Quarter-miles are a lot of fun, but if you really want to see fast cars-those that run flat-out for top-speed supremacy-it might be time to attend some events that traverse a bit more geography. It takes a long, wide-open space to see how fast your car really is, and if you want to find out legally and safely, there is a growing list of options. One thing's for sure, there's nothing like going WTFO and letting it eat! You know you want it.
Historically, there were few places rodders could test their metal and their mettle at top speed, but nowadays sand, salt, and pavement venues exist across the country to run your rod. Some of them, like Bonneville, El Mirage, and Maxton are straight-line affairs, while others like Silver State and Big Bend, take on some serious high-speed sweeping turns on public roadways. The pucker factor is absolutely incredible, and any search of YouTube will cough up dozens of hair-raising rides.
The good news is that while you can crest 200 at any of these events with the right equipment, none require joining the 200-mph club to be part of the fun. Fortunately, there are a variety of classes for different types of cars and drivers, so you will be able to find your own comfort zone easily. If you've got a car that can handle the exertion, and if you've got the nerve to keep your foot on the floor, here are 14 events you could go 200 mph or more!
Land Speed Racing
Event: El Mirage
Organizer: Southern California Timing Association (SCTA)
Track locale: El Mirage dry lake bed, El Mirage, California
Why go? After the closing of Muroc dry lake to rodders at the start of WWII, El Mirage became the place for southern California racers to run their iron and is still an active location for racers of all types seeking "Dirty 2" honors.
Get more info: www.SCTA-BNI.org
Event: Speed Week
Organizer: Southern California Timing Association (SCTA)
Track locale: Bonneville Salt Flats, outside Wendover, Utah
Why go? It's quite literally the genesis of hot rodding and is still home to some of the most innovative hot rods and hot rodders, as well as the fastest.
Get more info:
www.SCTA-BNI.orgEvent: World Of Speed
Organizer: Utah Salt Flats Racing Association (USFRA)
Track locale: Bonneville Salt Lake, Utah
Why go? The USFRA has 130mph and 150mph clubs for those wanting to run near stock or mild competition vehicles-perfect for getting your first taste of the salt.
Get more info: www.SaltFlats.com
Open Road Racing
Event: Big Bend Open Road Race
Organizer: Big Bend Open Road Race
Track locale: U.S. Highway 285 south from Fort Stockton, Texas, to Sanderson, Texas, and back
Why go? Big Bend lays claim to the title of "Most Challenging Open Road Race in the World" due to the amount of curves that demand driver attention.
Get more info: www.BBORR.com
Event: Bonneville 100
Organizer: MKM Racing Promotions
Track locale: Highway 93A, Wendover, Nevada
Why go? On the first leg of the race, racers climb almost 2,000 feet in altitude (4,400 to 6,200 feet), then after a short turnaround, they race back toward Wendover at full-throttle downhill.
Get more info: www.OpenRoadRacing.com
Event: Chihuahua Express
Organizer: Silver State Classic Challenge (SSCC) International Series
Track locale: City of Chihuahua, State of Chihuahua, Mexico
Why go? Staged rally racing in a scenic foreign country for a reasonable price. It's like the La Carrera Panamericana without the vehicle vintage restrictions.
Get more info: www.SilverStateClassic.com & www.SSCC.us
Event: Sandhills Open Road Challenge (SORC)
Organizer: Sandhills Open Road Challenge
Track locale: Arnold, Nebraska
Why go? It's designed to be similar to the European rally style of racing with more than 50 hazards, and straits as long as three miles. SORC also claims their road race is the most demanding event of its kind.
Get more info:
www.SORCRace.comEvent: Silver State Classic Challenge & Nevada Open Road Challenge
Organizer: Silver State Classic Challenge (SSCC), sanctioned by American Indy Car Series
Track locale: Nevada Highway 318 just south of Lund, Nevada
Why go? The SSCC is one of the biggest and best organized open road races in the country. It's also certified by Guinness World Records as the world's fastest road race with a standing average speed record of 207.78 set by Chuck Shafer and Gary Bockman in 2000.
Get more info: www.SilverStateClassic.com & www.SSCC.us
Standing Mile
Event: High Noon Shootout at the Classic Corral
Organizer: Silver State Classic Challenge (SSCC)
Track locale: SR-490 in Ely, Nevada
Why go? The High Noon Shootout is its own event, but it takes place on the Saturday before the NORC and SSCC events to allow racers to test their cars at speed and perform final tuning and reliability checks. Participants are allowed as many runs as possible within the time allowed by the road closure permit.
Get more info: www.SilverStateClassic.com & www.SSCC.us
Event: The Maine Event
Organizer: The Loring Timing Association (LTA)
Track locale: Loring AFB, Maine
Why go? At 2.5 miles long, the LTA racetrack is claimed to be the longest asphalt LSR surface available for competition in the world, and perhaps the flattest and best kept.
Get more info: www.LTA-LSR.com
Event: Maxton Mile (Hot Rod Magazine Top Speed Challenge)
Organizer: East Coast Timing Association (ECTA)
Track locale: Laurinburg/Maxton Army Airbase, Maxton, North Carolina
Why go? Founded by two Bonneville racers, the ECTA endeavors to bring real land speed racing to those on the East Coast. With no dry lakes existing east of the Mississippi, an old runway was pressed into service for record passes.
Get more info: www.ECTA-LSR.com
Event: Mojave Mile
Organizer: MKM Racing Promotions
Track locale: Mojave Air and Space Port, a private airfield in Mojave, California
Why go? It's one of the few pure standing-mile competitions on the West Coast and takes place on a 12,000-foot runway with accurate laser timing equipment, safety response teams, and a huge paddock area with PA system, catered food, and overnight setup capability.
Get more info:
www.MojaveMile.comEvent: One-Mile Shootout
Organizer: Sandhills Open Road Challenge (SORC)
Track locale: Arnold, Nebraska
Why go? Held the same August weekend as the Sandhills Open Road Challenge, the one-mile shootout allows prerace testing in a straight-line format.
Get more info: www.SORCRace.com
Event: Texas Mile
Organizer: Texas Mile
Track locale: Goliad Industrial Air Park, outside Goliad, Texas
Why go? The three-day event has grown quickly since its first running in 2003, probably due to its family friendly nature and unlimited runs.
Hot Rod, Motor Trend, and Automobile magazines have all attended events there. Maybe it's our turn?
Get more info: www.TexasMile.net
Learn More!
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