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Only
one Unlimited Corvette was faster.
Some
folks would disagree, but for those who
believe in American Motors, no explanation is
necessary.
For
those who do not believe in AMC, no amount of
explanation is possible.
It was the ragged edge of insanity. But that is
what all automobile racing is about.
Seventy miles from
the now distant starting line, we enter the first
narrow canyon at a speed faster than we ever have
in years before.
Using caution, and keeping the speed at 130 mph,
we glide though each turn as solid as a locomotive
on banked rails. The posted highway signs
recommend a maximum of 30 mph in the tight,
high-wall canyon turns. We are streaking through
corners at 100 miles an hour faster than that, but
the Javelin feels stable. Use of both lanes during
this race is the norm and one can only trust that
no White Freightliner has gotten on the course by
accident and is coming at you from around the
blind corners. There is no sense in taking any
unnecessary chances though this three mile area,
so we don't. We were averaging 172 mph when we
entered the canyon, and by the time we get back
out on the flats, our average was down to 164 mph.
Every second is critical, and the remaining 17
miles to the finish line must be taken as fast,
but as careful as possible to try and make up the
time lost in the "Narrows".
The last turn out
of the canyon brings us into the "Breezeway". A
2.5 mile downhill straightaway with the wind at
your back and as smooth as glass. This is the only
area that will allow you to accelerate faster than
you would normally be able to anywhere else on the
course. As expected, we are gaining speed at a
phenomenal rate and were clocked on radar at 192
mph! And the pedal was never fully floored.
The next right-hand
turn brings us back to a "comfortable" speed of
180 mph as we re-engage "auto-pilot" for another
ten miles. My wife Rhonda, and our good friend and
"Crew Chief" Kevin Muckleroy were working the
checkpoint at Mile 76, and as we passed by them at
180 mph we know we're almost 'home'. The last
three turns on the course are fairly tight and
must be taken with caution. 170 mph is our speed
of choice. and as we exit the last left-hand turn,
we are in the four mile straight towards the
finish line. As we bring the speed back up to 180
or so, a slight head wind is encountered. Still,
we crossed the finish line on radar at 181.6 mph!
Elapsed time: 32 minutes, 21 seconds. Average
speed for the ninety miles: 167 MPH. Top speed on
radar: 192 mph.
Art's calculated,
in-car time was accurate to within six tenths of
one second over the ninety mile road course! A
record in itself. As the driver, I am extremely
impressed!
Only seven drivers
of all makes of cars have ever averaged over 165
mph in the ten years of this event, and we now
make it eight, putting an AMC car into the
All-time, Top 10! We even put a six minute gap
between us and the Callaway Corvette that left the
line sixty seconds after we did! So much for the
"Heartbeat of America", Huh? We also caught and
passed the low flying, official chase airplane 82
miles from the start line!
Just for the
record, we have now driven an AMC powered, AMC
car, faster than anyone in automotive history. The
fastest recorded AMC top speed was set by Craig
Breedlove in 1968 at Bonneville, at 189 mph in a
68 AMX with a supercharged 390 V-8. We did 192 mph
without a blower. He did that speed in a
full-race, production car on a professional
offroad course. We went faster with a street
legal, stock-bodied production car. On street
tires, through the mufflers and wearing a license
plate.
We take nothing
away from the achievements of the past, but must
resign them to the past. After living through this
incredible mixture of fantasy and reality, it is
obvious to me now that "Great White" was, and is
in fact, capable of better than 200 mph on the
"street" or a track. Maybe yet another goal to
accomplish.
 The
reward of a feat well done is to have done it and
not just dreamed about it. We take pride in this
new modern-day AMC accomplishment. For our hobby,
its people, and "the cause" of underdogs
everywhere. It was important and needed to keep
our AMC flag flying high in light of our company
being departed from the American automotive scene.
This was a day in the sun for American Motors.
Three AMCs entered, and all three finished in fine
AMC style. The combined AMC Racing effort
consisted of our Javelin, Jim Weyand in his 1969
AMX that ran a 139 mph average and Dan Bruerton in
his 1969 AMX that ran a 128 mph average. No Mopar,
Chevy or Ford could touch us. Only one Unlimited
Corvette was faster. Some folks would disagree,
but for those who believe in American Motors, no
explanation is necessary. For those who do not
believe in AMC, no amount of explanation is
possible. It was the ragged edge of insanity. But
that is what all automobile racing is about.
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