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Wendover, Utah – Torrential rains that swept through northern Utah on August 16 wiped out the last four days of the famous Speed Week on the Bonneville Salt Flats, as standing water on the natural speedway compelled officials to shorten the event.


2006 Chevy SO-CAL Bonneville Racers. Click image to enlarge
Prior to the rain, journalist Don Sherman drove GM Performance Division's Ecotec Lakester to a 189.205 mph (304 km/h) speed record in the G Class/Blown Gas Lakester class. This eclipsed the 179.381 mph (288 km/h) mark set in 2004 by GM engineer Mark Dickens with a high-tech reincarnation of the famous So-Cal Speed Shop Lakester. The new record was set with a supercharged Ecotec engine, based on a crate motor available to enthusiasts through GM Performance Parts.

Four young female students had participated in GM Performance Division's student project partnering with a build team from California Street Rods, and had applied their engineering skills to the design, construction and testing of a Cobalt SS land speed racer. They had been certified in high-speed driving in preparation for a planned run at Bonneville. The Student Project Cobalt achieved 140 mph (225 km/h) in shakedown runs, and was in line to make a record attempt when the rain arrived and their run was cancelled.

As well, GM Performance Division's chopped and stretched version of a Chevrolet HHR topped 208 mph (334 km/h) and will return in October for an attempt at a speed record.