Avanti At Bonneville

[psdenno]

To show off the Avanti, Studebaker invited members of the motorsports press to the Bonneville Salt Flats to watch the speed runs.  The intent was to get articles in major newspapers and popular automotive magazines.  A viewing stand was set up for the press to observe the speed runs.  The trivia question for the holiday weekend is.....

Who was the Avanti driver at Bonneville who had difficulty coming to a stop after finishing a high speed run and almost plowed an Avanti through the Motorsports press viewing stand?

[mfg]

38 minutes ago, psdenno said:

To show off the Avanti, Studebaker invited members of the motorsports press to the Bonneville Salt Flats to watch the speed runs.  The intent was to get articles in major newspapers and popular automotive magazines.  A viewing stand was set up for the press to observe the speed runs.  The trivia question for the holiday weekend is.....

Who was the Avanti driver at Bonneville who had difficulty coming to a stop after finishing a high speed run and almost plowed an Avanti through the Motorsports press viewing stand?

Hmmmm!…I don’t know… the only time I’ve heard of a problem like that is at the 1971 Indianapolis 500… when the pace car, a Dodge Challenger, was driven into the pit lane too fast, failed to get stopped, and plowed into the press viewing stand injuring a few people when the stand came crashing down on top of the car.

[regnalbob]

11 hours ago, psdenno said:

Who was the Avanti driver at Bonneville who had difficulty coming to a stop after finishing a high speed run and almost plowed an Avanti through the Motorsports press viewing stand?

Sherwood Egbert

[mfg]

2 hours ago, regnalbob said:

Sherwood Egbert

Bob… Would you please tell us any details you may have about this incident?

I ask because I’ve never heard this story before… and it sounds interesting!

🤔

[psdenno]

On 5/23/2026 at 5:09 AM, mfg said:

Hmmmm!…I don’t know… the only time I’ve heard of a problem like that is at the 1971 Indianapolis 500… when the pace car, a Dodge Challenger, was driven into the pit lane too fast, failed to get stopped, and plowed into the press viewing stand injuring a few people when the stand came crashing down on top of the car.

Sounds like a good story.

[psdenno]

15 hours ago, regnalbob said:

Sherwood Egbert

Not Sherwood Egbert.

[mfg]

56 minutes ago, psdenno said:

Not Sherwood Egbert.

Could it possibly be Barbara Neiland?

[psdenno]

6 hours ago, mfg said:

Could it possibly be Barbara Neiland?

It was not Barbara Neiland.

[mfg]

23 minutes ago, psdenno said:

It was not Barbara Neiland.

Sure would like to hear who it was!!

[psdenno]

 

26 minutes ago, mfg said:

Sure would like to hear who it was!!

There's a good story that goes along with the answer to this one, so I'll wait a bit longer for a correct answer.

[mfg]

17 hours ago, psdenno said:

 

There's a good story that goes along with the answer to this one, so I'll wait a bit longer for a correct answer.

Paula Murphy ?

 (It must sound like I’m picking on women here!)

Edited 14 hours ago by mfg
Added text

[psdenno]

2 hours ago, mfg said:

Paula Murphy ?

 (It must sound like I’m picking on women here!)

Not Paula Murphy but she was present at the dinner gathering along with a small group of Avanti icons and enthusiasts when the story was told.  I'm surprised no one mentioned the Granatellis.

After dinner, Vince Granatelli told how at the end of a speed run he was trying to slow the Avanti as it headed straight toward the Press bleachers at high speed.  The Avanti wasn't slowing down and steering on the salt was less than ideal.  He was afraid he would wipe out the entire Motoring Press in the stands.  He popped the parachute and stood on the brakes and finally managed to stop the Avanti just a few feet from the Press bleachers.  Members of the Press thought it was all part of the show and stood up and cheered.

[mfg]

33 minutes ago, psdenno said:

Not Paula Murphy but she was present at the dinner gathering along with a small group of Avanti icons and enthusiasts when the story was told.  I'm surprised no one mentioned the Granatellis.

After dinner, Vince Granatelli told how at the end of a speed run he was trying to slow the Avanti as it headed straight toward the Press bleachers at high speed.  The Avanti wasn't slowing down and steering on the salt was less than ideal.  He was afraid he would wipe out the entire Motoring Press in the stands.  He popped the parachute and stood on the brakes and finally managed to stop the Avanti just a few feet from the Press bleachers.  Members of the Press thought it was all part of the show and stood up and cheered.

Wow!… GREAT STORY…. He was probably driving the Due Cento… I think  that was the only car there with a chute.

[psdenno]

4 hours ago, mfg said:

Wow!… GREAT STORY…. He was probably driving the Due Cento… I think  that was the only car there with a chute.

I don't remember him mentioning which Avanti he was driving.  But he did say that as he was trying to bring it to a stop he was worrying about how he was going to explain plowing through the bleacher full of reporters from all the top auto magazines..

[mfg]

5 hours ago, psdenno said:

I don't remember him mentioning which Avanti he was driving.  But he did say that as he was trying to bring it to a stop he was worrying about how he was going to explain plowing through the bleacher full of reporters from all the top auto magazines..

And just think…At that time Studebaker was pushing their ‘all new, sure-fire’ DISC BRAKES!!!!!