(This text has been up to date persistently since its publication in 2021 to replicate the most recent data and knowledge accessible. We are going to proceed to remain on prime of all issues Cannonball.)
The Cannonball Run is an unparalleled road race with one objective: Drive from New York to California within the shortest period of time. Let’s dive into all issues Cannonball and look into the Cannonball Run report books.
- Cannonball Run File: 25 hours and 39 minutes by Arne Toman and Doug Tabutt in a 2016 Audi S6 in Could 2020
- Coast-to-Coast-to-Coast Cannonball Run File: 65 hours and 19 minutes by Bennett Wilson, Chris Ruppman, and Grady Leno in a 2012 Mercedes S500 in April 2022
- Solo Cannonball Run File: 27 hours and 16 minutes by Chris Stowell in a 2015 BMW 535d on August 25-26, 2024 (additionally the Diesel and Non-COVID data)
- Motorbike Cannonball Run File: 32 hours and 32 minutes by Ross “Beau” Earnest aboard a 2008 Yamaha FJR1300 on April 21, 2024
- EV Cannonball Run File: 42 hours and 17 minutes by Ryan Levenson and Josh Allan in a rented Tesla Mannequin S Lengthy Vary in October 2021
Cannonball Run
Once you first hear of an unlawful and unsanctioned race throughout all the United States, maybe chaos and carelessness come to thoughts. Perhaps you’ve even seen the 1981 movie, “The Cannonball Run” which fictionally showcases the drive with the “All-American” glitz and recklessness of road racing. Though the race is against the law, it’s something however chaotic or careless.
The fact is that the racers of the Cannonball Run are often methodical, attentive, and diligent, which is probably much more baffling. Brock Yates, who created the race within the Seventies, wished to show that you possibly can “drive rapidly throughout the nation in regular site visitors with out disrupting anybody or being unsafe.”
The run historically begins on the Purple Ball Storage in Manhattan, New York, and ends on the Portofino Lodge & Marina in Redondo Seaside, Calif. To at the present time, there are only some folks each loopy and decided sufficient to aim the coast-to-coast run, particularly with the objective of a brand new Cannonball report.
At the start of the 2019 documentary, “APEX: The Secret Race Throughout America” which covers the true story of how the Cannonball Run report was damaged in 2006, the viewers is posed with three questions: “What may very well be extra pointless? What may very well be extra harmful? What have been these folks pondering?”
The tip of “APEX” doesn’t present any solutions, however, as an alternative, leaves the viewers with much more questions: “Why did Cannonball Baker do it? Why did Alex [Roy] and David [Maher] do it? Have been they chasing one thing?”
Ultimately, the documentary doesn’t try to untangle the complexities of the 110 years of the Cannonball Run, merely stating, “These questions can’t be answered.”
Coast-to-Coast Racing
On this Cannonball Run article, you will see that an entire historical past and rundown of all of the data, and a listing of films and books concerning the run.
Historical past of the Cannonball Run
Let’s speak concerning the historical past of this race that spans from 1903 to now — how this race got here to be and the way it withstood the take a look at of time, scrutiny, and properly, the regulation. In an attention-grabbing twist, as a way to keep away from authorized ramifications, all data of the people who set the brand new data are sometimes not launched till at the least a yr after the very fact, as soon as the statute of limitations has expired.
Paving the Highway for the Cannonball Run
The primary cross-country drive, from San Francisco to New York Metropolis, was accomplished in 1903 by George Adams Wyman on a 1902 California Motor Firm motor bicycle. The journey, which coated 3,800 miles and took 51 days, concluded on July 6, 1903.
At the very same time, H. Nelson Jackson and his mechanic Sewall Crocker, have been the primary to cross the continent by car, in a 1903 Winton touring automotive. They began their journey sooner than Wyman, however accomplished it after him, taking 64 days to finish the journey.
In 1909, 22-year-old Alice Ramsey drove a 30-horsepower Maxwell DA touring automotive from Manhattan to San Francisco in 59 days. She is the primary lady to drive an car throughout the U.S. coast to coast. She was accompanied by three different girls, none of whom might drive. Of the three,600-mile route, solely 152 miles have been paved. Which means it included altering 11 tires, a damaged brake pedal, cleansing fouled spark plugs, and sleeping within the automotive when it received caught within the mud.
These inaugural journeys proved it may very well be completed and impressed rival groups of motorists to show the journey right into a race.
Issues actually received transferring a few decade later when transcontinental freeway plans have been devised. It will then take a few years to see these plans come to fruition, however cross-country journeys fairly rapidly received a lot simpler and quicker.
Erwin George “Cannon Ball” Baker
A person named Erwin George Baker, whom everybody knew as “Cannon Ball” Baker, set the coast-to-coast report for driving a automotive throughout the nation from New York to Los Angeles in 1933. Baker spent nearly all of his profession prepping for it by using transcontinentally on a motorbike. On the time, the roads he drove have been solely unpaved.
In Could 1914, he set out on his Indian motorbike to interrupt the transcontinental report, beginning in San Diego. The newspaper accounts from the time revealed that he meticulously prepped for this trip — he “laid out his routes forward of time, planning what roads and cities to journey via and even planting tanks of fuel forward of him in distant areas to keep away from gasoline hassle.”
Baker efficiently set the report and arrived in New York after 11.5 days of using. The endurance Baker wanted to finish this feat is the endurance that has carried via the entire Cannonball Run makes an attempt that adopted.
53:30 — A File That Stood for 38 Years
In 1933, Baker tried his final coast-to-coast drive throughout america, finishing the journey in 53 hours and half-hour. To know how spectacular this time was, keep in mind that simply 19 years earlier, it took him almost 12 days to do the identical factor.
Behind the wheel of a Graham Vehicle, Cannon Ball Baker made historical past. In fact, on the time, this drive was not referred to as the Cannonball Run. It wasn’t even a race. It was a singular, momentous drive that impressed the Cannonball Run as we all know it.
After his demise, Baker was inducted into quite a few motorsports halls of fame. The Motorsports Corridor of Fame of America remembers Baker’s unmatched impression: “Within the American lore of Roaring Twenties bravado, mud-splattered dedication over horse tracks and nation roads and the relentless quest for brand new data, none will ever evaluate to the one and solely Cannon Ball.”
Though the 1933 report has been crushed many instances over, it stays true that Cannon Ball Baker’s affect won’t ever be forgotten.
The First ‘Official’ Unsanctioned Races: Brock Yates & the Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Sprint
In 1971, 38 years after Baker’s report, Brock Yates made the race a family identify. He referred to as it the Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Sprint. Yates — the senior editor for Automobile and Driver Journal on the time — Brock Yates Jr., Steve Smith, and Jim Williams set out from New York Metropolis in a 1971 Dodge Customized Sportsman van, generally known as “Moon Trash II.”
Identical to when Cannon Ball Baker made the journey, this drive was not but a race, nevertheless it grew to become the blueprint for the inaugural race that Yates would put collectively later that yr.
This unsanctioned road race was held in 1971, 1972, 1975, and 1979. It started in New York Metropolis — and Darien, Conn., as soon as — and ended on the Portofino Inn in Redondo Seaside, Calif. Within the perplexing spirit of the Cannonball Run, this race was each framed as a celebration of the U.S. Interstate Freeway System and a protest towards strict site visitors legal guidelines, particularly the 55mph pace restrict enforced on main highways.
