World's Fastest Piston-Engine, Wheel-Driven Vehicle Tops 333 MPH At Bonneville

Aug. 16, 2023 3:59 PM ET byRex Sanchez Engine /3 Comments

This is the 11th time the Speed Demon team has won the Hot Rod Trophy.

Team Speed Demon has won its 11th Hot Rod Trophy at this year's SCTA Bonneville Speed Week in Utah. The team's entry, the Speed Demon 715, clocked 333.360 mph on the salt surface of Bonneville, making it the fastest piston-engine, wheel-driven vehicle in the world.

There is an emphasis on piston-engine as Bonneville has previously seen rocket- and turbojet-powered vehicles running over 600 mph. That said, securing the award 11 times in its respective class should be a rewarding experience forGeorge Poteetand the team.

The run was registered on Wednesday, August 9, during the 2023 Bonneville Speed Week. Driven by Chris Raschke, the Speed Demon 715 made a statement as it finished with a top speed over 100 mph faster than first runner-up Eddies Chop Shop (231.865 mph). The rest of the top finishers registered about the same speed range; Geoff Stilwell - 7077 LandSpeed Racing (223.362 mph) and Guthrie Levie Racing (214.100 mph).

Leading the Speed Demon 715 program's engine department is Ken Duttweiler. He fitted a methanol-fueled 557 cubic inch twin-turbo Chevy big block claimed to generate 3,156 horsepower and 2,106 lb-ft of torque. It was the setup used when the car clocked 481.576 mph at the Bonneville Salt Flats in 2020 and is one of just several engines that can be accommodated in the chassis. Others include a 443ci engine based on the LS series of small-block V8s one might find in theChevrolet Camaro ZL1和凯迪拉克CT5-V Blackwing和256 ci小型车辆ck.

As for road-going piston-engine cars,many automakers are closing inon the 300 mph mark, and very soon, we may see theKoenigsegg Jesko Absolutnearly equal the Speed Demon's run, as the Swedish automaker is targeting 330 mph,sometime in the near future. That's some way off the Speed Demon's true top speed, however, with the reason for 2023's 'slow' run being less-than-ideal conditions that saw the salt flats covered in water just a few days before the event.

In pursuing extreme speed, the nature of the annual event will always be dangerous. One motorcyclist was injured the same day the Speed Demon 715 posted its award-winning top speed. He was taken to the University of Utah Hospital while SCTA continued investigating the incident.

The next stop will be at the El Mirage Dry Lake in California on September 10 before the race returns to Bonneville Salt Flats for the world finals on September 30.