The fastest road race in the world is the Silver State Classic on Nevada’s Route 318, in which drivers frequently maintain average speeds in excess of 305 km/h (190 mph) over the 145 km (90 mile) course. The highest ever average speed in the race was 334.38 km/h (207.78 mph), set by Chuck Shafer and Gary Brockman in May 2000. Highly organised and run with the full endorsement of local law enforcement, the race was first run in 1988, and is now held biannually in May and September.

The very high speeds in the race are made possible by the nature of the highway: it is largely straight and flat, with few corners to slow drivers down. More than 200 amateur drivers from all over the world converge on the small town of Ely, the starting point of the race. Not a race in the conventional sense, the event is about drivers coming closest to a pre-declared average speed. Cars start at different times and are not engaged in one-on-one battles as in, say Formula One racing.Governed by strict rules, vehicles are required to be driven by internal combustion engines running pump fuel. The addition of octane performance boosters and nitrous oxide gas is permitted, and turbochargers and superchargers are also allowed. However, the car must be