CHAPTER 2
Beat the Clock
In the 1930s, people worked on
hot rods
. They raced in
dry lake beds. They wanted to see how fast they could go.
But they had a new goal in 1949. They wanted to see how
fast they could accelerate. They needed more space. Utah
was the place to go.
People spread the word. The event would be called
Speed Week. Racers would compete to see who could
accelerate fastest. Hot rods gathered at the
Bonneville Salt Flats. A wide stretch of flat
ground lay in front of them.
At the Bonneville Salt Flats,
there was plenty of room to
speed up and slow down.
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