SCTA Speed Week at the Bonneville Salt Flats is held in August.
The event is the largest annual meet associated with the Southern California Timing Association and Bonneville Nationals Inc. Drivers bring cars, motorcycles, streamliners, and other specialized vehicles to compete in classes based on factors such as engine type, displacement, body design, and fuel. The goal is to set or surpass a measured land-speed record on the salt.
Speed Week began at Bonneville in 1949, originally under the name Bonneville Nationals. Its August timing reflects the traditional racing calendar and the need for a sufficiently dry, usable salt surface. Weather and track conditions can occasionally force cancellations or changes, so August describes the scheduled month rather than an absolute guarantee that racing will occur every year.
Readers sometimes confuse Speed Week with other Bonneville events. The SCTA’s World Finals generally take place in October, while the Utah Salt Flats Racing Association’s World of Speed is held in September. Those are separate meets with different organizers and purposes.