The Cannonball is Dead, Long Live the Cannonball

"Andrew Fails" (fails) 12/18/2015 at 07:59 • Filed to: Cannonball, Alex Roy, Ed Bolian, US Express, adventure, race, rally

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Few events in American car culture are as famous, or infamous, as the Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash. The name itself is historically significant, yet resolutely tongue-in-cheek. For short, it’s known simply as the Cannonball. It is the epitome of the great American road trip. It has spawned other illegal events, multiple movies, and a seemingly infinite number of road rallies. But before the glamour and the parties, there was a single, simple idea.

Coast to coast.

New York City to Los Angeles by car or bike.

As fast as humanly possible.

Legalities be damned.

The concept itself is hopelessly romantic. You, your friend, and your car, against the world, just bombing through the desert in the middle of the night. It conjures up images of everything America loves. It’s an adventure. A way of proving yourself. A melding of man and machine. Racing engines and blurred lines. All while giving a defiant middle finger to the rest of society. But the reality is a bit more serious.

Now, I’m not going to debate the validity or merits of this type of behavior. Is it legal? Oh, not in the slightest. Is it dangerous? Obviously. Am I encouraging anyone to try this? Certainly not. Will it happen again? Formerly, I would have said yes, but now I’m not so sure. As I said, I’m not here to debate the merit of these events, just to discuss the evolution of them. You do not have to condone a behavior to find it psychologically interesting. I love cars, and solving problems. This involves both. You are solving a problem with, and about, cars.

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As a point of clarification, I have never performed a cross country run, as I lack the financial and testicular fortitude to deal with the potential ramifications. But, as befits a man who works for free on the internet, I have many unfounded opinions that I stand behind. But, I am able to admit my own shortcomings. As any reader of my previous articles could agree, I occasionally play a bit fast and loose with facts. So in an attempt to lend some credibility and logic to this diatribe, I’ve turned to the undisputed experts of the subject: !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! and !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . Ed Bolian is the current world record holder, having made the trip in a staggering 28 hours and 50 minutes. Alex Roy quite literally wrote the book on cross country racing, and set a previous record of 31 hours and four minutes.

I’ll be honest, this article did not turn out how I initially envisioned. My initial plan was to discuss the strategy behind car selection and preparation. To me, this was the interesting conversation. I would shoot down some misconceptions while reinforcing other belief structures. Speaking to the last two record holders would merely allow me to validate my own opinions. But the longer I spoke to Bolian and Roy, the more my focus shifted. While the problem solving itself is still a fascinating endeavor that I will most likely tackle later, it was not the most interesting story. Instead, I’m going to try and figure out how we got to this point, and where it goes from here.

Like America, and this article itself, the Cannonball has grown and evolved far beyond those innocent nascent days. In the beginning, it was a whimsical idea, a van, and a cheeky article. This whimsical slap in the face of conservatism spawned the birth of an honest to goodness time trial event, complete with stamped time cards. In the events of the early 1970s, the magic formula had yet to be determined. This lead to a level of innovation and experimentation not seen since. Many schools of thought were implemented and tested. Some worked, some didn’t.

Some, like Yates and Gurney operated on the principle that overwhelming performance trumped everything. Their run in a Ferrari Daytona remains the Holy Grail of Cannonball lore, even if their time was broken a mere four years later, and resolutely shattered four more years after that. The idea of a professional racer, in a purebred Italian sportscar, just streaking across the nation in the dead of night is a stirring image to be sure. But as poetic as that may be, it would never be repeated.

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Other methods were also tried in the original Cannonball series. Some ran vans full of giant fuel cells. Some wore disguises, with Yates even running a fake ambulance in 1979. Some just ran flat out, in cars with nowhere near the track pedigree of the more flashy contestants. Others still were just there for the adventure and the laughs, running in everything from RVs to limousines. It was an era of throwing things at the wall, just to see what would stick. In the days before GPS, strategies were built off of road maps and gut instinct. Everyone was hunting for that mystical clear route, and that perfect car that would ensure victory.

