07/15/2026
🏁 Bonneville Speed Week – First Time? Here’s My Must-Do Guide
I still remember driving onto the salt for the first time back in 2010, thinking, “Where do we go now? What do we do?”
It can feel a little overwhelming at first, so here are a few tips to help you make the most of your first Bonneville Speed Week.
I’m not racing this year, which gives me more time to get around, catch up with teams and help promote our great sport. Hopefully, by sharing what’s happening on the salt, we can encourage a few more people to experience Bonneville for themselves.
For anyone coming for the first time, take it all in, ask questions, meet the racers and enjoy every moment. Your first trip to Bonneville is something you’ll never forget.
☀️ Before You Head to the Salt
Make sure you’ve got a chair, some shade, plenty of sunscreen, good sunglasses, a decent hat and lots of water.
Don’t underestimate the Bonneville sun!
🚗 Saturday Night Car Show at the Red Garter (this year).
Don’t miss the Saturday night car show at the Red Garter. It’s one of the highlights of the week.
You’ll see Bonneville race cars, incredible hot rods, classics, customs and some truly amazing machinery. It’s also a great opportunity to catch up with racers and meet plenty of like-minded people before the week really gets underway.
The SCTA also usually has its merchandise van at the Red Garter on Saturday night. It’s a great chance to grab some Speed Week gear while there’s still a good selection of styles and sizes available.
MOONEYES also has a fantastic merchandise stand in its pit area. Get in early—their gear is always popular and can sell out quickly! 👀 Also Safety Kleen and other vendors setup in their pits and on the salt.
🇺🇸 Drivers’ Meeting
The drivers’ briefing is usually held around 9am on Saturday. Even if you’re not racing, it’s well worth attending.
You’ll rub shoulders with drivers and crews from around the world, hear what the SCTA has to say about the week and get a feel for how everything operates.
It’s also a special moment to be there for the National Anthem before racing gets underway.
This year there will also be a Celebration of Life for one of land speed racing’s own, Scott Guthrie, following the drivers’ briefing.
🚦 At the Start Line
Once racing begins, spend some time at the start line.
Until a vehicle is around ten places from the front of the queue, you can usually get quite close, have a look at the cars and bikes and chat with the crews.
Once they reach those final few positions, give them some space. That’s when things start getting serious and the teams are concentrating on making their run.
🔧 Walk the Pits
Don’t just stay at the start line. Drive down to the pits and have a walk around.
One of the best things about land speed racing is how accessible it is. Most teams are happy to answer questions, show you their machinery and have a chat.
If a pit looks closed off or the crew is obviously busy, respect that and move on. There is always plenty more to see.
🏆 Check Out Impound
Another must-see is the impound area.
This is where the vehicles that have qualified for records are held overnight before returning for their backup runs the following morning.
It’s a great place to see who has qualified and who could potentially put their name into the Bonneville record book the next day.
🌅 Get Up Early
Every morning, usually around 6:45–7:00 am, the vehicles are escorted from impound back to the start line for their record backup runs.
Don’t miss it.
These teams have invested thousands of hours, years of work and a huge amount of money chasing the dream of setting a Bonneville record.
Watching the sun come up over the salt while the record contenders head to the line is one of the most special moments you’ll experience all week.
🍔 Food, Facilities & Keeping Yourself Going
While you should always bring plenty of your own supplies, there is usually food available on the salt for breakfast and lunch.
The Enola Gay Café has historically been there each year, serving sandwiches, burgers, drinks to keep everyone going.
There are also toilet facilities available on the salt, making it much easier to spend a full day out there.
🍺 Carmen’s Black & White Bar
If you’re looking for where the land speed racers gather after a day on the salt, make sure you stop in at Carmen’s Black & White Bar.
It’s a great place to grab a beer, catch up with racers and crews, swap stories from the day and soak up the unique Bonneville atmosphere.
While you’re there, take some time to look around. The walls are covered with incredible land speed racing photographs and memorabilia, making it almost like a museum of Bonneville history. It’s one of those places every first-time visitor should experience.
⏱️ Take Your Time
Don’t try to see everything in one day.
You’ve got all week.
Relax, explore, meet people, ask questions and enjoy the atmosphere. Bonneville isn’t just about the racing—it’s about the people and the stories you’ll collect along the way.
One final tip—drive carefully on the salt.
Believe it or not, some of the worst accidents at Bonneville have happened in the pits and on the roads heading to and from them, not on the racecourse itself.
Slow down, be patient and remember there’s no need to be in a hurry.
You’ve got all week.
See you on the salt at Bonneville Speed Week! 🏁
To my fellow racers and Bonneville veterans: if I’ve missed something, please add it in the comments. Let’s help the first-timers enjoy their week and experience everything that makes Bonneville Speed Week one of the greatest motorsport events in the world.
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