Chasing dreams and setting records at the legendary Salt Flats
As a kid, I loved watching the coverage of the annual Bonneville Speed Trials, whenever one of the networks would feature it. The sight of all kinds of speed machines, from motorcycles to rocket cars, going flat out as fast as possible down the miles of flat salt, just captured my imagination. I dreamed of pinning the throttle on a long, low, two-wheeled, fire breathing beast, roaring through the speed traps, head down, tucked in behind a small fairing, the finish line faint in the distance ahead, breaking 200+ mph while hanging on for dear life.
Yeah, Bonneville captured my imagination.
I have often followed the legendary races and time trials in the years since. I’ve read about (and loved Anthony Hopkins’ movie “World’s Fastest Indian”) the great Burt Munro, whose life goal was to race and set records at Bonneville, both of which he achieved. From privateers like Munro and Steve Wellman, to large pro teams sponsored by Honda, Triumph, and Bridgestone, to name a few, the Bonneville Speed Trials are like no other races on the planet.
Someday, I’m going to stand on that salt and witness the races in person, even if I never get to run a split myself.
The 2026 AMA Land Speed Grand Championship will run August 23-27 at those iconic Salt Flats in Wendover, Utah. Spanning over a century of racing, the five-day event is officially recognized by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM), allowing riders to contend for both an AMA National Championship title and/or FIM World Record. “There’s nothing quite like the AMA Land Speed Grand Championship, where some of the world’s fastest motorcycles show off their straight-line speed,” AMA Track Racing Manager Ken Saillant stated.
At the week-long championship, racers and teams have the opportunity to set FIM and AMA land speed records on machines ranging from 50cc mini bikes, all the way up to 3000cc streamliners. Event classes are determined by engine displacement, modification levels, and various degrees of streamlining. Competitors range from weekend “shade tree” enthusiasts to professional race teams. Some are chasing world records; many are chasing personal goals or just fulfilling lifelong dreams. Whatever the reason(s), the thrill of pinning the throttle and going as fast as humanly possible holds an allure like few other pursuits in life.
As Peter Jones opined in his book, The Bad Editor– “It’s not so much the ultimate top speed reached that makes me all giggly inside. It’s more the speed at which that speed is reached… It’s not the fast, it’s the going faster fast.” Sounds like a Bonneville Speed Trials quip, if you ask me.
Rob
For more on the 2026 Bonneville Speed Trials, follow these links:
https://americanmotorcyclist.com/racing/track-racing/landspeed-record/
Info provided by AMA. Top photo by AMA/Liam Rathgeber
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