Cannon Ball run new record set

[Mark Gregory]

A Team Exploited the Coronavirus Pandemic to Set a 26-Hour 38-Minute Cross-Country Record

Cannonball purists are criticizing the run as grossly irresponsible while the nation deals with an emergency of unseen magnitude.

Cannonball Run team sets new record by driving from NYC to LA in 26 hours and 38 minutes - but are accused of taking advantage of traffic-free streets during coronavirus lockdowns

• Team set new Cannonball Run record by driving from New York City to Los Angeles, California, in 26 hours and 38 minutes 
• Last record was set in November 2019 in 27 hours and 25 minutes
• Crew and the specific route taken have not been announced yet
• Stay-at-home orders and social distancing have emptied roads nationwide 
• Some Cannonball fans have said doing a Cannonball Run during the COVID-19 trial is irresponsible and should not count
• Alex Roy, who set the first modern record in 2006, cautioned against possible road accidents involving medical supplies trucks 

[Paul Dobbin]

That''s better than 100 MPH average.  To fast for me.

[Joe in Canada]

So it was safer when Alex Roy did it saying there was no ambulances, fire trucks,  baby carriages or such when he did it.  

[Steve Moskowitz]

Sorry I am all for racing but I have a problem with this.  Cross Country at over 100 MPH shows no respect for others on the roads.  Breaking a "record" by using an unfair advantage also does not seem to me to be a record.  Just plain irresponsible and if one of these guys ever causes a major accident the regular racing community will suffer nonetheless.  

[John S.]

I agree with you Steve. During these horrible times, to do something that mindless, there are no words to describe their actions. Ponderous 

[padgett]

I recall seeing a VW move up and over about 10 feet when passed by something exceeding the ton & going the other way on a TLB. Collateral damage ?

 

Would expect they had vehicles or maybe aircraft covering the route in front to make sure is clear. Can a drone exceed 100 mph ?

[Gunsmoke]

Garbage written about garbage, can I politely ask that this example of stupidity and recklessness be removed. Thanks.

[Marty Roth]

Just plain irresponsible ,

and I remember the Red Ball Garage from the earliest days of the original.

Back when I was young and involved, I didn't have the resources.

Now I'm much older, and wouldn't consider participating - much less wasting the resources.

[Trulyvintage]

Why Glorify This ?

 

Delete This Thread Please

 

 

Jim

[C Carl]

Keep it up, please. Transcontinental speed records have been broken since the days when REAL antique cars were brand new. Been going on now for over a century. Fact of life whether one makes a value judgment or not. If someone sets a record, along comes another guy to break it. E.G. "Cannonball" Baker set the record in 1915 in a Stutz, and then broke his own record the next year in a Cadillac. In 1924 Baker set a new record  in a Gardner in just over 4 1/2 days. Then in 1926 Ab Jenkins breaks the record in a new Studebaker, 86 hours and 20 minutes. Baker went on to set new records for various makes, culminating in 1933 with a 53 hour run in a Graham - Paige Bluestreak. That record stood for over 40 years ! Now look : you have people ramrodding hot dogs to claim fame. They twirl hula-hoops. Don't they eat jalapeño peppers ? They jump. They run. They do silly things. They do dangerous things. Just tempts competitive types to try to do 'em one better. Hopefully, this new record will be let to stand for over 40 years. By that time, virus or no virus, I expect what folks the tortured world will be able to support at that time, will have more important things to worry about. For you young'uns who will then be about the same age as I am now, you tell 'em Cadillac Carl told you so.   -   Cadillac Carl 

[Rusty_OToole]

How many know that the original Cannonball Baker Sea To Shining Sea Memorial Trophy Dash was to protest the 55MPH speed limit described by the organizer Brock Yates as the silliest law since Prohibition?

The competition was run for several years by over 100 participants and the most serious accident was when the Polish Racing Drivers of America took a corner too fast in their Winnebago, and a pan of lasagna went all over the carpet.

As C Carl pointed out such record runs have been made for over 100 years and so far as I know there have been no fatalities and no serious accidents.  A fast car in the hands of a skilled professional driver, or even a good amateur, is safer than a lot of people think.

[60FlatTop]

When Bill Warner, one of the Cannonball Run Team members, was the guest speaker at the AACA  annual meeting the records show  he no one jumping from the audience and calling him irresponsible. That was 2017.

