Shawn Driver didnsa国际传媒檛 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 sa国际传媒� which takes place over four days sa国际传媒� 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 Driversa国际传媒檚 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 wasnsa国际传媒檛 much time for repairs. Itsa国际传媒檚 also hard to test the car. Speed Week is the only place Driver can see how the car is performing.
sa国际传媒淯nless they let me use the airport, theresa国际传媒檚 nowhere to drive this thing,sa国际传媒� he said.
Gray says thatsa国际传媒檚 one of the scary things about the whole experience.
sa国际传媒淭his is a dangerous sport. Wesa国际传媒檝e seen friends crash. Wesa国际传媒檝e seen friends lose their lives,sa国际传媒� she said. sa国际传媒淭he officials do everything they can. The rest is up to us.sa国际传媒�
sa国际传媒淓very time, my heart goes into my throat as he drives down.sa国际传媒�
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 sa国际传媒� 286 miles per hour.
As the car was towed back to the pit area, the other drivers lined the road and cheered.
sa国际传媒淭hatsa国际传媒檚 something Isa国际传媒檒l remember for the rest of my life. I get goosebumps just telling the story,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淭he flats isnsa国际传媒檛 like other racing. Yousa国际传媒檙e not competing against each other. Yousa国际传媒檙e competing against an existing record.sa国际传媒�
sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 like a family,sa国际传媒� he added. sa国际传媒淵ou cansa国际传媒檛 explain the camaraderie. You have to experience it in the flats for yourself. Once yousa国际传媒檝e been, yousa国际传媒檙e a sodium junkie. The salt is in your blood.sa国际传媒�
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.
sa国际传媒淭heresa国际传媒檚 no money in it for them,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淪omeone from California sees a Sooke Brewing Company sticker on the car; theysa国际传媒檙e not going to know what that is. They do it because they love it.sa国际传媒�
As for the team, there are brothers Les and Lorne Holm out of Tacoma, Richard Gido and Matt Blasco, sa国际传媒渢he engine whisperersa国际传媒� 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 sa国际传媒� making him one of around 760 members of the 200 Miles Per Hour Club sa国际传媒� and is 10 mph away from earning a blue hat, which drivers earn when they break a record at speeds over 300 mph.
sa国际传媒淏ut I told Miss Daisy, I donsa国际传媒檛 look good in blue,sa国际传媒� he laughed. sa国际传媒淪o I want that black hat. Five years from now, Isa国际传媒檇 like to be in the 400 Miles Per Hour Club.sa国际传媒�
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