Speedweek is about to begin, so let's look back at 110 years of adrenaline on the Bonneville Salt Flats.
- This is Old News, our weekly time trial through Utah history.
What drove the news: In August 1914, the Blitzen Benz — "the fastest car in the world" — rolled into Utah for the first-speed record attempt on the now-famous salt flats.
How it works: "On this wonderful stretch of country, level as a billiard table, is a bed of crystal salt twelve miles wide," the Salt Lake Telegram wrote in 1914 .
- "This salt is as hard as concrete, and gives such a firm grip to the tires that slipping and skidding are virtually impossible."
Catch up quick: Driver Teddy Tetzlaff posted the salt flats' first record speed that month, taking the Blitzen Benz a half-mile in 12.6 seconds — about 143 mph.
ICYMI: Photos of the Bonneville Salt Flats record-setters
The big picture: Tetzlaff's record put the Bonneville Salt Flats on the map as auto racing became the world's newest thrill.
- Scores of land speed records have since been set on the dry, flat salt crust left by the prehistoric Lake Bonneville (now the Great Salt Lake).
What we're watching: It's unclear how much longer the salt flats can support racing, with nearby mining and other factors causing the salt crust to deteriorate .
What's next: Hundreds of drivers will flock to the West Desert this weekend in hopes of setting new records in an array of vehicles during Bonneville Speedweek 2024 .
- Tickets to witness the blur cost $60 for the week or $25 for a day pass; buy them at the event.
- To get there, hop on I-80 and go west to the Nevada border. The salt flats are hard to miss.
Worth your time: The 2005 film " The World's Fastest Indian ," starring Anthony Hopkins, is a charming look at the salt flats' racing history.
Previously in Old News
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