OFF THE RECORD

Contending Classic Car Counsel

By Fred A. Simpson

Mark L. Jones spends his spare time and money by “motoring” on Utah’s Bonneville Salt Flats, a time-consuming and expensive hobby, indeed. That’s of course when Mark is not pursuing his extensive law practice at Jackson Walker, advising directors on their fiduciary or statutory duties or explaining to them such things as the intricacies and pitfalls of the Troubled Asset Relief Program,

When racing, Mark typically wears a “fire suit” weighing 25 pounds and worth its $1,500 pricetag. [Imagine wearing 25 pounds of clothing in a desert environment.] That suit is designed to allow only 30 seconds for the wearer/driver to exit a flaming vehicle, possibly traveling more than 200 miles per hour when fire breaks out. The car is equipped with a “Halon” fire suppression system and with a parachute to help slow the vehicle in an emergency.

Mark personally achieved a recorded speed of 186 miles per hour in a 1927 Ford, but his next goal is to upgrade to the “Bonneville 200 MPH Club”1 which requires (a)driving the course in excess of 200 miles per hour, and (b)setting some form of new world record in motor racing at that 200-plus speed. Even so, Mark’s description of the thrills and challenges of driving at a mere 186 miles per hour for an extended distance on the salt flats is fascinating.

Mark is a member of the “Contrivance Engineering Racing Team” based in Houston, under the leadership of Neil Akkerman, a retired businessman. Other team members include a chief executive officer, a chief operating officer, and several oilfield engineers. This team already holds eight land speed records between 215 and 280 miles per hour in an old car on the Bonneville Salt Flats, and the team plans to build an all-wheel drive vehicle that should achieve more than 600 miles per hour, greater than existing world records.

Mark’s interest in classic cars began at age 14 when his grandfather (a car collector and Galveston beach racer) gave him a 1934 Ford that required lots of hands-on encouragement to stay mobile. His interest in renovating classic cars was founded on that maintenance experience. Mark now owns eight classic vehicles which he keeps in his garage and in a rented warehouse: three 1932 Fords and five 1934 Fords. Most of these vehicles have won high awards as restored cars in their respective classes. Mark is currently rebuilding one of the 1932 Ford roadsters into a 1940’s vintage racer in which he expects to compete next year. This racer has some of the rarest vintage speed equipment available in the late 1940’s, including a Sc.O.T. Italmeccanica blower, Navarro high compression engine heads, and Halibrand quick-change rear-end.

1. For more information on Bonneville go to www.bonnevilleracing.com.

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