All of this was done more or less in the public eye. Each run was accompanied by an article in Car and Driver, and media glitterati were regular observers at the starting line. Because that’s the 70s. Flagrant disregard for law and order was very in. It was a political protest, in its own high octane way. It sought to show that adults could make their own decisions out on the road, and would travel at a speed relative to their own personal and mechanical abilities.

But, just as the Cannonball was evolving, so was the political climate. As the race itself became more and more famous, public support was waning. While the earlier events occasionally had a mere semblance of discretion, the final Cannonball in 1979 had thousands of spectators at the start, and nearly 50 teams entered. It had finally managed to grow beyond all controllability. The mere idea of that many people trying to keep quiet about an illegal event is laughable. There are not that many routes across the nation, so if the police know your starting and ending points, plus the date of departure, all they have to do is post up and wait for you.

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This media circus caused the Cannonball to metamorphosize into the most secretive period in its long and storied history. The Cannonball was dead. The “US Express” was born. Now, while the Cannonball was split between serious competitors, adventure seekers, and anti-establishment rabble rousers, the US Express was all business. They took the lessons of their predecessors to heart. The successes were studied, as well as the failures. View it as an evolution. The routes were changed each year. The participants were thoroughly vetted. Even today, decades after the fact, almost no data exists. Even Roy, who has seen probably every second of footage of these events, and knows some of the participants personally, does not know all of the details.

But even these secretive men fell to the same complications as their forebearers. Their security was not airtight. On one of the last runs, police managed to get a list of cars, drivers, and license plates. Again, this combined with the limited number of fast routes, and a knowledge of departure dates made rounding up the racers an easy proposition. So this era too, fell away, and cross country racing disappeared for over two decades. The specifics of how the breakdown happened have been lost to the annals of history, but the lesson is clear: secrecy is paramount.

After the US Express died off, serious coast to coast racing died off for over twenty years. When it resurfaced, it was a far cry from the formative days. This new breed of racer would be unrecognizable to Yates or Gurney. The brute force approach was no longer enough. So much had changed in the intervening years. Police were better equipped and better connected, traffic was heavier, and the legal system had lost most of its “oh you rascals, try to stay out of trouble” attitude.

When the concept of illegal transcontinental racing reentered the cultural mindset, it was in a vastly different form. Gone were the large fields of entries. Gone were the racecar drivers. Gone were the purebred sports cars. Instead there were spreadsheets, GPS satellites, and thermal cameras. Instead of crafting political statements, these new teams drafted mission statements. If you remove everything: the lore, the romance, the inspiration, you get down to the core idea. This new breed of driver viewed the race as a problem to be solved.

Read the remaining 2400 words over at RightFootDown.com

All images courtesy !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! and !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

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Fails is a freelance photographer who sometimes pretends to be literate. You can follow him on !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! or see his portfolio !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . He is talking in third person because it makes him feel mysterious.

Viggen9er3 > Andrew Fails 12/18/2015 at 09:57

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Here is more information on the record breaking Cannonball.

http://jalopnik.com/meet-the-guy-w…

And morInformation

http://jalopnik.com/here-s-the-dat…

Andrew Fails > Viggen9er3 12/18/2015 at 10:08

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Yep, that's Bolian. Really good guy.

DrScientist > Andrew Fails 12/18/2015 at 10:23

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i have a little bit of a nit to pick with bolian’s record, as i believe he had an extra large fuel cell fitted, to minimize fuel stops. correct me if i’m wrong.

the early days of the cannonball featured completely stock cars. this jaguar v12 xjs, driven by dave heinz and dave yarborough held the record from 1979 through 1983. the only modification was a pair of high powered driving lights fixed to the front bumper.

too bad those dipshits at gas monkey got their hands on it.

my attempt wasn’t nearly close to record breaking

Andrew Fails > DrScientist 12/18/2015 at 10:28

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A large number of Cannonball cars, even at the beginning, ran modified cars. Even Brock Yates, the founder and organizer, ran modified cars. There were stock cars, but I wouldn’t say that was the rule,or even the majority.

