Shawn Driver didn鈥檛 even plan to be in the U.S. when the World Finals took place at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah this fall.
Despite what the name suggests, the World Finals 鈥� which takes place over four days 鈥� is a smaller event than Bonneville Speed Week, About 600 drivers attend Speed Week in August, while 100 go to the World Finals in September.
But an unfortunate transmission failure during Speed Week meant Driver and his team missed out on the record they were trying to set in the Altered Coupe class. He left the car, a 1953 Studebaker, with its 1955 Hemi Studebaker tow vehicle and hauler in storage, in Utah.
With Driver鈥檚 car failing, another team broke his record, and Driver wanted it back. Luckily because the World Finals are in September, conditions are cooler, and the salt is harder.
Driver and his partner Donna (Miss Daisy) Gray travelled back up to their welding and car parts shop in Sooke, with plans to return for the World Finals a month later, the first time they would ever attend the event.
But first, Driver had to get the car working again, which involved welding the main transmission shaft back together. There wasn鈥檛 much time for repairs. It鈥檚 also hard to test the car. Speed Week is the only place Driver can see how the car is performing.
鈥淯nless they let me use the airport, there鈥檚 nowhere to drive this thing,鈥� he said.
Gray says that鈥檚 one of the scary things about the whole experience.
鈥淭his is a dangerous sport. We鈥檝e seen friends crash. We鈥檝e seen friends lose their lives,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he officials do everything they can. The rest is up to us.鈥�
鈥淓very time, my heart goes into my throat as he drives down.鈥�
Driver managed to get the car fixed. But anyone attempting a record needs to do two runs, and the average is where the record is set.
On the first day, Driver hit 291 mph (468 km/h). The current record, broken six weeks prior at Speed Week, was 256. But Driver needed a good second run. Waking up at the crack of dawn, Driver completed his second run and set a new world record 鈥� 286 miles per hour.
As the car was towed back to the pit area, the other drivers lined the road and cheered.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 something I鈥檒l remember for the rest of my life. I get goosebumps just telling the story,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he flats isn鈥檛 like other racing. You鈥檙e not competing against each other. You鈥檙e competing against an existing record.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 like a family,鈥� he added. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 explain the camaraderie. You have to experience it in the flats for yourself. Once you鈥檝e been, you鈥檙e a sodium junkie. The salt is in your blood.鈥�
While Driver is driving at breakneck speeds, it takes a village to get the car there. Sponsors include local companies like Sooke Brewing Company, Lordco Auto Parts in Langford, Canamera Refrigerated Transport in Saanichton, and individuals like Rod Zaran and Curtis Halvorson to companies like TBM and DIYMS3Pro in California and Georgia.
鈥淭here鈥檚 no money in it for them,鈥� he said. 鈥淪omeone from California sees a Sooke Brewing Company sticker on the car; they鈥檙e not going to know what that is. They do it because they love it.鈥�
As for the team, there are brothers Les and Lorne Holm out of Tacoma, Richard Gido and Matt Blasco, 鈥渢he engine whisperer鈥� out of Alberta, and Vancouver Islanders Richard Norton, Richard Eldridge, Scott Macdonald and Carl Scott, owner of Sooke Brewing Company. Scott even got behind the wheel himself this year, earning his rookie license, allowing him to drive up to 149 miles per hour.
Driver has his red hat 鈥� making him one of around 760 members of the 200 Miles Per Hour Club 鈥� and is 10 mph away from earning a blue hat, which drivers earn when they break a record at speeds over 300 mph.
鈥淏ut I told Miss Daisy, I don鈥檛 look good in blue,鈥� he laughed. 鈥淪o I want that black hat. Five years from now, I鈥檇 like to be in the 400 Miles Per Hour Club.鈥�
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