The foundations have been that you simply made your individual guidelines. In a March 1972 Automobile and Driver characteristic, Yates mentioned that the parameters of the Cannonball Run have been as follows: “All rivals will drive any automobile of their selecting, over any route, at any pace they choose sensible, between the start line and vacation spot. The competitor ending with the bottom elapsed time is the winner.”
A Day to Bear in mind: November 15, 1971
The primary race came about on November 15, 1971. A characteristic from the March 1972 challenge of Automobile and Driver Journal, written by Brock Yates himself, sums it up: “These rattling fools, they went and did it.”
The fools in query? Nicely, that might be Dan Gurney and … Brock Yates. Six automobiles left the Purple Ball Storage in New York Metropolis, all headed west towards the Portofino Inn in Redondo Seaside. A couple of hours in, two extra autos joined in, making for a fleet of eight automobiles full of “23 lunatics.”
On November 15, 1971, Dan Gurney and Brock Yates co-drove a Kirk F. White Ferrari Daytona coup to the end in 35 hours and 54 minutes — notably, solely 53 minutes quicker than the second-place crew. On this race, Gurney and Yates beat seven different groups who have been all trying to win. Of the eight groups, half of them received dashing tickets.
Funnily sufficient, a big motor van participated on this race. Invoice Broderick, alongside Pal Parker, drove a 27-foot Travico motor residence. Unsurprisingly, they completed final at 57 hours and 25 minutes.
Yates determined to each host and take part in such an occasion as a “whimsical gesture of defiance of the routine of latest site visitors legal guidelines.” On the finish of Yates’ personal 1972 characteristic, he wrote, “Nobody who ran, not Gurney, not Adamowicz, not anyone, received a dime for the race, making it some sort of milestone in trendy automotive annals.”
1972 & 1975 Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Sprint
On November 13, 1972, Steve “Yogi” Behr, Invoice Canfield, and Fred Olds gained the Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Sprint with a time of 37 hours and 16 minutes. Whereas this crew beat the opposite racers, they didn’t beat Gurney and Yates’ 1971 report. They raced in a Cadillac Coupe DeVille — the primary American automotive to win the Cannonball Run.
Nonetheless, the report didn’t stand for lengthy. In 1975, Jack Could and Rick Cline drove a Ferrari Dino in 35 hours and 53 minutes, at a median pace of 81 mph, to assert the brand new report.
‘Last’ Cannonball Run in 1979
Within the 1979 Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Sprint, Dave Heinz and Dave Yarborough beat the report by 3 hours and a couple of minutes. Driving in a Jaguar XJS, the crew achieved a time of 32 hours and 51 minutes with a median pace of 86 mph. Notably, not like any of the opposite makes an attempt, this run started in Darien, Conn.
Automobile and Driver contributing editor Fred M.H. Gregory gave an account of The Final Cannonball in a 2002 article. He revealed that on this race, there have been a whopping 46 groups concerned, all taking off at 10-minute intervals.
Curiously, Yates’ automobile for this run was a Dodge ambulance with a Magnum 440 engine. Inside moments of departure, the ambulance broke down and wanted repairs that took greater than an hour. Nonetheless, Yates nonetheless accomplished the race however was nowhere close to beating the report.
And whereas Yates used the guise of an ambulance, one other crew (Lou Sellyei and Gary Arentz) merely put a cooler inside their Jaguar XJ-S. When pulled over for dashing, they mentioned, “We’re speeding to save lots of a baby’s sight, officer.” They have been each physicians, however the contents of the cooler, properly, have been pig’s eyes.
Brock Yates, the organizer of the unique Cannonball Run, doesn’t formally acknowledge any data after 1979. Yates commented, “I finished the race as a result of I knew ultimately that someone was going to get killed.” However Yates left the Cannonball floodgates open. “If folks wish to strive it, the roads are open,” he mentioned.
Cannonball Run Beneath a New Identify: The U.S. Specific
The U.S. Specific was held from 1980 to 1983. Whereas the race was tried for 4 years, the report was not crushed till Doug Turner and David Diem beat it in 1983.
Within the documentary “APEX,” one of many interviewees famous, “By the point you bought to the U.S. Specific, it was solely probably the most hardcore folks.”
Inaugural 1980 U.S. Specific
Simply because it did prior to now, the race started in New York and resulted in California. Within the case of the 1980 U.S. Specific, it started in Brooklyn and resulted in Santa Monica. The winners of the 1980 race have been Rick Doherty and Will Wright coming in at 33 hours and 9 minutes. That point, as spectacular because it was, didn’t beat the 1979 report of 32 hours and 51 minutes held by Heinz and Yarborough.
Curiously sufficient, the co-driver, Will Wright, was a well-known recreation designer. Wright’s experience in know-how translated properly to the preparation wanted for a Cannonball report try.
1981 U.S. Specific
In 1981, although they didn’t beat the report, David Morse and Steve Clausman drove a Porsche 928 on a route that was totally on I-80 to take residence the win. This race started in Lengthy Island, N.Y., and completed in Emeryville, Calif. The automotive was outfitted with a large gasoline tank. Clausman was knowledgeable driver and Morris was a businessman.
When reflecting on their experiences within the documentary “APEX,” they spoke of how essential it was for the motive force and co-driver to enhance each other. Clausman, each critically and jokingly, mentioned, “It’s most likely the stupidest factor I’ve completed in my life.”
1982 U.S. Specific
Data concerning the 1982 U.S. Specific appears to be almost nonexistent. With that, we have been unable to search out who was concerned, a lot much less who gained the race.
In a video interview, David Morse, the 1981 winner of the U.S. Specific, mentioned, concerning the 1982 race, “All the pieces that would go fallacious did go fallacious. The freeway patrol of assorted states had been notified not solely concerning the race however about our automotive particularly. The officer would know me by identify.”
He recounted what the police mentioned to him, “We’ve been informed there may be an unlawful automotive race taking place, and we’re right here to gradual you down, or, arrest you.” Morse gathered that somebody had alerted the authorities about his automotive particularly as revenge for his successful the 1981 race.
1983 U.S. Specific
In what would develop into the ultimate U.S. Specific, Doug Turner and David Diem beat the Cannonball Run report, taking the win in 32 hours and seven minutes. Their report stood for over 20 years till 2006.
Turner and Diem have been the primary folks to make use of a aircraft as a scouting software throughout their drive. Due to that, their try was met with some scrutiny as many individuals noticed using a aircraft as dishonest. However whereas many individuals have been unsure if a small aircraft or perhaps a helicopter might make it throughout america in 32 hours, Turner and Diem managed to get a automotive throughout america in that point.
Curiously, a documentary titled “32 Hours 7 Minutes” was created however by no means launched. You possibly can view an unofficial trailer. There have been and are many lawsuits and disagreements surrounding the discharge of this documentary, and it was in the end by no means launched to the general public. It’s technically accessible on DVD however goes for upward of $100 on Amazon.
The Finish of the U.S. Specific
The 1983 U.S. Specific ran right into a little bit of a roadblock — a literal police roadblock. When the “Cannonball Run” film was launched in 1981, the police have been instantly very conscious of the underground race. Any time a automotive can be dashing, in line with the documentary, “APEX,” police would assume, “Wow, it may very well be Cannonball coming via!”