DrScientist > Andrew Fails 12/18/2015 at 10:31

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fair enough. i guess that’s what happens in an unsanctioned race.

something nice about a stock car though. :)

Justin Hughes > Andrew Fails 12/18/2015 at 11:09

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Right, like the full size van with a bunch of additional sketchy fuel tanks that ran one of the original Cannonball events. It’s nothing new. Alex Roy’s M5 was amazingly stock compared to many record holders or attempts. (Then again the E39 M5 is an amazing car to begin with.)

Andrew Fails > Justin Hughes 12/18/2015 at 11:29

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That van was so sketchy. Roy also told me about a Porsche 928 with a fuel bag ran off a hand pump operated by the co-driver. Insanity.

William Byrd > Andrew Fails 12/18/2015 at 14:15

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Great article, there’s nothing better than the American road trip. Although a European road trip is pretty excellent as well. Great treatment of the topic, it’s not about glorifying what has been done, but it’s silly of us not to talk about it. It’s a fascinating part of American subculture. It’s also a natural result of ingenuity amongst gearheads. Curious to see where it goes from here.

Perhaps once our autonomous overlords take over, we’ll have some stretches of road left where this is sanctioned. I’ll give it a try.

Meanwhile, I’m going to look for something to drive cross country in next year. Already done it in a 4-door Jeep, need something less comfortable, more fun.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Andrew Fails 12/18/2015 at 17:56

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What specific law states that you’re not allowed to drive from one side of the USA to the other side?

I don’t see what is illegal about that. Of course calling it a race implies that there will be speeding involved.

But aside from speeding, what is illegal about it?

The Devil Drives a Mustang (Rotary Pending) > Andrew Fails 12/18/2015 at 17:57

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So, “Smokey Yunick Stock” then?

James May is my spirit animal > Andrew Fails 12/18/2015 at 17:59

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I don’t see a shemagh, must not be Alex Roy.

Apex Assassin > Andrew Fails 12/18/2015 at 18:20

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Sorry but the Cannonball was a protest against the nationally imposed and completely asinine 55mph speed limit.

lyonsvee > DrScientist 12/18/2015 at 18:37

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As a fellow XJ-S guy, I've been scared for the future of that car. Do we know what it's current situation is?

Jonathan Harper > Andrew Fails 12/18/2015 at 18:52

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Oh, it’s not dead. Trust you me.

Jonathan Harper > Andrew Fails 12/18/2015 at 18:53

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You’re definitely right. Modified cars were part of the leg-up from the get-go.

Jonathan Harper > Justin Hughes 12/18/2015 at 18:53

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“Amazingly stock” lol. No it wasn’t.

Andrew Fails > Jonathan Harper 12/18/2015 at 19:39

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Mechanically it was pretty stock. Tons of ECM, but not a ton done performance wise.

Andrew Fails > Apex Assassin 12/18/2015 at 19:41

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Absolutely correct, that’s why I said “It was a political protest”.

wingracer > Andrew Fails 12/18/2015 at 20:11

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Yep. I can’t find Yates’ book in the mess that is my collection right now and it’s been years since I read it but didn’t he have an extra cell in the trunk of the Ferrari he and Gurney ran?

wingracer > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly 12/18/2015 at 20:12

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Speeding. Reckless driving.

Andrew Fails > wingracer 12/18/2015 at 20:15

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I did a quick skim of that section of the book (still next to the keyboard from research) and didn’t see anything about a cell in the Ferrari. I am pretty sure he had one in the Challenger in ‘72 though.

PatBateman > Jonathan Harper 12/18/2015 at 20:36

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YOU’RE GOD DAMNED RIGHT.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > Justin Hughes 12/18/2015 at 21:36

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Jonathan Harper > Andrew Fails 12/18/2015 at 23:16

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Suspension modified to handle more weight, engine tinkered with...

Andrew Fails > Jonathan Harper 12/18/2015 at 23:31

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According to http://alexroy144.com/garage/ it has a chip, exhaust, and swaybars. I’d consider that basically stock.

