Bonneville Speed Week

As time goes by, and environmental conditions combined with irresponsible mining thin the famous salt flats, racing at Bonneville becomes ever more precarious. Every year there’s always a chance that the flats will be flooded and events won’t take place. But usually they do. And then competitors and visitors are treated to a sight like no other, one that’s enchanted petrolheads since the early days of motoring, and really took off with hot-rodding in the 1940s. This is where Malcolm Campbell achieved the first-ever 300mph pass, in 1935, where Craig Breedlove and Art Arfons battled throughout the 1960s for the Land Speed Record, and where Gary Gabelich achieved over 1000km/h (630mph) in the rocket powered Blue Flame in 1970. There are two major events held at Bonneville now: Speed Week and the World Finals. We prefer Speed Week for the sheer variety of machinery. Conditions are harsh, accommodation in nearby Wendover is sparse and basic, but can you say you’re a true car guy if you haven’t done Bonneville?