Silver State Classic Challenge facts for kids
The Silver State Classic Challenge is an exciting car race held on a closed road in Nevada, United States. Since 1988, drivers have raced on a 90-mile stretch of State Route 318. It's known as one of the fastest road races in the world!
While some cars go super fast, most people race in regular street cars. These cars aim for average speeds between 95 and 155 miles per hour. You can see all kinds of cars, from speedy Corvettes to family-friendly Mercedes wagons.
Contents
Race History
How the Race Started
The idea for this race came from Steve Waldman. The first race happened on September 25, 1988. It was a way to show off cool old cars. With help from the White Pine Chamber of Commerce and the Nevada Department of Transportation, a 90-mile road was closed. About 50 cars took part in that first event.
Early Speed Records
The next year, a 19-year-old driver named R. J. Gottlieb set a new record. He drove a special 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z-28 at 197.99 miles per hour! This amazing run was even written about in Hot Rod magazine. Over the years, the race became more organized. Rules for safety, car preparation, and driver experience got much stricter.
Nevada Open Road Challenge
Since 1991, another race called the Nevada Open Road Challenge takes place every May. It uses the same rules but on a shorter 60-mile course. Drivers race the course once in each direction. They can even switch places with their navigators between runs.
Race Rules and Speed Classes
How to Win
Drivers and their navigators try to hit a specific average speed, called their "Target Speed," over the 90-mile course. A GPS clock records when each car starts and finishes. The average speed is then figured out. The winners in each class are the team closest to their target speed.
Understanding the Classes
There are four main classes, each with smaller groups. Drivers must aim for target speeds between 95 and 180 miles per hour. Each class has rules about the safety gear needed for cars, drivers, and navigators. There's also a "Tech Speed," which is the fastest a car can go in that class. Radar traps are hidden to make sure no one goes over this limit.
There's also an Unlimited Class. In this class, drivers try to go as fast as possible, with no maximum speed limits!
- Touring Class (Speeds: 95, 100, 105, 110 mph)
- This class is for regular street cars. They must have standard 3-point seatbelts. Drivers need a small fire extinguisher, gloves, and a special Snell approved helmet. New drivers usually start in this class. Cars in this class cannot go faster than 124 miles per hour.
- Grand Touring Class (Speeds: 115, 120, 125 mph)
- Cars in this class need a fire extinguisher, gloves, and Snell helmets. They also must have 5-point or 6-point racing harnesses. Open cars (like convertibles) need a rollbar. Cars in this class cannot go faster than 140 miles per hour.
- Grand Sport Class (Speeds: 130, 135, 140, 145, 150, 155 mph)
- These cars need all the Grand Touring gear, plus a rollbar or similar safety cage. Drivers and navigators must wear fireproof racing suits. Cars in this class cannot go faster than 165 miles per hour.
- Super Sport Class (Speeds: 160, 170, 180 mph, and Unlimited)
- This class is for special race cars. They need a full roll cage, a special fuel tank, and a built-in fire extinguisher system. Cars in the 160 and 170 mph classes cannot go over 180 miles per hour. Cars in the 180 mph and Unlimited classes have no specific maximum speed.
Other Events
Drag Races
During the race weekend, there are also two drag events. These happen on a closed part of the highway. The town of Ely is very high up, at 6400 feet. This high altitude makes engines a bit less powerful, so the race results are slower than at lower places.
Z1Z/Z2Z Challenge
On Friday, the Z1Z/Z2Z challenge takes place. In this event, cars try to speed up from a stop to 100 mph ("Z1Z" in May) or 200 mph ("Z2Z" in September). Then they brake and stop as quickly as possible. The fastest car in May 2007 took 16.1 seconds to reach 100 mph and stop. It needed 1289 feet to do it!
High Noon Shootout
On Saturday, the High Noon Shootout is a pure speed event. Touring and Grand Touring cars have half a mile to reach their highest speed. Grand Sports cars and faster have a full mile. In September 2007, a modified 1994 Evo II set a record of 212 mph!
Safety First
Spectators are not allowed at the race because there are no crash barriers. The only way to watch is by being one of the safety marshals who watch every gate along the course.
Safety rules have become much stricter over the years to keep everyone safe. There's a big focus on how fast and strong the tires are. The radio system used by marshals to check on cars and call for help has also been greatly improved. Now, each racer even gets a basic 2-way radio to use.
Race Management
Steve Waldman was the first president and chairman of the Silver State Classic Challenge. He helped set up the race from the very beginning. After Mr. Waldman passed away in 2014, a board of directors and other leaders took over running the event.
Cool Participants
One famous participant is Daijiro Inada, who started the Japanese car magazine Option. He's well-known in the car world for drifting. His video magazine, Video Option, filmed his attempts at the race. His car, the Option Stream Z, is an unlimited category Nissan 350Z.
Another well-known racer is John Schneider, who starred in The Dukes of Hazzard. He has raced several times in the famous General Lee car.
Jeff Allen, from CNBC's The Car Chasers, also raced in 2015 and 2016. He won several awards with his custom GTR car, including "Fastest Car" in the Half Mile Shootout in 2016.
Jeff Schwartz, a car builder, won the 2006 Silver State Classic Challenge 0-200 mph-0 event in his homemade Ultima GTR.
Guy Martin, a TV star, raced a Ford Transit van in the 2016 Open Road Challenge. This was even shown in his TV show Speed with Guy Martin.
Famous Cars
Big Red Camaro
"Big Red" is a very famous 1969 Chevrolet Camaro. It was one of the first "pro-touring" muscle cars. It was also the first car to set a record in the Unlimited class of the Silver State Classic. R. J. and Dan Gottlieb built the car in 1987. It had a powerful 800-horsepower engine!
In 1989, R. J. Gottlieb and his team set the Unlimited class record of 197.99 mph with Big Red. The original car was later damaged in another race. A second "Big Red" was built with a special tube chassis. Big Red was put in a car museum in 1996 but was brought back to race again in 2004 after a full rebuild.
Similar Races
There are two other similar "Open Road Racing" events in the U.S. The Big Bend Open Road Racing event happens in West Texas every April. The Sandhills Open Road Challenge takes place in Arnold, Nebraska every August.
