By Jeff Glucker
I’ve never been to the Bonneville Salt Flats. It’s certainly on the list of places to experience, for now, though I’ll have to settle for this wonderful video from Donut. Host man Nolan Sykes is a fan of the salt, and he’s out there with a crew trying to break into the 200 mph club. He’s doing it in a car that, quite frankly, would be terrifying to do so. That’s part of what makes this all so awesome, though, right?
The car being run lives in the C/AIR class. It’s an American Iron Roadster packing an engine that can be no larger than 372 cubic inches and no smaller than 306. The initial goal for the team arrives in the form of a 200 mph run. Beyond that, Nolan and his crew would love to break the class record, which sits a few ticks past 212 mph.
While the video is wonderfully shot, and it’s exciting to see Nolan go through his runs, the real magic of the video is with the entire team. It’s really great to hear some of the tips, tricks, and tactics employed to help this machine make its power. There’s clearly a combined knowledge at hand that encompasses many decades of tinkering and turning wrenches.
I’ve gone fast in many types of cars. I’ve even driven fast on a dry lake bed, hitting 155 mph in a very comfortable Audi S7. To attempt to hit 200 in this old roadster seems terrifying… but the sort of terrifying that also happens to be excellent.
Give the video a watch when you have some time to spare. It’s worth it.
Kamil Kaluski