Historically, January is a quiet time for the project. We tend to use this time to attempt to raise funds or support accompanied with some light ‘fettling’ to the car as the weather allows.
This year of course, the car is still in California so our work options are severely limited.
As mentioned in previous messages we are always pleased to receive any support, be it by simply reading these updates, joining the team itself or helping out in any other way.
This support really means the world to us and in this message we’re going to take this opportunity to thank one particular group of supporters, without which we would not have got as far as we have.
To the best of our knowledge the Bend in the Road Gang have been present in one form or another since racing began at Bonneville Salt Flats.
People may come and go as their situation changes, but the spirit of the gang has held firm for many years.
The bend itself is an area approximately half way along the road from the highway to the beginning of the salt flats. This area has become the favoured camp ground for competitors and spectators alike.
Once the event begins, it is the meeting point for all those that are ‘roughing it’ in RV’s, camping or literally sleeping in their cars. A place to share food, drink and stories.
As a team, we were first introduced and indeed adpoted by the gang on our first visit in 2018. They could not have been more welcoming and supportive and have made the bend in the road our home away from home at Bonneville.
We asked some of the ‘Gang’ to share their stories as to why Bonneville is so special to them.
Crow
Crow was born an American Indian, he’s incredibly proud of this heritage and is well versed in ‘old Indian’ sayings.
He was born in 1946 and was raised by his father in San Francisco. Later he went to live with his mother and step father in Medford Oregon.
He went through the regular schooling in both towns, college at College of San Mateo California and Southern Oregon College in Ashland Oregon.
On leaving formal education he joined the navy for 4 years and ended up serving in Vietnam,
Upon returning to civilian life, being a committed biker he joined the Loners M/C where he has been an active member for 25 years.
As is common for bikers he travelled around the country when younger, more by luck than judgement he happened to pass the salt flats in the early ’70’s while the races were in progress. That was it, the event was immediately on the bucket list to return
In 1993 he decided to drive up to the Salt Flats to see the racing.
Whilst walking around the pits he met Bobby Green and the ‘Old Crow Speed Shop’ crew. It was almost destiny!
Since that fateful meeting Speed week had been a crucial part of the calendar and to date has missed only 2 years.
On one of these vistis he met the original ‘mayor’ of the bend in the road gang in 1995 and has been camping there with the same crew ever since.
He sums up the gang with one of his original Indian sayings
“I’ve never had problem, bad time or hangover I didn’t deserve!”
‘Smilin” Hank Hayes
Hank was adopted as a newborn. Which probably went a long way to explaining his sense of family.
He spent the bulk of his youth in Redlands California. Before moving on to Utah and then San Mateo California.
It was here he met the lovely Sue at a Christmas party in 1968.
As a couple they went dune buggy racing every thanksgiving.
Hank would turn his hand to anything if it put food on the family table. He plastered swimming pools for several years. Then concrete core drilling for some time.
Him and Sue owned and operated a game arcade for a few years.
They also raised Arabian horses which he loved, until their son needed shoes and they were forced to say no as the farrier was coming.
At that point the horses had to go. Their daughter was no longer at home to ride and they were just spending money every month.
Hank would help anyone that needed it, He could fix just about anything. If anyone needed a part or tool he would fabricate it.
He was incredibly generous and would always look to help others in any way he could.
At Bonneville he carried this spirit and was invaluable to a number of teams, of all sizes and experiences.
He was regarded as one of the best ‘push truck’ drivers on the salt.
He did attend every year he was able, despite illness his last year was 2021. He passed away in the following November and will be sadly missed by all that had the priviledge of meeting him.
John
John Sattersfield by Barb (Pixie)
John was born in 1946 into a migrant farm labor family. He has worked all his life, helping the family pay bills etc. I think one of the first things he told me was that when he was 10, he worked all summer picking cherries in Oregon, and bought his first shotgun, a .410. which I just gave to our older son on John’s passing. They went from farm job to farm job in California and Oregon. I’m not sure exactly when they finally settled in Northern California, maybe when he started school, and he worked the summers picking fruit. He has one older sister, who still lives in California, with her daughter, and three younger brothers, one of whom has passed away with Leukemia, about 10 years ago. One brother lives in Oregon, the other brother lives in Indiana.
