The Red Line Oil-sponsored "Spirit of Rett" broke the 45-year-old land-speed record at Bonneville Salt Flats

It was a great day for Dallas, TX native Charles Nearburg at the Bonneville Salt Flats this past Tuesday, Sept 21st. Behind the controls of his Red Line Oil-equipped “Spirit of Rett” streamliner, Nearburg shattered the 45-year-old land-speed record and also setting the fastest single-engine car record in history with an average speed of 414.5 mph.  This speed blasted the Class 11 record of 409.27mph set by the Summers Brothers “Goldenrod” in 1965.

As FIA officials watched, Nearburg averaged 417mph with an exit speed of 422.6mph. According to FIA rules, the team was required to make a return run in the opposite direction after an hour pause. Facing difficult wind and salt conditions on the return, the “Spirit of Rett” averaged 411.7mph and topped at 417.65mph. FIA officials combined the two runs for an average speed per regulations.

In addition to this latest FIA record, "Spirit of Rett" also earned the four fastest unblown engine records at Bonneville and another FIA record, all of these at two-way average speeds between 348mph and 392mph.

“What Charlie and his team achieved is really special, very significant,” said Red Line president Tim Kerrigan. “To take a single NHRA Pro Stock-based engine (a 523ci GM DRCE engine built by Brad Morgan and Bruce Allen of Reher-Morrison) and make it work in such a specialized endurance environment – on nitrous oxide no less – is a major achievement. Hats off to all involved for breaking one of the most difficult records in motorsports. We are thrilled that they selected Red Line 40WT Race Oil, WaterWetter, and Red Line gear oils for the attempt and it is great to hear that our products assisted in the effort.”

That’s right, a Pro Stock engine on gobs of nitrous. That’s how you make world records.

Named after Charlie’s son Rett, who died in 2005 after battling cancer, the “Spirit of Rett” was built in his memory. Contributions to Ewing’s Sarcoma research can be donated to “The Rett Nearburg Initiative” at CureSearch – National Childhood Cancer Foundation and Children’s Oncology Group, www.curesearch.org.