Shawn Driver didn乌鸦传媒檛 even plan to be in the U.S. when the World Finals took place at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah this fall.
Despite what the name suggests, the World Finals 乌鸦传媒� which takes place over four days 乌鸦传媒� is a smaller event than Bonneville Speed Week, About 600 drivers attend Speed Week in August, while 100 go to the World Finals in September.
But an unfortunate transmission failure during Speed Week meant Driver and his team missed out on the record they were trying to set in the Altered Coupe class. He left the car, a 1953 Studebaker, with its 1955 Hemi Studebaker tow vehicle and hauler in storage, in Utah.
With Driver乌鸦传媒檚 car failing, another team broke his record, and Driver wanted it back. Luckily because the World Finals are in September, conditions are cooler, and the salt is harder.
Driver and his partner Donna (Miss Daisy) Gray travelled back up to their welding and car parts shop in Sooke, with plans to return for the World Finals a month later, the first time they would ever attend the event.
But first, Driver had to get the car working again, which involved welding the main transmission shaft back together. There wasn乌鸦传媒檛 much time for repairs. It乌鸦传媒檚 also hard to test the car. Speed Week is the only place Driver can see how the car is performing.
乌鸦传媒淯nless they let me use the airport, there乌鸦传媒檚 nowhere to drive this thing,乌鸦传媒� he said.
Gray says that乌鸦传媒檚 one of the scary things about the whole experience.
乌鸦传媒淭his is a dangerous sport. We乌鸦传媒檝e seen friends crash. We乌鸦传媒檝e seen friends lose their lives,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淭he officials do everything they can. The rest is up to us.乌鸦传媒�
乌鸦传媒淓very time, my heart goes into my throat as he drives down.乌鸦传媒�
Driver managed to get the car fixed. But anyone attempting a record needs to do two runs, and the average is where the record is set.
On the first day, Driver hit 291 mph (468 km/h). The current record, broken six weeks prior at Speed Week, was 256. But Driver needed a good second run. Waking up at the crack of dawn, Driver completed his second run and set a new world record 乌鸦传媒� 286 miles per hour.
As the car was towed back to the pit area, the other drivers lined the road and cheered.
乌鸦传媒淭hat乌鸦传媒檚 something I乌鸦传媒檒l remember for the rest of my life. I get goosebumps just telling the story,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淭he flats isn乌鸦传媒檛 like other racing. You乌鸦传媒檙e not competing against each other. You乌鸦传媒檙e competing against an existing record.乌鸦传媒�
乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 like a family,乌鸦传媒� he added. 乌鸦传媒淵ou can乌鸦传媒檛 explain the camaraderie. You have to experience it in the flats for yourself. Once you乌鸦传媒檝e been, you乌鸦传媒檙e a sodium junkie. The salt is in your blood.乌鸦传媒�
While Driver is driving at breakneck speeds, it takes a village to get the car there. Sponsors include local companies like Sooke Brewing Company, Lordco Auto Parts in Langford, Canamera Refrigerated Transport in Saanichton, and individuals like Rod Zaran and Curtis Halvorson to companies like TBM and DIYMS3Pro in California and Georgia.
乌鸦传媒淭here乌鸦传媒檚 no money in it for them,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淪omeone from California sees a Sooke Brewing Company sticker on the car; they乌鸦传媒檙e not going to know what that is. They do it because they love it.乌鸦传媒�
As for the team, there are brothers Les and Lorne Holm out of Tacoma, Richard Gido and Matt Blasco, 乌鸦传媒渢he engine whisperer乌鸦传媒� out of Alberta, and Vancouver Islanders Richard Norton, Richard Eldridge, Scott Macdonald and Carl Scott, owner of Sooke Brewing Company. Scott even got behind the wheel himself this year, earning his rookie license, allowing him to drive up to 149 miles per hour.
Driver has his red hat 乌鸦传媒� making him one of around 760 members of the 200 Miles Per Hour Club 乌鸦传媒� and is 10 mph away from earning a blue hat, which drivers earn when they break a record at speeds over 300 mph.
乌鸦传媒淏ut I told Miss Daisy, I don乌鸦传媒檛 look good in blue,乌鸦传媒� he laughed. 乌鸦传媒淪o I want that black hat. Five years from now, I乌鸦传媒檇 like to be in the 400 Miles Per Hour Club.乌鸦传媒�
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