The Silver State Classic

[JerryHofschneider]

The only differences between the surface of the Moon and Nevada Hwy 318 is the presence of oxygen-- and, of course, the highway itself. (The Moon does not have numbered highways--yet.).
There are no phone poles along 318, no chlorophyll-based life forms, no ranches, intersections or McDonald's along this road. No people live on--or off-- 318, no water finds its way there and the dead landscape of dried-out flatland along the entire 110-mile length of the road is the color of ancient rocks, bleached beige by a ruthless blast furnace sun.
You can drive for hours without seeing an oncoming car. You can drive for 110 miles without seeing any signs of a human interest in the place. You can also drive fast, very fast.
318, one of the lonliest roads in the country, goes N/S from equally lonely US 93 (out of Vegas) to a barren intersection with US 6, maybe 20 miles outside Ely, Nevada. Those are the ONLY intersections for nearly 100 miles. At around 5000' altitude, most of the route is traversed in shimmery, Moon-thin air. It runs in pretty much a straight line and the driver's sightlines are often of sweeping 20-mile vistas--which makes it the perfect place to go fast.
You soon realize what isolation really means--there is literally nothing out here.
But twice a year, Hwy 318 erupts into activity and becomes the fastest road in America...

--May 2003
I stumbled upon it.
I was on a transcontinental trip in a new 350Z, had just experienced the Grand Canyon and Route 66 and had dropped a modest load on the p0ker tables of Vegas. Ahead of me was a looong day's drive to Boise, and the road I chose to get there was the only road in town, NV 318. It was a pleasant, cool morning, temps in the low 40's. The road was a thin black line in the Atlas. I had no idea of its history...

The Silver State Classic was begun in the 1980s as a means for true enthusiasts to run what they brung as fast as they can on a public highway. The founders convinced the Nevada State Police to close off a 90-mile section of 318 (between Hiko and Lund--look it up) to allow amateur drivers to go as fast as they wanted. For the first few years around 50 true believers got the word, journeyed to Lund, paid the entry fee and went fast. They found that it was not a road race or a rally, but a time-to-distance run. The trophy at the end was a printout derived from several radar emplacements along the route showing your speed.
When the word spread, Silver State suddenly became a sanctioned event. Drivers sporting Cobras showed up from Carrol Shelby's skunkworks in E Las Vegas, high rollers came in their Ferraris and Jaguars, local boys did the 90-mile lap in their hot Camaros. It was becoming a gathering of fast exotic road cars.

-- I was on a slight rise, looking downward into a flat, 10-mile wide basin. I popped the Z into first and began my run. The car was brand new, had less than 3500 miles on her and had never gone beyond 80 MPH. I shot pas 80 in third, kept going. Despite the thin desert atmosphere the Z powered up, finally hitting 147. It was--and still is--the second fastest speed that I've ever driven. (The fastest was 150 plus in a 330 GTB Ferrari, way back in the 1970's).
The ground effects and aerodynamics became prominent in the Z's handling. The car stuck to the tarmac. I didn't let up, not at all, and kept the right pedal buried in the carpeting. The Z and me went at NASCAR speeds across the basin, slowing to 120 as the road began to climb into some foothills. For 70-80 miles I rode above 100, never seeing another car.
What a thrill...!

Some have died in the Nevada desert.
In 2011, a Camaro blew a tire at 125 MPH, flipped and the driver and navigator died, and In 2014, a 71-year old guy rolled a Porsche at 150. He was attempting to do the entire run at 150MPH average and almost succeeded, losing the car near the finish line. Two others have perished over the years.
The fastest speed was held for 12 years by a modified Camaro. In 2000, that car set a 207.78 MPH record, one that held until broken by a (modded ) Dodge Charger in 2012. He blew through the record and set a Bonneville-like speed of 217.77. It is still the record. Several prepped (NISMO??) 350z's and Infinity G sedans have also held records.

--I parked on Ely's Main street ( US 50--The Lincoln Highway) and went into a Western-themed saloon/ casino for a drink. The barfront had hundreds of silver dollars under lucite and dozens of tiny slot machines along the bar's length.
I had noticed, as I pulled into civilization, that all along Ely's short main drag were colorful banners advertising something called The Silver State Classic. I had never heard of it, so I asked the bartender...

"It's an all-day road race. Holding it next week. Hundreds of people run it in some of the most amazing cars. The cops don't care how fast you go. just don't try to go fast at any OTHER time, though. Cops'll throw you UNDER the jail."
I smiled, finished my beer and asked the quickest way to Idaho.

The Classic is held the first week of May this year. If you're within 350 miles of Lund, Nevada and have a fast car, you should go. You can make the run in any old car. There are no restrictions on what kind of car can enter. Camrys and VWs are welcome alongside Bugattis and Ferraris, but a fast one would be more fun.

Spec requires a safety inspection, fire extinguisher and a helmet and gloves. And you should bring a fast car, but you don'd have to. That's it.

[centralcoaster33]

Was searching for radar detector using just the word Radar. Lot's of articles about cruise control using radar technology, a few about actual radar detectors, and this article here because you used the word once in your literary recollection. What a fun find to make for an enjoyable lunch break! I read this, looked at maps, imagery, the event, the Wiki page... Ooh, this excerpt from Wiki made me smile some. "These cars run the gamut from sports cars such as Corvettes and Mustangs to sedans such as Nissan Skylines, Mercedes wagons, and even Saturns." I like how the Nissan Skyline was excluded from the 'sports cars' and included in the 'sedans'. Anyway, thanks for the lunch!

[EdBwoy]

And I am here thanks to centralcoaster's bump. I don't know how I missed this, but I really enjoyed it as well. Thanks Jerry, you tell a good story

[float_6969]

Yea, how the heck did I not see this back in January?!?! Thanks for the story and I'm sorry I missed this the first time. I'll definitely have to check it out!