres of Utah’s pristine west desert, the Bonneville Salt Flats is like no other place on earth. The once thick salt crust has been legally depleted since the mid-1960s when the federal government started issuing mining leases for potash extraction. The process has gone on unchecked and now the salt crust is less than an inch in many places, causing land speed racers to seriously wonder how much time they have left to safely contest high speed records on the once pristine, blindingly white crust spreading out as far as the eye can see. Visitors from all around the world have traveled to see this otherworldly landscape located about an hour and a half west of Salt Lake City - for more local information, directions, accommodations, etc, check out VisitUtah.com.

huge group of race enthusiasts gathered on the salt flats of Bonneville. — The Bonneville Salt Flats

Quick Tips On Visiting The Salt Flats

If you you go, "layers" are a darn good bet - it’s cold in the morning, hot during the day, and the temperature drops as fast as the sun sets. Standard sun gear (hat, sunblock, sunglasses) is most definitely MANDATORY.

But at Bonneville, protection from the sun is needed as much from below as above... The pure white salt that’s ever underfoot at this race meet is an almost perfect reflector - and first time sunburns in areas not usually felt vulnerable are really no fun at all. Sunblock is needed under the chin, above the eyelids, on the lower part of the arms... And if you wear shorts you really need to picture the sun’s rays bouncing upward and carefully shield any parts that may not have ever seen a lot of sunlight. Don't say I didn’t tell ya!

About The Author

Doug Stokes

Doug has a long and wide-ranging history in the motoring business. He served five years as the Executive Director of the International Kart Federation, and was the PR guy for the Mickey Thompson's Off-Road Championship Gran Prix. He worked racing PR for both Honda and Suzuki and was a senior PR person on the first Los Angeles (Vintage) Grand Prix. He was also the first PR Manager for Perris Auto Speedway, and spent over 20 years as the VP of Communications at Irwindale Speedway. Stokes is the recipient of the American Autowriters and Broadcaster’s 2005 Chapman Award for Excellence in Public Relations and was honored in 2015 by the Motor Press Guild with their Dean Batchelor Lifetime Achievement Award. “… I’ve also been reviewing automobiles and books for over 20 years, and really enjoy my LA Car assignments.” he added.

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