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MISC: Infiniti Sets Land Speed Record; Detrich Continues to Go Faster

17 August 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
Wendover, Utah -- Driving an Infiniti Q45, powered by an Infiniti Indy racing engine, Larry Detrich set a new land speed record today for the E/Gas Coupe Sedan class at the 2000 Bonneville Speed Week event. The 191.4 mph record beat the old E/Gas Coupe Sedan class record of 188.114 mph, set in 1994.

With the Bonneville salt flats open to competitors until Friday, Aug. 18, Detrich will continue to go after an even faster record, hoping to surpass the 200 mph mark.

"We are having a lot of fun out here at the salt flats," said land speed racing rookie Larry Detrich. "In a period of three days, I have earned my license, set a new record, and qualified for a faster record attempt. Tomorrow morning we expect to set our fastest speed yet. The temperatures will be much cooler and Mark Honsowetz, our engineer from Ed Pink Racing Engines, did a bit of computer magic with the engine."

"We are please to be in the history books as a land speed record holder, but the real test is to see if we can get the car to go a speed comparable to that of an Indy car," said Infiniti Motorsports manager Frank Honsowetz. "Larry will keep running until the last day of Speed Week on Friday. The goal is to get the record well into the 200 mph range."

DAILY RECAP

Detrich arrived at the Bonneville salt flats, located 100 miles west of Salt Lake City, Utah, on Sunday, Aug. 13. He made three controlled speed runs on the 3-mile short course on Monday, Aug. 14, earning his land speed racing license.

On Tuesday and Wednesday the team concentrated on breaking the record. To set an official record the entrant must qualify by making an attempt faster than the current record. The car is then impounded overnight, and a second attempt at the record is made the following morning. The average of these two attempts is the speed that goes into the record books.

On Tuesday, Aug. 15, Detrich made an attempt at 189.116 mph, and returned the next morning with a speed of 193.424 mph. The average of 191.4 places him well into the record books for the E/GC class.

A second run on Wednesday, Aug. 16 at a speed of 199.93 qualifies Detrich for another record-breaking attempt on Thursday.

Text provided by Heather Handley

Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit The Racing Photo Museum and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.