Salt Flats: AB Jenkins to Craig Breedlove
About this Event
Salt Flats: Ab Jenkins to Craig Breedlove
Saturday, August 8, 2026
Across the endless white of the Bonneville Salt Flats, courage, engineering, and horsepower came together to redefine the limits of speed.
This Demo Day traces the pursuit of land-speed records from Ab Jenkins and the great stock-car endurance runs of the 1930s to Craig Breedlove and the jet-powered machines that carried him beyond 400, 500, and finally 600 miles per hour.
The featured cars represent four distinct approaches to speed. The supercharged 1935 Auburn 851 Speedster recalls the record-setting performances that established Jenkins as one of America’s greatest endurance drivers. The 1954 Austin-Healey 100-4 represents the lightweight postwar sports cars that proved their capabilities on the salt. The 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Coupe brought racing-derived engineering and extraordinary performance to a production automobile. The 1964 Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe, CSX2287, completed its competition career at Bonneville, where Craig Breedlove and his fellow drivers established 23 national and international speed records.
Together, these automobiles tell a story of constant progression, from streamlined road cars and endurance records to purpose-built competition machines and the dawn of the jet age.
Join us as we explore the people, machines, and relentless ambition that transformed Bonneville into one of the most important proving grounds in automotive history. Following the presentation, all four featured cars will take to the Simeone Museum’s 3-acre tarmac.
Featured Cars
- 1935 Auburn 851 Speedster
- 1954 Austin-Healey 100-4
- 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Coupe
- 1964 Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe
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Admission: Included with museum entry ($12-15). Free for members and children under 18. Tickets available at the door or online.
No advance registration required.
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Event Highlights:
- Live Demonstrations
- Historical Insights
- Q&A Session
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Our Demo Day schedule is as follows:
- 10:00 | Simeone Museum doors open to the public
- 11:30 to 11:50 | Discussion on the technology behind the cars
- 12:00 to 12:30 | Visual presentation highlighting rare photos and videos from the Simeone Museum Library and Archives
- 12:30 to 1:00 | Spirited driving demonstration of Demo Day cars
- 1:00 to 2:00 | Visitors are able to inspect and photograph Demo Day cars up close while engaging in a question and answer session with Simeone Museum staff and volunteers
Agenda
🕑: 10:00 AM
Museum Opens
Info: Simeone Museum doors open to the public.
🕑: 11:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Scrutineering
Info: Discussion highlighting the specific technology and attributes of the featured cars.
🕑: 12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
Demo Day Presentation
Info: Visual presentation highlighting rare photos and videos from the Simeone Museum Library and Archives with Simeone Museum staff and industry experts.
🕑: 12:30 PM - 01:00 PM
Spirited driving demonstration of Demo Day cars
Info: Demo Day cars are demonstrated with a spirited driving program taking place on our 3 acre outdoor tarmac.
🕑: 01:00 PM - 02:00 PM
Photo Session / Q and A
Info: Visitors are able to inspect and photograph Demo Day cars up close while engaging in a question and answer session with Simeone Museum staff and volunteers.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 0.00 to USD 17.85