There are a lot of favorable comments related to the Cannonball Run in previous Forum topics. Should those be deleted as well?

 

It is a general topic about cars and it really happened.

Bernie

[capngrog]

21 hours ago, Steve Moskowitz said:

Sorry I am all for racing but I have a problem with this.  Cross Country at over 100 MPH shows no respect for others on the roads.  Breaking a "record" by using an unfair advantage also does not seem to me to be a record.  Just plain irresponsible and if one of these guys ever causes a major accident the regular racing community will suffer nonetheless.  

 

Actually, the case could be made that doing a run during these times of minimum road traffic is safer and more responsible than doing the run during times of normal, crowded roads.   I agree that the very concept of averaging more than 100 mph in a cross country run is dangerous and irresponsible; however, they do seem to have a pretty good safety record.

 

Does anyone have information on crashes that may have occurred during one of these cross country runs?  I seem to vaguely recall, within the last 20 years or so, something about a "supercar" that crashed while participating.

 

In my opinion, this thread should not be deleted.

 

Stay healthy out there.

 

Cheers,

Grog

[Steve Moskowitz]

First, no intention of taking the thread down, it does not warrant it.  Secondly, I was the moderator for Bill's speech and I know he is a fan of the Cannonball as a lot of others are.  He is a good friend. Doesn't make him right or it sensible especially in these times.  One, they are breaking the law in virtually every state by many miles per hour.  Any respect for law enforcement here?  No, just someone who thinks they are above the law.  No difference than street racing.  While you and I may have done it when we were a teenager, maturity should bring better decision making. 

 

So there is a good safety record?  How does that justify it?  Great drivers?  Great drivers have accidents as well.  To me, this stunt is tone deaf to the times, potentially could have endangered law enforcement and taken them from something more important and as I said could give the responsible racing community a bad name.  Just my opinion and others are welcome to theirs!

[trimacar]

Well, I’ll be the old fuddy duddy...

 

I like a good race.  In a controlled environment, where danger to the people not racing is minimal.

 

The cross country race endangers innocent lives, and there’s no way to say it doesn’t.  All it takes is one non-participant to zig instead of zag and BAM people die.

 

And, as mentioned, in some areas of the country today, such a wreck would put a strain on responders and/or hospitals.

 

It’s the same as driving down the Interstate and some young gunner goes by at a hundred miles an hour two feet from my car on the right shoulder, which has happened.  I don’t really care if his stupidity hurts him, but he’s endangered me and my family, and that isnt acceptable in any way, shape, or form.

 

To say this race is great, or to celebrate it, condones irresponsibility. My opinion.....

[CarNucopia]

Maybe the upside to the new record under these conditions is it'll make so difficult to beat in the future, perhaps far less people will even try.

 

 

[gossp]

While I completely agree that the whole concept of running these speeds on public roads is irresponsible and dangerous,  the pandemic has nothing to do with me feeling that way. The people trying it before Coronavirus were just as bad... that said, I couldn’t look up what kind of car was used fast enough. 
 

Audi A8 with some extra fuel tanks in the trunk. 

[padgett]

ntersesting:

1) agree it is not something I would do but had plenty of race time in my yout, mainly Corvettes and Jags but once a Mack dump truck, if it was a sanctioned competition involving wheels I was in. But then if you could make it across a state or county line ahead of the Smokey, you were home free.

2) Gumball Rally is a great movie and was triggered by the CBSTSSMTD. My copy (DVD now) includes the Jag non-competition but then I seek out original, uncut versions (have Vanishing Point with Charlotte Rampling and Gone in 60 Seconds with the original soundtrack

3) Right now the public needs Circuses

4) Am glad I succumbed to the desire for a 75" TV last year, is better than any grandstand seat. Though used to be able to tune into the crews on my radio. Do have closed captions.

5) Life is very different now and suspect it will be in the future as people get used to a new life. Has happened before & everything has unintended consequences. Perry Georgia uses to be a motel capitol. Then the NMSL came into effect and the main stopping place moved.

6) In an extreme thought, convertibles will go away and HEPA cabin filters will become popular.

7) Bottom line, being somewhat of a contrarian, like the report just want to know what kind of car was it and did they have diplomatic plates ?

 

So back to building a LAN with BBB on a local server so when ZOOM goes away I'll be ready. And if not it passes my time. Do not plan to leave my cave until Monday.