So, why did the race finish simply as a crew lastly broke the report? Because the race grew to become publicized, legal responsibility elevated. Thus, the Cannonball Run beneath the identify the U.S. Specific ended for good, and the report of 32 hours and seven minutes stood for over 20 years.
Extra Cannonball: Totally different Names
After the U.S. Specific ended, the legacy of organized transcontinental races continued. Within the spirit of Cannonball, drivers continued with transcontinental occasions together with One Lap of America, The 2904, and the C2C Specific.
The 2904
Also called the Transcontinental Motorized Vehicular Event of Effectivity and Endurance, The 2904 is an unofficial race that goes from, you guessed it, New York Metropolis to California that was began by John Ficarra.
The catch? It’s important to do the race in a automobile that prices not more than $2,904. This contains the automobile, gasoline, meals, tolls, repairs, and tickets. If you are going to buy extra security tools, that doesn’t depend towards you within the finances.
The 2904 started in 2007 and has occurred eight instances since then, up till 2017. In 2015, the report for The 2904 was set at 32 hours and 5 minutes in a 2002 Mercedes S55. In fact, Ed Bolian was behind the wheel and he cataloged his whole expertise. You possibly can take a look at the complete checklist of The 2904 occasion winners right here.
C2C Specific
The C2C Specific is a Cannonball Run particularly for traditional automobiles that began in 2016. Ed Bolian participated within the inaugural race in a “Bluemobile.” In January 2020, Ed Bolian posted a video titled New 12 months’s Particular: The Last Operating of The C2C Specific.
The Washington Publish describes the C2C Specific as, “5 automobiles, 13 guys, numerous power drinks and a couple of,900 miles of asphalt: Welcome to the C2C Specific.”
New Period of Particular person Cannonball Runs
With the top of the U.S. Specific, the Cannonball Run grew to become a person endeavor with single groups making the run to attempt to break the general report. And whereas many makes an attempt have gone unpublicized over time, the groups which have damaged the report have principally been extraordinarily vocal about it — after the statute of limitations is up, in fact.
2006 Cannonball Run File of Alex Roy & David Maher
In 2006, Alex Roy and David Maher beat the Cannonball Run File with a time of 31 hours and 4 minutes in a BMW M5. The small print of their feat weren’t launched till Roy launched his memoir, “The Driver,” in 2007.
In 2019, the documentary “APEX” was launched with actual footage and interviews surrounding each the 2006 run and the 1983 U.S. Specific race.
Utilizing an immense quantity of know-how, Roy and Maher determined they’d masquerade as climate watchers in the event that they have been pulled over.
This win didn’t come with out its struggles. Alex Roy’s first try in April 2006 was lower brief when his M5’s gasoline pump failed in Oklahoma. However that didn’t cease him from trying the run once more, leading to his 2006 report.
2013 Cannonball Run File of Ed Bolian, Dave Black, and Dan Huang
Ed Bolian, together with Alex Roy, is probably probably the most outspoken participant of the Cannonball Run. If there have been to be an honorary knowledgeable on this matter, it could doubtless be Bolian.
In 2013, Bolian, Dave Black, and Dan Huang drove a 2004 Mercedes-Benz CL55 AMG throughout the nation in 28 hours and 50 minutes, an astonishing feat to interrupt the 30-hour mark. Bolian selected this automotive due to its understated seems, making it extra prone to go unnoticed, which is precisely what a Cannonballer desires. Their common pace was 98 mph, and the automotive had 67 gallons of gasoline capability. In complete, the crew solely stopped for 46 minutes.
Bolian mirrored on the preparation of the 28:50 drive and what the drive meant to him personally in his video, 5 years in the past we set the Cannonball report. He talked about how, as a excessive schooler, he was given the chance to interview Brock Yates for a mission in automotive journalism.
Bolian informed Yates, “At some point, I’m going to beat the Cannonball Run report.” When he mentioned that, Yates admitted that he didn’t assume that it may very well be completed. Since that second, Bolian had got down to uncover what it could take to beat this report.
When talking concerning the expertise of the drive itself, Bolian mentioned, “All the pieces went in addition to it might.” Bolian additionally commented that he “hopes that he shattered Roy’s report by such a stark margin that it discourages would-be Cannonballers from trying to interrupt his report, and it’s not only a matter of his personal legacy.”
2019 Cannonball Run File of Arne Toman, Doug Tabutt, and Berkeley Chadwick
Regardless of Bolian’s hope, it wasn’t lengthy earlier than the report was lowered once more. On November 10, 2019, Arne Toman, Doug Tabutt, and Berkeley Chadwick drove a 2015 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG sedan throughout the nation in 27 hours and 25 minutes. This new report was just a bit over 1 hour quicker than the 2013 report.
Within the video We Broke the Cannonball File, Arne Toman says, “To me, Cannonballing is the last word expression of freedom. As a child, I noticed the film, I learn the articles, and it was one thing that was endlessly on my thoughts. In 2006, we had completed the One Lap of America, which is the occasion Brock Yates turned Cannonball into as soon as he stopped doing the cross-country runs.”
Toman mentioned that when he heard of Bolian’s 2013 report, he was “each excited and gutted.” He noticed Bolian’s time as unbeatable. However Arne didn’t get discouraged, as an alternative deciding to arrange for his try. A lot of Toman’s time went into researching the absolute best gasoline switch system to reduce time.
Doug Tabutt remarked, “Don’t simply meet your heroes, beat your heroes.” And, Arne and Doug did simply that. The co-drivers truly met via Bolian. The remainder is historical past.
You possibly can learn extra about their journey within the Highway & Observe article, These Guys Simply Drove an E63 AMG Throughout America in a File 27 Hours 25 Minutes.
COVID-19 Pandemic Cannonball Run Period
Many individuals hunkered down and stayed residence through the COVID-19 pandemic that hit the U.S. in March 2020. However, others took to the street. Is {that a} good or truthful thought? Nicely, one would possibly ask, has any of this ever been a “good” or “truthful” thought?
The Cannonball Run’s record-breaking makes an attempt have by no means ended. Cannonball data have been damaged at an unimaginable charge through the peak of the pandemic.
The emotions behind this race have all the time been that of immense preparation, innovation, and endurance. What, then, does it imply when drivers are profiting from an unprecedented time? Does that match the spirit of the Cannonball Run?
The primary confirmed new Cannonball report through the pandemic occurred in April 2020. Then, the report was damaged once more in Could. Then, the solo report was set later in Could — and, on the time, regarded as the general report.
In the course of the 5 weeks from April to Could 2020, Cannonballers took benefit of open roads because of the international pandemic. Is it truthful? A tough query to reply, because the “equity” of an unsanctioned road race might be questionable to start with.
April 9, 2020 Cannonball Run File of Crew “Captain Chaos”
Ed Bolian introduced a brand new Cannonball report on April 9, 2020. When Bolian mentioned whether or not or not the rumors have been true of this preliminary report being damaged amid COVID-19, he mentioned, “Sure, it’s true … form of.” He then went on to say, “I’m saying proper now that it wouldn’t be me. And I’m saying proper now, it was not me.”
Bolian spoke of the crew that held the brand new Cannonball Run report in April. He recounted, “A crew had gone from the Purple Ball Storage to the Portofino Lodge and Marina in a 2019 Audi A8 with a time of 26 hours and 38 minutes, an UNBELIEVABLE time that beat the November 2019 time of Arnie and Doug of their E63.”
