In terms of cool racing related movies, films focusing on land speed racing at Bonneville have been pretty damned good. “The World’s Fastest Indian” with Anthony Hopkins is a fantastic movie that brought the heroic story of Burt Munro to the masses. The next offering regarding Bonneville is days from debuting and judging by the trailer, it kicks a bucket of ass. This film, a documentary called “The Boys of Bonneville” focuses on the story of Ab Jenkins and his awesome assaults on land speed records in the late 1930s and early 1940s.
Jenkins is one of the pioneering guys that put the Bonneville Salt Flats on the map as an international mecca of speed. Jenkins was an interesting character in his day. He was a clean living Mormon guy who was also a fearless and talented race car driver in an era filled with chain smoking, whisky chugging, daredevils. Jenkins set endurance driving records on the salt, running around a 10 mile oval course for 24 hours straight in 1932 with an average speed of 112mph in a modified Pierce Arrow. Reportedly he fueled every two hours and never left the seat. His feats of endurance, speed and strength only went on from there.
We’re not going to wreck the whole awesome story for you. So hit play below and watch the trailer for “The Boys of Bonneville”.
Boys of Bonneville Movie Trailer from Price Museum of Speed on Vimeo.
Wow, that’s awesome
I can hardly wait! I’ve been reading about Ab Jenkins since I was a young man enthralled with all things Bonneville. It’s about time someone told this story.
Ia m trying to find a copy of the song back home in Indiana by Jenda Wight song in the movie.