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Cannonball One
Lap of America
2006 Race
2005 Race
2002 Race
2000 Race
In the early 1970's Brock Yates,
senior editor of Car and Driver Magazine created the now infamous
Cannonball Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash; a flat out,
no-holds-barred race from New York City to Redondo
Beach, California. Setting out to prove that competent, well trained
drivers can indeed safely navigate the American highways at speeds
somewhat in excess of the posted limits, Mr. Yates created a spectacle
reminiscent of the days of the barnstorming pilots. But after five
successful events with none of the slaughter and mayhem predicted by the
safety Nazis; five events where the continent was ultimately traversed
in
32 hours 51 minutes, Mr. Yates decided that he had made his point and it
was now time to cash in with writing the screenplays for Cannonball Run
and Smokey and the Bandit II.
Starting in 1992 put the Cannonball One Lap of America on the format it
uses today: Nearly twenty-four hours a day driving with competition
taking place as time trials on race tracks throughout the country. The
event,
as it always has been, is foremost one of endurance and vehicle
preparation. No support crews are allowed. The tires that are used on
the street are the same ones that are raced on (one set per team).
Although scoring is based on performance at the race tracks, the
vehicles and their drivers must survive over 5000 miles of driving
interspersed with the finest meals available at gas station convenience
stores. Personal hygiene takes a holiday and friendships
(sometimes marriages) are stretched to the limits as these competitors
battle fatigue, weather,
traffic and the demands of high-speed competition with both unknown
amateurs and seasoned professional drivers like Parnelli Jones, Price
Cobb, John Buffum, Elliot Forbes Robinson and Hurley Haywood.
For More information on the race,
please visit: www.onelapofamerica.com
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