When talking concerning the crew, Bolian famous, “They didn’t wish to be generally known as the important thing violators of all of those shelter-in-place rules. No one wished to be on the market placing anybody’s lives in peril.”
The nameless crew, dubbed “Captain Chaos” by the Cannonball neighborhood, set a brand new outright report of 26 hours and 38 minutes on April 4, 2020, in a 2019 Audi A8L. The crew stored their identities and particulars of the run beneath wraps for over 3 years, to ensure that the statute of limitations on their site visitors violations to elapse.
The crew and particulars of the Cannonball Run have been uncovered on the SwitchCast Podcast, with host Arne Toman. The three-person crew consisted of Chris Allen, James Allen, and Kale Odhner. Crew captain Allen is an completed endurance racer and the automotive used was his father’s leased Audi. The crew did use spotters, stabilized binoculars, a radar detector, Waze, and a few trunk-mounted marine gasoline cells to perform their report run. You possibly can hearken to all the small print right here.
The report run was one of many least costly ever and in addition a report that was held for the shortest period of time in historical past — about 40 days.
Early Could 2020 Cannonball Run File of Arne Toman & Doug Tabutt
Quick-forward to Could 2020. The April 2020 Cannonball Run report was as soon as once more crushed. In line with Bolian, the brand new report was beneath 26 hours, the automotive averaged over 120 mph for a lot of the drive, and the crew had over 30 spotters. Bolian believed this report was the top of the “COVID-19 Cannonball Period.”
It was later revealed that this was Arne Toman and Doug Tabutt’s new 25-hour and 39-minute outright report.
On Bolian’s well-known YouTube Channel, VINwiki Automobile Tales, it was introduced on Could 14 that there had been one other New Cannonball File. Ed mentioned, “Think about that it took six years and dozens of extraordinarily well-prepared occasions for anybody to beat 28 hours, 50 minutes. Within the span of 5 weeks, it was simply crushed seven instances.”
Could 6-7, 2020 (Solo & Rental) Cannonball Run File of Fred Ashmore*
Whereas the premise of the Cannonball Run normally is unfathomable for most individuals, doing the drive utterly alone is much more unbelievable.
In a mind-boggling feat, Ashmore rented a 2019 Ford Mustang GT from Avis for 17 days for $700. He then loaded it up with quite a few gasoline tanks — 127 gallons onboard in complete. “If I might take these two different folks out and change them with gasoline,” Ashmore mentioned, “I might do it.” (As quoted in an October 2020 GQ article.)
He solely stopped one time for fuel, in Kellyville, Okla., touring the standard southern Cannonball Run route, over 2,806.2 miles. He averaged 12.3 mpg and about 109 mph. The run solely price him about $3,000 in complete.
Ashmore thought his run was completed when he sat at a California agriculture checkpoint for 20-plus minutes, however ultimately received waved via with out challenge. He additionally had a run-in with a police officer close to Gardenia, Calif., the place he escaped arrest by exiting rapidly and looping round just a few instances earlier than getting again on monitor. The whole run was overseen from afar by Ashmore’s brother, who helped with calculations, climate, site visitors, and many others.
First reported by Angelo Melluso of Highway & Observe, Fred Ashmore made this solo try on Could 6-7, 2020, in a report time of 25 hours and 55 minutes. That story has since been up to date, to align with Benjamin Preston’s story on Highway & Observe that places Ashmore’s run into query — principally based mostly on this detailed report.
A VINwiki video of Ashmore sharing the story of his run was additionally launched, taken down, after which put again up with a disclaimer. Quite a lot of different YouTube interviews with Ashmore speaking about his run have additionally been printed.
You learn that proper — a rental automotive with a single occupant simply set the quickest recognized Cannonball Run time (publicly recognized on the time). Ultimately, it was truly the solo and rental automotive data that Ashmore had set, because the early Could 2020 Toman/Tabutt run was finally revealed as the general report.
Ashmore purchased the automotive just a few months later from a dealership, after monitoring it down, and owns it as we speak. He named the automotive “Kilroy.” You possibly can comply with Ashmore’s automotive adventures on Instagram right here.
However, there may be numerous drama, egos, and mistrust amongst the Cannonball neighborhood surrounding Ashmore and his run. A core group of the “fraternity of lunatics” that make up the Cannonball neighborhood have discredited Ashmore’s run, others locally haven’t discovered a substantive cause to not imagine him.
I, Bryon Dorr, have talked to Ashmore immediately — the place I received the small print you see right here — in addition to others within the “fraternity of lunatics” and heard either side of this story. There are compelling causes to imagine and to not imagine Ashmore’s run to be reliable. However, ultimately, Ashmore has not been capable of produce any stable proof of his run to me or anybody else.
That is an ongoing saga and one which I’ll proceed to comply with up on to make sure that this Cannonball report story is as correct as doable. A minimum of, as a lot as reporting on a secretive and unlawful road race will be.
2023 U.S. Specific Rebirth
Forty years after it was final run, the U.S. Specific was reborn. On October 27, 2023, 15 groups left the Purple Ball Storage in New York, with 13 ending on the Portofino in California. A brand new aggressive occasion report was set with a time of 30:56, and the worst time of the occasion was 39:13. The organized occasion was placed on by Taylor Hull, with the permission of the unique occasion organizer’s (R.I.P. Rick Doherty) household.
The occasion was invite-only, with Hull hand-picking the individuals. Solely 1983 or older autos, with period-correct engines, have been permitted. Groups might depart the Purple Ball anytime they wished between 6 p.m. and midnight on October 27. A couple of groups with newer autos additionally made noncompetitive runs whereas working sweep for the occasion, to assist out any groups that had points alongside the best way.
Jay Roberts was the official timekeeper, with groups every getting a paper time card that was manually punched — with a battery-powered basic time clock — and signed at every finish of the route. Jay flew between New York and California with the time clock.
The pristine security report of aggressive coast-to-coast occasions stays intact. However sure, just a few autos have been stopped with mechanical points, and some have been slowed down by getting “spirited driving awards” (higher generally known as dashing tickets).
New (Brief-Lived) Aggressive Occasion File: 31:36
Taylor Hull’s 1970 Dodge Charger crew, together with Hunter Robinson and Andrew Rodgers, was the primary automotive to reach on the Portofino through the 2023 U.S. Specific, setting a brand new aggressive occasion report time of 31 hours and 36 minutes.
This new report would even be the shortest-lived aggressive occasion report as properly, as precisely 1 hour later it was bested.
Aggressive Occasion File: 30:56 by Crew Operation 69
With a brand new aggressive occasion report of 30 hours and 56 minutes, Crew Operation 69 — Cameron Davis and Aaron Tulin — rolled into the Portofino in a 1979 Mercedes 450 SEL 6.9, averaging about 92 mph throughout the nation. The previous Merc hit 69,000 miles on the odometer on the 2023 U.S. Specific, therefore the crew identify.
The automotive is a U.S.-spec model with Euro headlights, bumpers, and period-correct wheels. The massive modification is a change from the three-speed auto with out overdrive to a six-speed guide transmission with two overdrive gears. This provided higher gasoline economic system (10-11 mpg, in comparison with 8). It additionally allowed the automotive to cruise fortunately at 130 mph at 3,000 rpm in sixth gear. Electrical cooling followers changed the clutch fan beneath the hood, which elevated energy.
