In Utah, the remains of a prehistoric lake left a flat surface that is perfect for high speeds. This competition is not side-by-side, but against the clock. The aim at Bonneville is to see how fast you can go along a straight black line ten miles long. Other records are for the fastest speeds over longer distances and times, driving around a circle 12 miles in circumference.
A variety of cars went to Bonneville beginning in the 1910s to see which was the fastest, all under the careful eye of the AAA. By the 1930s, Bonneville was the world’s foremost venue for land speed record attempts, and remains so today. The three cars in this exhibit either competed at Bonneville, or represent their manufacturer’s efforts to compete there.
