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Bonneville Salt Flats

All articles tagged with #bonneville salt flats

Century‑long pursuit of speed: archive reveals land‑speed legends
sports12 days ago

Century‑long pursuit of speed: archive reveals land‑speed legends

The FIA is digitising over two million documents on the history of land‑speed records, revealing hand‑written notes and correspondence that trace the sport’s dangerous, high‑stakes evolution. Meanwhile, Andy Green’s JCB Hydromax hydrogen car set a 406.320 mph FIA land‑speed record at Bonneville, continuing a lineage that began with pioneers like Jenatzy and Campbell and later included jet/rocket eras led by Breedlove and Arfons—demonstrating a century of daring, innovation and rivalry in the quest for ever greater speeds.

Green launches hydrogen-powered bid for new land-speed records at Bonneville
technology14 days ago

Green launches hydrogen-powered bid for new land-speed records at Bonneville

Britain’s Andy Green, the only person to break the sound barrier in a car, returns to Utah’s Bonneville Salt Flats with the hydrogen-powered JCB Hydromax to chase new land-speed records, aiming to beat the diesel record of 350.092 mph and set hydrogen and electric-vehicle marks; he has reached 368.347 mph in practice, but official records require FIA verification, while hydrogen’s appeal depends on how the fuel is produced and safety considerations.

Hydromax Breaks Bonneville Speed Bar With Hydrogen Power Ahead of FIA Bid
technology15 days ago

Hydromax Breaks Bonneville Speed Bar With Hydrogen Power Ahead of FIA Bid

JCB’s Hydromax hydrogen-burning streamliner set a SCTA class record at Bonneville with a two-run average of 368.347 mph (367.141 mph first run, 369.554 mph second), fueled by twin 1,600 hp hydrogen internal-combustion engines. The result, a repeatable benchmark under SCTA rules, paves the way for an FIA-sanctioned world-record attempt while highlighting the heat and reliability challenges that must be managed under FIA restrictions.

Sound-barrier pioneer shifts to hydrogen for new Bonneville bid
technology15 days ago

Sound-barrier pioneer shifts to hydrogen for new Bonneville bid

Andy Green, the only person to break the sound barrier in a car, returns to the Bonneville Salt Flats with a hydrogen-powered JCB Hydromax aiming to beat the 350.092 mph diesel land-speed record and set hydrogen and electric LSR marks; he recently reached 368 mph in practice, with the official FIA validation expected during the attempt. The project showcases hydrogen as a potential clean-energy option, though green hydrogen currently accounts for a small share of production, and safety remains a priority.

122 MPH MoHo Triggers Debate: Is This Rapid RV Still a Motor Home?
automotive6 months ago

122 MPH MoHo Triggers Debate: Is This Rapid RV Still a Motor Home?

A 1970s GMC motor home nicknamed MoHo was retrofitted with a Ram Jet 502 engine, nitrous, and weight-saving hollowing of the interior to reach about 122 mph on the Bonneville Salt Flats, reportedly beating a land-speed record. However, the interior removal and lack of traditional motor‑home amenities raise the question of whether it still qualifies as a motor home, with critics arguing it’s more like a fast van than a proper Class A RV.

Driver Dies in High-Speed Crash at Bonneville Salt Flats
world1 year ago

Driver Dies in High-Speed Crash at Bonneville Salt Flats

A 60-year-old racer, Chris Raschke, died after losing control of his vehicle during a land-speed racing event at the Bonneville Salt Flats while attempting to set a record. The crash occurred about two and a half miles into his run, and the cause is under investigation. Raschke was an experienced speed racer and part of the Speed Demon Racing Team, known for setting speed records.

"The Origins of Utah's Salt Flats"
science-and-environment2 years ago

"The Origins of Utah's Salt Flats"

Recent research using radiocarbon analysis has revealed that the Bonneville Salt Flats are much younger than previously believed, forming between 5,400 and 3,500 years ago, millennia after the ancient Lake Bonneville disappeared. The decline of the salt flats is attributed to declining groundwater caused by human disturbances, and efforts to flood the flats may be doing more harm than good. The findings suggest that the salt flats are an ephemeral feature of the Great Basin, and their disappearance may be inevitable due to climate change and human water demands.

"Uncovering the Ever-Changing Nature of Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats"
geology2 years ago

"Uncovering the Ever-Changing Nature of Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats"

New research from the University of Utah challenges the long-held belief that the Bonneville Salt Flats were formed as Lake Bonneville dried up 13,000 years ago, revealing that the salt crusts actually began accumulating between 5,400 and 3,500 years ago. This study, published in the journal Quaternary Research, suggests that the landscape is more dynamic than previously understood, with evidence of erosion and accumulation of gypsum sand during dry periods. The findings have implications for managing the shrinking salt flats and offer insights into how this unique geological feature could be managed differently in the future.