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Browse the club library. Its ever growing collection of
books about motor sport, motoring history and more is
available for free loan to VSCC members.
the DLRA regulations, which are based on those laid down by the Southern California
Timing Association (SCTA) for racing at Bonneville Salt Flats.
The first attempt in 2007 ended at Ceduna when Allen and the boys discovered that the
event had been cancelled due to rain at the lake. All was not lost, however, as they had met
Graeme Cocks and the Fremantle Motor Museum team who invited them to detour via Lake
Perkolilli where the Jaguar was exercised on the dry lake. They are still finding red dust in
nooks and crannies of the E-Type.
The event was washed out again in 2008
―
this time before they left home, so the next
attempt was in 2009. After successful runs in '09 and '10, the Jaguar had recorded 161.87
mph (260.504 km/h), which was a class record, but Allen and Phil were sure the car had
more in it.
2011 and 2012 were washed out, although in 2011 the team went as far as Ceduna, where
they enjoyed the fish and chips. 2013 saw more runs at the lake, but not as fast as 2010 and
the 2014 effort was cut short when the long-suffering engine blew up.
The final Lake Gairdner trip for the
Jaguar was in 2015 when Phil finally
reached the target of 170 mph with a
run at 170.068 mph (273.697 km/h).
The whole story of the E-Type to date
is told in this excellent large format
book (259 mm x 282 mm), printed on
high quality art paper with every trip
across the Nullarbor detailed in diary
form.
Every highlight, every mishap and
the wonderful team spirit are all
chronicled with hundreds of colour
photographs of the car, the team, the
lake and more. The careful
modifications to the car to fit it for
salt lake racing, the travails of the
team and drivers as they move in on
the target of 170 mph are told in easy
to read text over 188 pages.
Sidebar stories tell of the cars, characters and some of the history of the places the team
encountered. This is no dry as dust list of events but a lively tale, well told and a treat to read.
The review copy has been donated to the VSCC by Allen and Phil Shephard, who signed the
fly-leaf (see opposite). It is published by Motoring Past Vintage Publishing and is available
through the publisher's web site at www.motoringpast.
com.au,priced at $99.00 plus $23.00 post and packing
for Western Australian customers.
The Jaguar has now been retired from salt lake duties
and is being prepared for historic racing.
Lake Gairdner 2015. The crew that helped set the
record of 170.068 mph (273.697 km/h)