Modifications didn’t cease there, nevertheless. To enormously enhance vary, two 19-gallon gasoline cells, pumping into the primary tank, supplied 64 gallons complete of onboard capability, equating to round 650 miles of vary per fill-up.
Off the entrance bumper hung 4 driving lights. Out again, there was the power to modify between two totally different lighting patterns and a flipper plate that switches between classic and present tags. Inside there have been two telephones working Waze and Freeway Radar apps, a Garmin GPS for monitoring time and pace, an adjunct change panel, a change for a valved muffler, extra methods monitoring gauges, and a radar detector.
Factoid: The route of the early ’80s U.S. Specific, and earlier Cannonball Runs, was 150 or so miles shorter than trendy routes. Two-lane roads like previous Route 66 had for use; as we speak, highways like Route 10 and 44 are used. The previous route was properly over 2,900 miles, whereas the brand new routes are simply over 2,800. Maintain that in thoughts when evaluating previous instances and common speeds to trendy ones.
The place Does the Cannonball Run Go From Right here?
Most of those new total Cannonball Run data have arisen throughout a time when, fairly actually, all the world was shut down. Does this imply the brand new Cannonball Run data might be unbeatable? Does that imply it’s the finish of an period? ”It might destroy the pursuit,” Bolian mentioned.
Once more, Bolian acknowledged that, on the finish of the day, “There aren’t actual guidelines” in terms of the Cannonball Run. How might there be?
That is additionally the problem with speculating about the way forward for the Cannonball Run — as its historical past has proven, the occasion is sophisticated and unimaginable. The way it evolves from right here is anybody’s guess. It’s additionally as much as people to form, versus any governing physique.
The Place That First Popularized the Cannonball Run Now Thinks … It’s Not Cool Anymore
Eric Tingwall described the Cannonball Run as a “feat of nothingness” within the Automobile and Driver article, Cross-Nation Cannonball Pace Data Are Dumb. Within the headline, he acknowledged that Automobile and Driver initially popularized this race, as Brock Yates was the senior editor for the journal when he created the race in 1971.
However Tingwall says, “We’re older and wiser as we speak — not that very same journal that after campaigned towards making automobiles safer. Driving throughout the nation is totally different now, too.” And he does have some extent. The ’70s and ’80s have been a unique animal when it got here to driving than the current day.
On the finish of the article, Tingwall requested a troublesome query: “If proper now is just not an excellent time to jeopardize harmless lives by indulging in a egocentric and hole pursuit of notoriety, what makes that acceptable in higher instances?”
Notably, this opinion, so staunchly towards the Cannonball Run, got here immediately because of the numerous makes an attempt made through the COVID-19 pandemic. Although Tingwall speaks of the race, no matter COVID-19, as a “egocentric” and “hole pursuit,” maybe his emotions wouldn’t have been as intense if these makes an attempt weren’t made throughout this unprecedented time.
How Do You Resolve the Guidelines When There Are No Guidelines?
Ed Bolian mentioned the professionals and cons of trying the Cannonball throughout a pandemic in a video posted on March 24, 2020. For instance, Waze, a navigation software generally utilized by the groups, is just not working as properly as a result of fewer individuals are on the street. With that, an apparent professional is that there’s much less automotive site visitors on the street.
“Groups have determined now could be the right time to chase their hopes and goals,” Bolian mentioned. He acknowledged the benefit of trying the Cannonball Run throughout this time however expressed blended emotions on the “okayness” of it.
With all this being mentioned, Bolian acknowledged that it could make no sense for him to sentence any of those drivers. “That may be like a cocaine vendor telling a heroin vendor that he’s only a horrible, horrible individual,” he mentioned.
‘Don’t Break the Legislation Whereas Breaking the Legislation’ — Molly’s Sport
Bolian went on to interrupt down the complexities surrounding the record-breaking makes an attempt and success throughout this unprecedented time of COVID-19. He mentioned, “The thought of driving quick throughout the nation is considerably redeemed by the nod to historic precedent — the truth that it is a factor that actually occurred. There have been some entertaining motion pictures about it, and it’s a part of American automotive tradition.
“The truth that we get away with one thing deviant and law-breaking hinges upon the precept that folks assume it’s okay as a result of these individuals are including their names to the historical past of Cannonball. I don’t assume the general public urge for food is able to conceive that indulgence.”
The complicated nature of qualifying these new instances for the Cannonball Run boils all the way down to the concept data are each goal and subjective, Bolian concluded. The circumstances surrounding driving throughout COVID-19 will most likely — hopefully — by no means be the identical circumstances for anybody sooner or later.
Ed outlined all of the controversy in his movies concerning the current data. Then, he ended on a optimistic observe: “Crucial factor to me is to acknowledge that the most important and most crucial a part of the pursuit’s historical past is that previously fifty years, there have been no accidents involving different automobiles and no important accidents.”
He continued, “And that has not occurred in any of those current drives.” Bolian completed by saying two phrases concerning the current data: “They depend.”
Yow will discover all of Ed Bolian’s movies on VINwiki concerning the Cannonball Run on the video playlist, Cannonball Run Associated Automobile Tales.
The Unofficial Cannonball Run File Guide
Whereas there are not any guidelines, there are just a few parameters. The entire drivers started in New York and resulted in Los Angeles. Sometimes, the race begins someday after midnight.
On this part, you will see that a full checklist of the Cannonball report holders. Inside the checklist, you will see that their instances, their names, and the autos they drove. If the data was accessible, we’ve got additionally outlined how every automotive was arrange, any distinctive strategies that have been used, and any main points with the runs.
The one different unofficial Cannonball Run report checklist is a spreadsheet printed by Ed Bolian of VINwiki fame. Yow will discover his checklist right here.
The Drive That Began All the pieces (1933)
53:30 Erwin George ‘Cannon Ball’ Baker
Higher generally known as Cannon Ball Baker, Baker is, you guessed it, the person behind all of this. In 1933, Baker drove a Graham-Paige mannequin 57 Blue Streak 8 from New York to Los Angeles. He accomplished the drive in 53 hours and half-hour. This grew to become the report time for driving throughout america. Baker’s time held for almost 4 a long time.
Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Sprint (1971-1979)
35:54 Dan Gurney & Brock Yates
On November 15, 1971, Dan Gurney and Brock Yates co-drove a White Ferrari Daytona coupe in 35 hours and 54 minutes. On this race, Gurney and Yates beat seven different groups. Notably, Gurney and Yates by no means exceeded 175 mph and had a median pace of 80 mph.
On March 1, 1972, Automobile and Driver Journal launched a characteristic on the Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Sprint. The article described intimately the automotive that gained the race: “This crew left at 12:32. Their Ferrari was entered by exotic-car impresario Kirk F. White of Philadelphia. It was completely inventory (what may very well be modified?), and no additional tools was carried.
“A blinding blue paint job, full with beautiful pinstriping plus a patchwork of sponsor decals, made the automotive about as inconspicuous as Hugh Hefner’s DC-9. Nearly everyone was satisfied the automotive can be a large favourite with regulation enforcement officers.”
Whereas the seven different automobiles racing all took the same route, Dan and Brock took a unique one.
Yates wrote, “Fairly than run Interstate 78 from northern New Jersey to the intersection of the Pennsy Turnpike at Harrisburg, its crew lower northward throughout New Jersey’s Route 46, via Netcong and Hackettstown, to Interstate 80 due west throughout Pennsylvania. From there, they lower southwest throughout Ohio from Akron to Columbus, intersecting with the standard route.”
