The 2009 SCTA/BNI Speed Week at the Bonneville Salt Flats is slowly drawing to a close as teams set records, blow up, or just plain fail. Meanwhile, the fastest cars of Bonneville are still in a fight for top time of the meet. On Tuesday, the Poteet and Main Speed Demon, which had been plagued with drivetrain issues, finally put together a solid run at 387 mph. Today, the Team Nish Royal Purple streamliner stepped up with a very threatening 385-mph run.

The purple Nish streamliner is now sitting in Impound, waiting for its record return run first thing Thursday morning. As a result, the Poteet and Main Speed Demon team sensed the pressure, and stepped up the heat by deciding that they also needed to run in the morning to protect their position.

While both streamliner crews are craving a 400-mph pass, the real goal is to get the Hot Rod Top Time Trophy, which has been awarded since 1949 for the best single flying-mile time of Speed Week.

What makes this battle even more interesting is how different these two streamliners are. The 385-mph Nish car runs a 720ci Klein big-block Chevy, naturally aspirated, and making 1,600 horsepower. The Speed Demon runs a 300ci GM Gen III engine with a single 117mm turbo by Kenny Duttweiler.

We’ll be there catching all the action and will let you know what 400 mph looks like. Assuming that one of these beasts accomplishes that feat.

Here are some photos from the Team Nish 385-mph effort on Wednesday afternoon. Click here for more on the 387 mph Speed Demon.

 Mike Nish just prior to getting out of the Team Nish Streamliner after running 385 mph Wednesday at the 2009 SCTA Speed Week

Good job Dad.