 

ps Florida has everything. Is a toilet paper factory running 24/7 just 40 miles away.

[Bhigdog]

Thing of it is...... it proves NOTHING.

Back in the day it was a valid test of contemporary engineering, materials, and construction.

Today any buffoon with too much time and money can buy any number of off the shelf cars that can complete the race without breaking a sweat.

So.........What's the point?............Bob

[padgett]

OTOH it is what makes America great: when faced with a challenge, a thousand nuts will come out of the woodwork with an answer AND SOME WILL BE RIGHT. May recall I said over a month ago that within three months there would be an effective answer. No idea what, just that at least one (looks like three already) would surface. Several times in my career (mostly military stuff) I designed products around components that did not exist - but would. My ZX-81 has a prototype 2kx8 chip that doubled memory.

 

So believe in the attitude that any challenge has a solution and is often something we could not even imagine. Not going to get into whether the challenge is PC just that some will always respond. And doubt that any sweat was involved, Audis have AC.

[Terry Bond]

So, let's see if they cancel the Running of the Bulls.

Terry

[SC38dls]

Am I missing the point of the race?  Originally wasn’t it for a protest about the national 55 mph limit?  The point of the race was to do it within the 55 mph limit. Basically a road rally for time/distance with only one check point. Who could average 55 across the country. It wasn’t for the fastest time was it?  
Dave S 

[padgett]

Check the wikipedia. Original CBSTSSMTD was in 1971, several years before the NMSL. Gumball Rally (1976) centered on the 55.

[CarNucopia]

5 minutes ago, SC38DLS said:

Am I missing the point of the race?  Originally wasn’t it for a protest about the national 55 mph limit?  The point of the race was to do it within the 55 mph limit. Basically a road rally for time/distance with only one check point. Who could average 55 across the country. It wasn’t for the fastest time was it?  
Dave S 

 

The point wasn't to average 55 MPH. The point was to show it was safe to drive faster. The first modern record was set by Brock Yates and Dan Gurney in a Ferrari Daytona.

[Bloo]

The point was to better the coast-to-coast speed record set by Cannonball Baker driving a supercharged Graham in the early 1930s. Despite huge improvements in roads and construction of interstate highways, the record stood until Brock Yates broke it in 1971. Attempts to better the record have been happening ever since. It was and is an all out attempt for the fastest time. I can assure you nobody was doing 55 MPH.

 

For what it's worth, the 55 MPH speed limit did not yet exist in 1971.

[Marty Roth]

17 hours ago, Bloo said:

 For what it's worth, the 55 MPH speed limit did not yet exist in 1971.

 

True -

It came about as a result of fuel shortages resulting from the 1974 "Arab Oil Embargo" 

Edited April 12, 2020 by Marty Roth
corrected the year - thanks, Padgett (see edit history)

[padgett]

"The National Maximum Speed Law (NMSL) was a provision of the federal government of the United States 1974 Emergency Highway Energy Conservation Act that prohibited speed limits higher than 55 miles per hour (89 km/h). It was drafted in response to oil price spikes and supply disruptions during the 1973 oil crisis and remained the law until 1995.

While federal officials hoped gasoline consumption would fall by 2.2%, the actual savings were estimated at between 0.5% and 1%." Wikipedia

 

In Texas and Florida "at 55 you just never got there."

 

Only thing sillier was the 1974 seat belt interlock law.

[Studemax]

To the whiners and moaners saying this thread should be removed..

 

Truth is not insulting, and reality is not an attack. 

Edited April 12, 2020 by Studemax (see edit history)

[plymouthcranbrook]

 

I suspect the real danger of the Cannonball is the fact of dealing with every other driver on the road interstate or not.  Maneuvering around them and through them is the real danger.  Every one of us has been passed  by someone on the Interstate doing 20-30 MPH over the limit and we know most people drive 10 over as a matter of course.  My Sister-in-Law routinely goes 100 MPH on the Illinois Tollway around Chicago and she is 63 years old.  I drive a school bus and to keep my CDL I need to keep well within the rules of the road with the fact that all violations have double points for CDL's.  Driving the speed limit I am usually the slowest car out there.  I remember the thrilling days of yesteryear crossing Ohio at 55 MPH as well and Ohio would ticket you at 56 if the Officer wanted to write it. So that said I don't really support the idea of a non stop speed dash across America I can kind of understand why they do it.

