What this country needs is another Cannonball Run... and yes it's a real, illegal, unsanctioned race from NYC to LA. And it's awesome 🏎️🏁
The race is also known as the Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash.
The race is run on public roads over a distance of 2,800 miles (4,500 km) without official rules or a governing body.
The goal is to set the Cannonball record, which is a highly sought-after prize for auto enthusiasts.
The race began in the 1970s, starting at the Red Ball Garage in New York City and ending at the Portofino Inn in Los Angeles.
Conceived by car magazine writer and auto racer Brock Yates and fellow Car and Driver editor Steve Smith, the first run was not a competitive race as only one team was running.
The run was intended both as a celebration of the United States Interstate Highway System and as a protest against strict traffic laws coming into effect at the time.
Another motivation was the fun involved, which showed in the tongue-in-cheek reports in Car and Driver and other auto publications worldwide.
The 1979 running of the race inspired one of my favorite movies... The Cannonball Run... starring Burt Reynolds and other greats such as Sir Roger Moore and Farrah Fawcett and many more🍿🎥👍
The race has continued to take place every year since then, with the Portofino Hotel remaining the final destination.
Some participants build special cars for the race, adding extra fuel tanks to reduce the need for stops and technology to help them avoid speeding tickets.
For example, one car featured a radar detector, a police scanner, and switches to disable the brake lights and taillights at night.
The record for the fastest time to complete the race was 25 hours and 39 minutes, set by Arne Toman in an Audi S6.
#engineering #engineers #design #racing #automotive
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