When he was old enough, not sure..15, 16 yrs old, he started sorting pop bottles at a local Mom & Pops grocery store. I’m not sure when he got his first car, but I know he ran in the orchards around their small town, but I know he had several. He worked his way up from pop bottle sorter to working inside the store as a stocker and cashier.
We started dating when I was 15 and he was 17, all the way through high school, I had just moved with my family from LA. He was very much my protector from my Dad and Grandfather. I was not allowed to do the fun things by brother did, but had to work every bit as hard or harder. John didn’t think that was fair.
We got married in 1965, and we had fun racing at the local drag strip. As a matter of fact, we spent out Honeymoon at Fremont Raceway at a big drag race….must have been love. We raced when we could afford it, and cars was always his passion. You’ve heard the “one that got away?” We had several, and would love to have them back. When we were first married, the rent was due, and he found a car sitting behind a barn with weeds growing up through the floorboards about 10’ high. We had $65 to our name, rent was $35, car was $35. We got the car, A ’36 Plymouth Convertible! We moved that car all over Northern California moving following his job, his promotions etc. It didn’t get built until the kids left home, then we built it and he was very proud of it, we did all the work ourselves. He did the mechanical and body work and I did the upholstery. We had a Cocker Spaniel dog that spent every minute in the garage with him when he was working on it. She knew where to lay so she wouldn’t get stepped on. Over the years we went to probably 100’s of car show with the car. We moved to Idaho in 1995 and found a local drag strip. He turned my daily driver Camaro into a drag car, and we went all over 3 states racing it. Firebird (the local drag strip) had “Club Challenge” that we raced, he raced the Camaro, and I raced the street rod. We did OK, him better than I, I never made it to 100 MPH in the ¼ mile, close, 99.7 MPH, but who’s counting, right? He was racing at the “Halloween Classic” one of the bigger races at Firebird. Rainy weekend, everyone was racing golf carts, pit bikes, the tool trucks. Rain finally broke and they VHT’ed the track. He was in the 2nd pair out and when he hit 2nd gear, it “grabbed” and broke the pinion gear, which broke the drive line which broke the transmission. We were done. Brought it home and we thanked God we had a “scatter shield” on the transmission, he undid one bolt on the bell housing and it just fell out is about 10 pieces. That was the end of our drag racing.
In ’98 We went on the America Cruise, we went all over Idaho, Utah, Colorado and Nevada. Nevada was Hot August Nights, so he wanted to end the trip that way. On the way back from Salt Lake City, we stopped at the Salt. I had an empty film canister (this was before digital cameras) and filled it with some salt as a memento of out trip. We did the HAN’s thing and make it home…4,400 miles in 3 weeks, we were tired and exhausted. The car preformed wonderfully, never had an ounce of trouble.
However, that little film canister (which I still have) was the beginning of his addiction of Bonneville Speedweek. First year he went down, he met part of the Bend in the Road Gang, many, if not most are no longer with us. He was driving the same truck with a big Lance Camper, they wouldn’t let him park with them because the camper was too new, he had to park across the road. I’m not sure if he took the camper again, but they let him camp closer. Then he got his first little vintage, a ’61 Terry, about 10+ feet. They told him that he could park with them now. Now sure when he met Crow, his “brother from another Mother & Father” but they instantly because the best of friends. He thought the world of Crow, and met a lot of other great folks, racers and just plain people who wanted to see what it was all about. Then he met you, Ian, came with nothing but yourself and car. Again, instant friendship. He was like that. He was a great judge of character, and if he liked you, he’d give you the shirt of his back. That was my John. I always resisted going to the salt, said it was his vacation with the boys, even though he asked me many times to go that I was his best friend and it would make it better.
2019 after he got home from the Salt, he had a heart attack and had to have a couple of stents put in his heart. Then 2020 we both got Covid 19, he almost died. But he was never the same after that. He had to have a knee replacement then that got messed up and he had to have another surgery on the same leg which had him in a brace like a cast for 10 weeks. He just really never recovered the use of his legs to be able to walk on his own.