35:53 Jack Could & Rick Cline
Within the 1975 Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Sprint, Jack Could, and Rick Cline beat the report held by Dan Gurney and Brock Yates by one single minute. They drove throughout america in a Ferrari Dino 246 GTS in 35 hours and 53 minutes.
32:51 Dave Heinz & Dave Yarborough
Within the 1979 Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Sprint, Dave Heinz, and Dave Yarborough beat the report by 3 hours and a couple of minutes. Driving in a Jaguar XJS, the crew achieved a time of 32 hours and 51 minutes with a median pace of 87 mph.
Notably, not like any of the opposite makes an attempt, this run started in Darien, Conn.
The U.S. Specific (1980-1983)
32:07 Doug Turner & David Diem
In a Ferrari 308, Doug Turner and David Diem completed the run at 32 hours and seven minutes, 44 minutes quicker than the quickest Cannonball Run on the time. This was the “official” cross-country report till 2006.
The Ferrari 308 was designed to be refueled rapidly and had put in kill switches for brake lights. Turner and Diem spent months strategizing the absolute best route. Their common pace was 89.89 mph, however they usually drove over 125 mph.
The Cannonball Run File Holders (2006-Current)
31:04 Alex Roy & David Maher
In 2006, after 23 years, Alex Roy and David Maher set out in a 2000 BMW M5 and beat the report, working 31 hours and 4 minutes. The BMW M5 had a prime pace of 155 mph however may very well be pushed to 190 mph with a software program improve. Whereas at instances they exceeded 150 mph, the typical pace of the run was 90.1 mph.
The automotive was armed with three massive antennas, GPS navigation models, police scanners, night time imaginative and prescient so they may drive with out headlights, a number of cameras, and a 16-gallon gasoline cell. In addition they had a small airplane following them all the time with a radio communication system to maintain an eye fixed out for police and different obstacles. No one slept, and so they made six gasoline stops all through all the run.
28:50 Ed Bolian, Dave Black, and Dan Huang
In 2013, Ed Bolian and Dave Block drove a 2004 Mercedes-Benz CL55 AMG throughout the nation at an unimaginable time of 28 hours and 50 minutes. Their common pace was 98 mph and the automotive had 67 gallons of gasoline capability. In complete, the crew solely stopped for 46 minutes.
27:25 Arne Toman, Doug Tabutt, and Berkeley Chadwick
On November 10, 2019, Arne Toman, Doug Tabutt, and Berkeley Chadwick drove a 2015 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG sedan throughout the nation in 27 hours and 25 minutes, just a bit over one hour quicker than the 2013 report. The automotive was detuned to 700 wheel horsepower.
They’d many devices to help them together with radar detectors, a police scanner, a aircraft crash avoidance system, and brake/tail gentle kill switches. Together with that, they used a thermal scope mounted on a gimbal on the roof which, in line with the crew, proved to be somewhat unhelpful.
26:38 Chris Allen, James Allen, and Kale Odhner
In April 2020, Chris Allen, James Allen, and Kale Odhner drove a 2019 Audi A8 sedan throughout the U.S. in 26 hours and 38 minutes. Notably, their automotive was outfitted with a pair of purple plastic marine gasoline tanks ratchet-strapped within the rear storage. The run’s common pace was 106 mph.
25:39 Arne Toman, Doug Tabutt, and Dunadel Daryoush
In Could 2020, the crew of Arne Toman, Doug Tabutt, and Dunadel Daryoush drove a 2016 Audi S6, disguised as a Ford Taurus Police Interceptor, to a brand new report of 25 hours and 39 minutes. A 110 mph common pace for all the run was achieved, with most speeds reaching simply shy of 175 mph. Over 30 spotters have been used to attain this run. The crew left Manhattan at 6 p.m.
The automotive was modified to place out about 600 horsepower via modified turbos, an upgraded warmth exchanger, and a customized tune. A trunk-mounted 45-gallon gasoline cell, plus the automotive’s 22-gallon inventory tank, helped present the wanted vary and decreased gasoline stops.
A number of police-evasion modifications have been additionally put in on the automotive. These included radar detectors, laser diffusers, a CB radio, and a brake gentle kill change. To prime it off, a roof-mounted thermal digicam was used to identify wildlife and police on the perimeters of the street forward.
For Tabutt’s first-hand detailed account of this report run, take a look at this story.
Different Cannonball Run Data
Together with the standard Cannonball Run total report, there have additionally been quite a few different particular Cannonball Run data. Whereas the primary rule of the Cannonball Run is that there are not any guidelines, these class data have just a few self-imposed guidelines to evolve to the classes.
Cannonball Run Solo File
The solo Cannonball Run report (together with the Diesel and Non-COVID data) is held by Chris Stowell with a time of 27 hours and 16 minutes. It was completed on August 25-26, 2024, in a 2015 BMW 535 diesel. The automotive had an ECU tune, sq. tire setup, and an auxiliary gasoline tank within the trunk — 40 gallons of gasoline on board for an 800-900 mile vary.
An Insta360 radar detector with a laser jammer was the one police detection system used, together with Google Maps working on a smartphone and a DriveSmart Garmin GPS unit. Stowell left the Purple Ball Storage at 2 a.m. on Monday morning, which allowed him to keep away from virtually all site visitors in each NYC and LA.
A 105mph common pace was completed over the two,803.1-mile report run, with simply 32 minutes stopped — 15 of which have been a site visitors cease in Oklahoma, which resulted in a warning.
The earlier solo Cannonball Run report was held by Carl “Yumi” Dietz with a time of 27 hours and 54 minutes. It was set in a 2016 Cadillac ATS on April 4-5, 2020.
If Fred Ashmore can show his claimed time of 25 hours and 55 minutes from June 2020 in a rented 2020 Ford Mustang GT, he’ll get this report.
Solo Nonstop Cannonball Run File
Jay Roberts set the brand new Solo Nonstop Cannonball File at 33 hours and 45 minutes in September 2022 in a 2017 Toyota Prius. He was impressed by the VINwiki movies, on-line assets, and plenty of books on the Cannonball and simply needed to have a go himself.
His first try was through the 2021 Musketball, however that try was a lot slower than was acceptable to him — principally as a result of a semi-truck crash in Colorado that created site visitors.
Roberts’ Prius was outfitted with the inventory 11-gallon and three 32-gallon gasoline tanks, for a complete of 107 gallons. He didn’t cease for gasoline on all the cross-country run and nonetheless had about 17 gallons left when he arrived on the Portofino.
Whereas he did have a radar detector and the JBV1 app working on an Android telephone, he principally relied on a digital group of spotters in a personal radar detector on-line group to assist him keep out of hassle and on monitor. He did get pulled over as soon as — for about 5 minutes — for dashing however wasn’t issued a ticket, by some means.
He used a funnel and a small gap within the floorboards to alleviate himself on the run in order to not make any rest room stops. He did make one cease the place he exited the automobile on the run — which he referred to as a security cease — as a way to clear the bugs off the windshield.
Roberts says he averaged 84 mph on the run and received 32 mpg. He drove 100-105 mph a lot of the run, to stability pace with gasoline economic system, in addition to to beat his goal time of a sub-34-hour Cannonball Run.
Coast-to-Coast-to-Coast Cannonball File
The primary recognized C2C2C report was set in 1971 with a time of 90 hours by Ed Bruerton and Tom Bruerton in an AMC AMX.