Edited April 13, 2020 by plymouthcranbrook (see edit history)

[Mpgp1999]

Does anyone have any photos? 
what was the vehicle used? Do we have any information about the the trip? Any facts?

[1937hd45]

I think it is safe to say the vehicle wasn't made in the USA, should be some info on a Google search. Bob 

[1937hd45]

German AUDI A8L

[C Carl]

Sad to say, I just heard that Sir Stirling has died at the age of 90. I am pretty sure he would not have approved of such road adventures.

 

And as far as a vehicle made in the USA is concerned, a Cadillac CTS-V could do it. You need 550 to 600 hp and the handling and skill to be able to use it as needed. The previous record was set in a Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG. Remember the Speed Channel test of the E63 vs. the CTS-V ?  Cadillac just barely took the 'Benz.    -    Carl 

[trimacar]

17 hours ago, Car-Nicopia said:

The point was to show it was safe to drive faster.

Everyone thinks they're the best driver on the road.

 

By definition, half the people behind a wheel are below average drivers.  Some are WAY below average, some are way above.

 

It's only "safe to drive faster" if a) you know what you're doing (i.e. a well above average driver) and b) you don't endanger other lives.

 

 

[60FlatTop]

My son and daughter are above average drivers. The first time I took each out for a lesson I asked if they knew what the right of way meant. When they said they did I told them "Yours is revoked".

 

"But officer, I had the right of way" is not a valid argument.

 

I also took them to a section of divided highway with a small woods in the median. I told them cops hide there and they would be in big trouble if they got a speeding ticket near a place like that. If they got one on a wide open stretch with no hiding places around I would overlook it. If anyone knows RT390/15 in New York, my daughter got a ticket for doing 90 MPH between the Sonya exit and Dansville with MY truck. She and my wife didn't tell me for 6 months because they knew I was always cautious on that stretch.

 

Whenever I am driving with my wife and pass a police car who has someone stop I always step on the gas and say "Cop's busy". She expects it.

 

Bernie

[SC38dls]

When I was a kid we were coming home from a vacation after going to Mt Rushmore. Somewhere in SD we went thru a small town and dad had to be in second gear to go slow enough so as too not exceed the speed limit. He got pulled over doing 8 in a 7mph area!  It was in a 48 or 49 Dodge and wouldn’t go any slower unless he was in first and that would over heat it. After seeing the 3 kids in the back seat the cop let him off but told him never to come back in his town.  I bet the race never went thru there or if it did it was too fast for the cop to even know it. 

Edited April 12, 2020 by SC38DLS (see edit history)

[Terry Bond]

This is from the back of a 1920 calendar for Flexon's ford Garage in Cloucester City, NJ.

"from the Wolverine Automobile Club, Detroit - When you have an insane desire to speed, remember the other fellows you are passing have just as much right to break the law as you have.  Think of the sentiment you are creating against them by your mania.  Think of the accidents that may happen by your hitting some other driver coming in from a side street, or pedestrian who does not see you coming.  Think of the people in your own car, perhaps who have a fear of speeding and are trying to be game and not let you know it.  It is not sport to drive fast in the city  it is the most rank discourtesy to your fellow motorists and fellow citizens.  Be courteous." 

Edited April 12, 2020 by Terry Bond (see edit history)

[28 Chrysler]

The world speed record for driving leagaly on a public road way was set on Nevada State Rout 318 on May 21 2017 at a speed that averaged 219.64 MPH.

Silver State Classic challenge, an annual event not for the timid driver, this is not a straight road.

[Billy Kingsley]

My mom always drives the speed limit. Most of my time on the highways...the NYS Thruway and Adirondack Northway back and forth to Lake George...has been spent with cars and trucks zipping by like we were standing still. I can actually probably recognize 80s and 90s cars by the taillights better than the grill. 

 

It's probably a good thing I can't see well enough to drive, because I'd want to go faster than is legally allowed. 

 

Was really surprised to see a 70 MPH limit when we went to the Midwest last year. I liked it. Wish we had it here. 

 

The fastest I've ever gone, I was unconscious in the back of an ambulance and didn't even get to enjoy it. Based on how fast they got me to the hospital I estimate they were doing about 85 on Route 9 in Poughkeepsie. 

[28 Chrysler]

26 days VS 26 hours a different kind of trip these days.