(Photo credit Salt Lake Tribune) – As the land speed racing world waits on pins and needles for the final announcement from the SCTA-BNI on the fate of the scheduled 2015 Bonneville Speed Week, the Salt Lake Tribune has released a news story that involves the Bureau of Land Management and its opinions on the condition of the salt flats. In short, everything you have been hearing from the SCTA is 100% spot on and that’s pretty crummy news.

Basically, in many areas the salt is paper thin or completely gone, exposing the mud below. Opinions on why this is happening tend to vary. For instance the BLM believes the salt degradation has happened due to the natural dissolving process that occurs when pools of water are evaporated by the sun and wind. Most of the Bonneville racing community feel that the Potash plants that flood the salt flats and essentially harvest their potassium from the salt have caused this problem. The program that was implemented in the late 1990s where the potassium companies have to pump the salt water back onto the salt flats when they are done with it is overseen by the BLM and they claim that while the companies are doing what they need to do, it just does not help to maintain the salt layer. The BLM has called on the University of Utah to perform a comprehensive study of what’s happening so that it can be better understood.

While all of that is good, it does nothing for the thousands of us that are planning, wishing, and hoping to spend some precious days on the salt watching, reporting, and spectating when some of the coolest vehicles in the country let it all hang out in the chase for records and thrills. SCTA officials have hinted at an event with two courses one short and one really short. They have also said that 7/22 will be decision date and if not then, a little before. With two short courses, the huge numbers expected from cars like the new Speed Demon will not be likely and some competitors may opt to not come. The reality is that the majority of the cars can run successfully on the shorter courses but it does change the entire event and the way it operates. For example, there were something like five courses a few years ago.

We are hoping for the best and look forward to covering the event. We’ll keep you posted on further developments. For now, read the story below.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THIS SALT LAKE TRIBUNE STORY ON THE SALT