In Could 2020, on the identical weekend because the Toman/Tabutt total report, Chris Clemens and Mark Spence drove a 1999 Mercedes SL500 over 5,600 miles spherical journey from New York to Los Angeles to New York to set the brand new Double Cannonball report at 74 hours and 5 minutes.
On the drive west, the crew was in a position to make use of lots of the similar spotters that helped Toman and Tabutt to an total Cannonball File. The crew did, nevertheless, get pulled over as soon as for dashing, and issued a ticket, on the drive west.
There have been numerous makes an attempt of C2C2C data since, particularly in 2022. The present report stands at 65 hours and 19 minutes and was set on April 22-24, 2022, by Bennett Wison, Chris Ruppmann, and Grady Leno in a 2012 Mercedes S500. Solely per week previous to that report, and solely 9 minutes slower, the report had been set in a 2008 Saab 9-5 Aero by Nik Krueger, Wesley James, and Mark Spence.
Cannonball Run Motorbike File
The Cannonball Run motorbike report is the place all of it started all the best way again in 1914 with Erwin George “Cannon Ball” Baker’s 11.5-day transcontinental run.
Alan “the stalwart Californian” T. Bedell rode a Henderson motorbike from Los Angeles to New York in 7 days, 16 hours, and 16 minutes in 1917 to impressively beat Cannonball’s report.
The report is rumored to have modified fingers at the least seven instances over time.
On April 20, 2019, Calvin Cote set a brand new motorbike cannonball report with a time of 35 hours and 6 minutes. He was using a 2012 BMW K1600 GTL, with a customized 15-gallon auxiliary gasoline tank. You possibly can watch a GoPro video of his whole run right here.
Alex Jones set one other Cannonball Run motorbike report on Oct. 17-18, 2021, aboard a 2014 Yamaha FJR1300 at a time of 32 hours and 52 minutes. It’s chronicled in a 2021 Highway & Observe story.
Ross “Beau” Earnest set the present Cannonball Motorbike report on April 21, 2024, aboard a 2008 Yamaha FJR1300, with a time of 32 hours and 32 minutes. Beau averaged 86.5 mph on his over 2,800-mile journey, which began April 19 on the Purple Ball Storage. He took the southern route via Texas and Arizona to keep away from storms in Colorado.
He solely stopped for gasoline 5 instances, as he was working a 13-gallon gasoline cell. The bike was outfitted with an Adaptiv laser jammer, a Valentine V1G2 radar detector, a seat by Russell Day Lengthy, a few cellphones, and a Nite Journey thermal digicam.
Beau’s using jacket pockets have been full of beef jerky and some 40-ounce water bottles to maintain him fueled and hydrated. A couple of GPS monitoring apps, together with Joiner, which was working stay and monitored by a few of the Fraternity of Lunatics, helped validate Beau’s report run.
With plenty of buddies using their very own bikes forward of Beau on varied sections of the report run, he was capable of keep away from any main climate, site visitors, or regulation enforcement points. Nonetheless, his Bluetooth helmet comms failed close to Oaks, Missouri, and he needed to trip the remainder of the run to the Portofino with out audio comms. He obtained texts however couldn’t reply very properly at these speeds.
Cannonball Run Diesel File
The present Cannonball Run diesel report (which can also be the Solo and Non-COVID data) was set on August 25-27, 2024, by Chris Stowell in a tuned 2015 BMW 535 diesel with a time of 27 hours and 16 minutes. A powerful 105 mph common pace was completed over the two,803.1 mile report run. (For extra particulars and a video of this run, see the Solo report part above.)
The previous Cannonball Run diesel report was set on April 4, 2020, by Sean G. Petr, Jason Adkins, and Mark Spence. The crew drove a 2014 Volkswagen Passat TDI throughout the nation in an impressively quick 28 hours and half-hour. A very spectacular common of 25.5 mpg was achieved over the two,852-mile journey, with an equally spectacular 100.07 mph common.
Cannonball Run 3-Wheeled Automobile File
The three-wheeled automobile report is held by Alex Roy and Zach Bowman is 41 hours and 49 minutes. They set the three-wheeled Cannonball Run report in a Morgan 3 Wheeler in 2015.
Cannonball Run EV File
The electrical automobile report started in 1968 with the Nice Transcontinental Electrical Automobile Race that was deliberate by college students at MIT and Caltech. In 1986, the Caltech crew gained with 210 hours and three minutes spanning from August 26 to September 4.
The present report holders are Ryan Levenson and Josh Allan in a rented (off Turo) Tesla Mannequin S Lengthy Vary in a time of 42 hours and 17 minutes, which was set on October 22, 2021. The one automobile “modifications” have been overinflated 19-inch Tesla Tempest wheels, and the crew solely used Waze for site visitors and regulation enforcement detection.
This newest report beat the earlier report by over 2 hours — Kyle Conner, Drew Peterson, and Tijmen Schreur driving a Porsche Taycan 4S (press loaner) in January 2021 in a time of 44 hours and 25 minutes. This report will proceed to fall rapidly as new EV tech is altering. Longer vary, quicker charging, and quicker EV autos are all on the close to horizon.
Cannonball Run Semi-Autonomous Automobile File
The semi-autonomous automobile report started in 2015 when a Delphi self-driving automotive went coast-to-coast from San Francisco to New York over the span of 9 days.
Later that yr, Alex Roy, Carl Reese, and Deena Mastracci set the precise semi-autonomous and electrical Cannonball data in 57 hours and 48 minutes driving a Tesla Mannequin S P85d electrical sedan. Roy mentioned the two,995-mile run was completed 96.1% utilizing autopilot.
The next yr, on August 24, 2016, Alex Roy, Warren Ahner, and Franz Aliquio reset the semi-autonomous Cannonball Run report of simply 55 hours, in a 2016 Tesla Mannequin S90d.
A full 8 years later, the report has been as soon as once more reset, however with an unlikely automobile. On April 13, 2024, Jay and Gypsy Roberts set the semi-autonomous Cannonball Run report at 43 hours and 18 minutes in a 2017 Toyota Prius outfitted with a Comma.ai driver help system. This run is the primary to have a verifiable hands-free driving time, with a 98.416% hands-free run.
Cannonball Run Photo voltaic File
The Cannonball Solar crew designed and constructed the ‘Solar Strider’ photo voltaic automotive particularly to make a Cannonball run. It took two makes an attempt within the span of three years, however the 5 individual crew set the Cannonball run solar-powered report on July 21, 2024, at 4:42 p.m. PT. The report now stands at 13 days, 15 hours and 19 minutes.
The earlier report, and the one different recognized Cannonball photo voltaic try, took 57 days. It was completed in a Tesla Y with a trunk stuffed with transportable photo voltaic panels in 2023. You possibly can take a look at the Photo voltaic Cannonball Run YouTube channel to see all the small print of the run.
General Coast-to-Coast Data
In addition to the Cannonball Run, which is from the Purple Ball in New York Metropolis to the Portofino in California, there may be additionally an outright coast-to-coast, or transcontinental, report that’s hotly contested. This route is shorter — at about 2,565 miles. It’s often from Jacksonville, Florida, to San Diego. It’s referred to as the “Southern Route,” “Southern Run,” or “Previous Spanish Path.”