2023 he begged me again to go to the Salt and meet the guys Actually, I was afraid to let him go on his own, I could drive the truck if he wasn’t able to. . I am so glad I went, it was his last trip. He passed away about 2 months after we got home. He died of Acute Myelogenous Leukemia on October 10th. 2023.
He will always be a “car guy.”
Alan
Alan would attend the Hot August Nights and after so many years of going there, he thought, it was fun but also becoming a crazy and crowded event.
With all the spectators and custom cars driving everywhere parking was a power parking gig. (save a space ) So after that he would cruise over to Bonneville to de stress, enjoy the open space and enjoy a whole different crowd.
The cars are different and if your into a week of fun and racing and getting a nice sun burn from the white salt everywhere then it’s the place to be.
He started to go just to enjoy and relax and meet a different group of racers.
Then, as it so often does, it turned into getting on a couple crews and helping with whatever problems arise. Its a fun time when you have that tool or bolts/nuts, you’re the man of the hour.
He’s built a bunch of cars from the 30’s- 60’s and enjoy the different cars that show up to race the clock on the salt at Bonneville along with all the different people your meet it’s a great time.
He’s an avid sticker collector, so he has to get the yearly blue oval sticker.
Especially, if you’re there with a group of racers who show up and either need a part or your help World Fastest Jensen comes to mind.
He’s always there with one hot rod or other and is often heard saying “Wanna go for a ride get in!”
Doc and Ted’s Excellent Adventure by ‘Uncle Ted’
Doc and I grew up in the San Gabriel valley of Southern California, which is northeast of LA. After WWII Southern California became a hotbed of hot rodding. Hot Rod Magazine, SCTA, Marine Stadium, Winter Nationals at Pomona, Lions and San Gabriel drag strips. The entire region was also home to Northrop Aviation, Lockheed, Convair, Hughes, just to name a few. The place oozed Avgas and nitro methane, a paradise for aspiring gear heads.
Doc was from Sierra Madre, a suburb of Pasadena, and me from Pasadena. We met when we were around 14 during Jr. High School
Back in the 60’s I was racing motorcycles and Doc was playing on them. Most of our friends were involved in either cars or motorcycles. Anything that had to do with internal combustion engines we were on it.
In the late 60’s several of our friends became involved with racing Off-Road in Baja. We supported them by traveling down the peninsula to remote areas and establishing support pits. Over the years many of those racers opted out of the rigors of off roading and undertook a tamer form of racing more suited for them as they aged, LSR.
I’d been hearing all sorts of stories about Bonneville for many years now. So, in 2011 I decided it was time to experience it in person. I’ve been hooked ever since.
One of the teams we know is BMR, Berg, McAllister and Robinson. All local guys we know and worked for over the years. Doug Robinson owns car 66, a 29 Ford Roadster with a Keith Black V8 in it. Doc and I have been helping out any way we could. They’ve been trying to set a record in that car for a number of years, and in 21 they did it. 307 mph! And we got to be part of it.
For me, the worst part of getting to the salt flats are the endless miles of pavement between San Diego and Wendover Ut. So, Doc and I decided to ride our Dual-Sport dirt bikes to Wendover. Dirt roads and camping was to be the name of the game. We did that for a number of years, and they were some of the best rides I’ve ever had.
Modern day cowboys sleeping on the ground under the stars, listening to the coyotes sing us to sleep each night. Waking each morning to “cowboy coffee” and a beautiful sunrise.
Oh, I can’t end this without mentioning our first meeting with Crow. One of the rides I became sick with the flu. Which turned into bronchitis. We made it to the bend and erected a sun shade for me to lay under and sleep. Doc started wandering around and ran into a German photographer who was documenting several characters that she found interesting. One of them being Crow and his Harley tattoo on his back. Doc and Crow hit it off and the rest is history. We were eventually made members of the “Bend In The Road Gang.”
We really can’t say thank you enough to the contributors for this update. Particularly Sue and Barb the two widows. We love you both and are proud to carry Hank and Johns names on the car.
The Bend in The Road Gang are part of what makes Bonneville speed week so special and we certainly wouldn’t have had as much fun if we’d not met them.
If you ever find yourself on the road to speed week and you see a bunch of old guys just sitting at the bend drinking beer. Stop, say Hi and that the Jensen guys sent you. You really won’t regret it!
