There are currently close to 450 entries with teams from Australia, Canada, France, Japan, Russia, Ukraine, Sweden, New Zealand, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland and the United Kingdom registered.

The sponsoring SCTA anticipates grooming four courses for the weeklong event.

Rick Vesco’s father, Johnny, a hot rodder from the 1930s who raced on the dirt tracks of Southern California, participated in the first Speed Week in 1949 and the family has kept the tradition alive. We are hopeful and watching the weather.” We should be able to hit the higher speed before the rough spot. “They have been grooming the fast course near the International course, giving us a little longer run. “We were worried due to a wet spring and a threatening thunderstorm,” she said. Vesco described conditions on the salt as not as good as last year, but better than many previous racing seasons.

Vesco said she expects that car to be among the first on the course Saturday. George Poteet will be driving Speed Demon, another Speed Week performer capable of approaching the magic 500-mph mark. “If we qualify, we will spend Saturday in impound and run again Sunday,” she said of the vehicle driven by Californian Dave Spangler. Jinx Vesco, spokesperson for the Vesco team, said that the sponsoring Southern California Timing Association wanted the Turbinator to be first in line Saturday when racing is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.

Bonneville salt flats racing 2018