2006oloa > Andrew Fails 12/19/2015 at 00:34

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I’d like to hear more about the $30k min expense estimate......yes if you are Rawlins/Collins (should have mentioned their F-550 run) or Roy’s M5. But.....I currently own a 1975 Laguna S-3 cannonball run/Hawaiian Tropic tribute car that I am using for my run and with modest saftey upgrades and an ATL-Petroflex 50-gallon fuel bladder in the trunk. I did the OLOA in 2006 for all-in under $12k and I think that is doable for a reasonable grass-roots coast-to-coast run (including the entire cost of the car).

Rawlins $30k budget would have a large “post-run” miller lite line-item and heaven only knows what Roy spends on scarves?

Someone asked about the original Jaguar and at SEMA last year (2014) I asked Collins about it and he confirmed he and Rawlins are storing it and didn’t mention any work done at that time but I hope they do and give Bolian a run for the overall record.

Me, my Laguna S-3 and my 2 brothers are just aiming for a respectable “3-handle”.

toecutter (so grey, I gotta wear shades) > Andrew Fails 12/19/2015 at 12:04

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Now I know we've become a hollow, spiritless country.

MGme > Andrew Fails 12/19/2015 at 12:30

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“.. what’s behind us is not important ..”

Joe the Redneck > Andrew Fails 12/19/2015 at 13:18

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Too bad. I would have liked to have been one of those anti-establishment rabble rousers someday. But, there are alternatives to the fast-as-you-can make it road race. The Alcan 5000 is an example of ‘racing’ where the participants attempt to complete stages of the trip as close as possible to a target time. One would not want to finish last, but finishing too early comes with a penalty. The competitive element is kept, even though no laws need be broken to win.

Andrew Fails > MGme 12/19/2015 at 13:55

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Raul Julia was magical in that.

LocalSP > Andrew Fails 12/19/2015 at 17:58

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Pffft! I did the Kessel run in less than 12 parsecs.

Mirror Universe Stig > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly 12/20/2015 at 00:26

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Apart from it being illegal, what was illegal about it?

(hint: not just speeding, reckless driving, which is a criminal charge)

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > Andrew Fails 12/20/2015 at 02:48

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mandatory

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5K4kK…

majorbloodnok > Andrew Fails 12/20/2015 at 19:04

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I love road trips with a purpose, whatever that might be. I think it’s the personal challenge that is more interesting and valuable (to oneself) than being the fastest or first.

I’ve done an entire lap of Australia in a $3000 4x4 bought off Gumtree (Aus equivalent of Craigslist), driven round Europe in an E63 AMG in a blizzard on summer tyres, driven the length of Egypt and back again in a day to see the Pyramids.

I am sure more will come. I’d love to drive from Cape to Cape.

Out of interest, obviously the time at which one sets off will make a big difference in avoiding traffic. But what about the actual day? Are the roads noticeably empty on 4th July or some other American public holiday and which would allow the time to be shaved even finer?

Andrew Fails > majorbloodnok 12/20/2015 at 19:13

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The day itself does matter. I think historically they would go on holiday weekends, but ones that don't have a lot of traffic. Things like Memorial Day, etc.

majorbloodnok > Andrew Fails 12/20/2015 at 19:35

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Ah right, I did wonder but I’m not familiar with American holidays and how they affected traffic.

Perhaps as a group event it could be organised as a ‘regularity’ road rally like the Targa Florio is now. There would still be competition, there would still be the challenge of distance and the achievement of crossing an entire continent without the massive speeds, which, as much as the idea excites me, still raises substantial moral qualms. If I wipe out because I set myself this challenge then so be it but imagine killing or injuring someone else.

Blue MalibuClassic > 2006oloa 12/21/2015 at 13:58

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I did it in My Stock 2bbl 1976 Malibu Classic in 1998, but I went from Jacksonville FL, to Seattle WA, BY MYSELF. SOLO. in 41 hours. With your fuel bladder you will do lots better.