Coast-to-Coast General File
In a Christmas miracle, Arne Toman, Doug Tabbutt, and David Simpson in a 2015 Mercedes E63s AMG — on December 25-26, 2018 — set a mind-boggling cross-country driving time of 24 hours flat. They managed this unimaginable time even after spending properly over a half-hour complete on the facet of roads in three states getting pulled over for dashing, and receiving two substantial tickets.
Coast-to-Coast Solo File
Bronson Justice set the solo outright report at 25 hours and 35 minutes in a Dodge Charger on October 4, 2020.
Coast-to-Coast Nonstop File
The nonstop report is presently at 27 hours and 13 minutes by Steve Brown in a 2014 GMC Sierra on March 21, 2020.
Coast-to-Coast Semi-Autonomous File
In April 2024, Jay Roberts and Mason Dibley established a semi-autonomous Spanish Path/coast-to-coast report of 32 hours 56 minutes, with 97.432% hands-free driving in a 2017 Toyota Prius with Comma.ai driver help system.
Coast-to-Coast Motorbike File
A coast-to-coast motorbike report was set by Axe Dekruif in a time of 33 hours and 10 minutes. It was completed on a BMW S1000RR with an additional gasoline tank whereas consuming a Purple Bull/Gatorade combination in a CamelBak, and utilizing a Flir thermal imaging digicam for night time driving. Axe averaged 72.6 mph on his cross-country run and produced a documentary (No Limits — No Regrets) on his journey.
In June 2022, a brand new coast-to-coast motorbike report was set at 28 hours and 42 minutes by Andrew Pieper on a 1999 Honda Blackbird 1100xx.
The present coast-to-coast motorbike report was set on August 26-27, 2023, at 28 hours and 28 minutes by Jacob Scroggs on a Harley-Davidson. Scroggs’s route from Jacksonville, Florida, to San Diego coated 2,375 miles, at a median of 83.3 mph.
Cannonball Run Motion pictures & Books
Movies
The Gumball Rally (1976)
This film is impressed by the 1975 Cannonball Run report by Jack Could and Rick Cline that broke Yates’ and Gurney’s report by a mere 60 seconds. Whereas “The Gumball Rally” is solely fictional, the movie is hilarious, speedy, and an exquisite watch.
The Cannonball Run (1981) & Cannonball Run II (1984)
Whereas each of those movies are utterly fictional, the fictional nature contributes to the magnificence of the race itself. Watching these motion pictures won’t offer you any historic context, however they’re a enjoyable watch with well-known actors and actresses together with Burt Reynolds and Farrah Fawcett. “The Cannonball Run” and “Cannonball Run II” are offered as a field set on Amazon.
APEX: The Secret Race Throughout America (2019)
Shifting backwards and forwards between the views and experiences of these concerned within the 1983 U.S. Specific and the 2006 unsanctioned Cannonball Run, this movie transports the viewer right into a front-row seat for the notorious race. Starting with a short historical past of the Cannonball Run, the movie then shifts into first-person recounts of the races.
Greater than something, this movie reveals the preparation and dedication it took for the 2006 crew of Alex Roy and David Maher to efficiently beat a report held by Doug Turner and David Diem that stood for almost 20 years.
You will notice the lengths and strategies that Roy and Maher used. They’d disguise behind 18-wheelers, flip off their headlights to keep away from being seen, and keep in fixed contact with a small airplane hovering over them.
In the course of the run, at one level, the radio utterly stopped working. On the similar time, you see the humanity of each Roy and Maher, just like the second after they cease off at a Burger King drive-thru to get meals whereas on the Cannonball Run. In fact, it’s possible you’ll surprise, “Why didn’t they simply pack meals?” However who is aware of, once you need rooster fries, you need rooster fries.
You should purchase the movie, “APEX: The Secret Race Throughout America” to stream through Prime Video or iTunes. The APEX web site notes, “APEX shatters the myths surrounding the transcontinental report and exhibits never-before-seen footage from the Cannonball, U.S. Specific, and trendy runs.”
Books
Cannonball! World’s Best Outlaw Highway Race by Brock Yates
Printed in 2003, “Cannonball!” was the primary e-book written concerning the Cannonball Run.
Within the Seventies, Brock Yates was the senior editor of Automobile and Driver Journal. However, that was not the one factor he was as much as — Yates created the Cannonball Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Sprint.
Not solely is that this e-book stuffed with unimaginable tales of the Cannonball Run, nevertheless it additionally accommodates images from many legendary moments. Written by one of the vital well-known automotive journalists whose impression continues to be reaching automotive lovers as we speak, “Cannonball!” is certain to impress.
The Driver: My Harmful Pursuit of Pace and Reality within the Outlaw Racing World by Alexander Roy
Alexander Roy beat the Cannonball Run File in 2006 after the report stood for almost 20 years. “The Driver” is Roy’s memoir, reflecting on all of his daring races the world over.
The entire races in his life ready him to beat the Cannonball report, driving from New York to Los Angeles in 32 hours and seven minutes. This e-book supplies a compelling and deeply attention-grabbing take a look at the story behind Roy’s motivations and experiences.
FOR THE RECORD: 28:50 A Journey Towards Self-Discovery and the Cannonball Run File by Ed Bolian
Printed in 2017, Ed Bolian, a natural-born storyteller and racer, writes a memoir that speaks about greater than the logistics surrounding beating the Cannonball Run report. This e-book intertwines fascinating automotive tales and Bolian’s grappling together with his religion, and it explores what led him to have the will to develop into the subsequent record-holder for the Cannonball Run.
Actuality Is Extra Fascinating Than Fiction
To most, the prospect of taking part on this race would possibly as properly be a fairytale … or a nightmare. The Cannonball Run is a really actual race that has stood the take a look at of time due to some loopy, pushed individuals who preserve desirous to beat the report.
After studying this text, maybe you wish to go on a Cannonball Run bender and browse each e-book and watch each film yow will discover. Or, maybe you wish to scratch that racing itch of yours, a method or one other. Should you love the joys however hate the precise hazard, we advise refining your driving expertise at a efficiency driving college, at a monitor day, or on the pc or simulator. Quenching your want for pace in these shops gained’t put the crosshairs of the regulation on you, like a Cannonball Run will.
When requested what outlined the Cannonball Run, Alex Roy answered, “Politics. Defiance. Endurance. Pace. Battle. No stopping aside from gasoline and repairs. A route from coast-to-coast. An icepick within the face of conference.”
The Cannonball Run is an instance of when the realities of life find yourself being extra fascinating than fiction.
The Could 2020 Cannonball run by Arne Toman and Doug Tabutt in a 2016 Audi S6 is the present report, at 25 hours and 39 minutes. An insane common pace of 110 mph was achieved on this report run.
The present coast-to-coast-to-coast report is 74 hours and 5 minutes. It was set in Could 2020 by Chris Clemens and Mark Spence driving a 1999 Mercedes SL500 over a 5,600-mile spherical journey from New York to Los Angeles to New York.
There isn’t any set distance for the Cannonball Run. Typically, Cannonball Runs take over 2,800 miles to finish.
The normal begin and end for the Cannonball Run are the Purple Ball Storage in Manhattan, New York, and the Portofino Lodge & Marina in Redondo Seaside, Calif.
The Cannonball Run has no set route. Cannonballers can take no matter route they assume is finest to make it throughout the nation the quickest.
The Cannonball Run is against the law, because it requires breaking a number of site visitors legal guidelines as a way to set a report time.
