While Danny Thompson’s awesome 450mph run in the Challenger 2 has been relegated to third fastest at this year’s 2018 SCTA Bonneville Speed Week, for many it will be a lifetime highlight to be able to brag to their friends that they saw it in person. Emotionally nothing will top the sensation that everyone on the salt flats felt when that monster speed was announced and Thompson reached a stated goal from years and years ago. Hitting 450mph was what he wanted to do and ultimately Danny Thompson did it. As this video will show you, it wasn’t easy and it required him to call on all of the associated skills that he has acquired as a land speed racer over the years, going faster and faster.
The car is powered by twin, nitro burning injected Chrysler hemi style engines that make thousands of horsepower a piece. It is shifted by a simple pair of switches on the steering wheel and it is driven with a deft touch on the throttle and a manly grip on the butterfly style wheel. When you see Thompson clicking the switches right around 7,200 RPM you’ll hear the hemi engines sounding happy. When you witness Thompson steering the car lock to lock at 400mph you’ll understand what kind of intestinal fortitude the men and women on the salt exhibit when they hammer their cars to top speed.
Speed has a meaning that’s different to different people. Bonneville racers depend on speed as their measuring stick for skill both in engineering and behind the wheel. Danny Thompson relied on speed to denote the moment he achieved a decades long dream. This is an amazing thing to watch, from the moment he stands on the gas to the moment he flips the hatch open.
So, so great!
I am shocked at the amount of steering wheel movement. I didn’t think
that the wheel would have that much movement.
He wanted that bad! I’m pretty fearless, but I couldn’t see myself keeping the hammer down through a couple of 400+ MPH fishtails.
What is priceless is the guys who went faster will have an asterisk after their record and the fine print will say “But Danny’s run was more important”
It’s amazing how fast all of them go, and also the drive to do so – but I’m not sure that I would run after Danny’s run because no one will remember the faster runs or who they are….
Man those engines sound sweet . too bad the salt is about the the riding the knife edge of traction because they sound like they could have more in them .
WOW!