August 1966 Salt flat speed trials

In 1907, Bill Rishel and his business partners were the first to drive a Pierce-Arrow automobile across Utah’s vast Bonneville Salt Flats. Seven years later, Teddy Tetzlaff set a land speed record on the flats, pushing a custom Blitzen-Benz to 141.73 miles per hour.

After Utah local Ab Jenkins set a new endurance record by driving a Pierce-Arrow in a continuous 10-mile loop for 24 hours at an average speed of 112.9 miles per hour, the flats became the go-to spot for speed freaks looking to smash records.

Drivers descended on the flats from around the world, bringing with them custom-designed vehicles with precisely streamlined bodies and extraordinarily powerful engines.

Various classes of competing vehicles emerged, including streamliners, roadsters, and by the early ‘60s, jet-powered cars.

By the time of these speed trials in August 1966, jet cars were reaching land speeds of over 600 miles per hour.

Bert Munro works on his streamlined Indian Scout with an Alex Tremulis-designed Detroit Triumph Gyronaut X-1 in the background

The Ratliff & Zook E/Gas Roadster, which posted a 158.45 mile per hour speed.

Bill and Bob Summers stand alongside their record-setting Summers Brothers "Golden Rod" streamliner.

The Deeds and Saderup Studebaker, the class trophy winner in the D/Fuel Coupe and Sedan Division with 191.48 miles per hour

J.R. Lufkin's #646 C/Modified Sports entry with sponsorship from Autolite and performance mods from AK Miller.

The rocket-powered Wingfoot Express 2 built by Walt Arfons, propelled by the use of 35 Jet-Assisted Take Off pods.

Art Arfons stands alongside his jet-propelled "Green Monster."

Donald Barr's H-Class Streamliner, which attained a speed of 145.92 miles per hour.

The Hammon-McGrath-Appenfels "Redhead" with the engine cowling removed to expose the supercharged Hemi powerplant inside.

The Designers International Special, "Tempest in a T-pot" streamliner campaigned by team Ron Benham and Don Hurley

The Larson-Cummins Streamliner, which took home the D-Class trophy for its 225 miles per hour run.

The Summers Brothers "Goldenrod" C-Class Streamliner makes a run on the sal

Du Kodachrome, ces photos? Ça claque grave, les couleurs!

Superbe