By Allison Volk Dean

THE LEGENDARY WILLIE FREUDIGER made his first trip to Bonneville with his dad when he was 11 years old. Now, one of the few 3rd generational racers the Freudiger name is a well established and respected land speed racing name. Willie is wild, loves nitro and is the go to guy if you need someone to drive your ride. But most of all, he is a man who w…

THE LEGENDARY DAVE DAVIDSON is probably best known for being the first person to go 300 MPH in a roadster! Going 300 MPH in a highboy is as impressive as Dave is. Dave grew up wild and free on a ranch in California. He wanted a motorcycle when he was young but his mother would not allow it so instead he began small town drag racing (at a much too y…

THE LEGENDARY FRANK SILVA'S first trip to the Bonneville Salt Flats was with his dad when he was seventeen years old. That year they came out as spectators but it didn't last long and within a few years they were wrenching and racing the Got Salt Lakester. Frank's dad, Frank Sr., took six years to get a record in that car but it only took the junio…

THE LEGENDARY SCOTT GUTHRIE first took his Harley motorcycle to the Bonneville Salt Flats in 1973. He was hooked after setting a record and getting to experience the spirit of land speed racing through fellow racers. He came back the following year with great success. He had even more success when he switched to a Yamaha that he brought out in 1984…

Thirty one episodes and one year later from the very first episode of Land Speed Legends my niece, Megan Volk, interviews me THE LEGENDARY ALLISON VOLK DEAN. That seems weird to write about myself but like I tell all my guests, in land speed racing, everyone is a legend in their own mind! In this episode of Land Speed Legends I talk about what it w…

The legendary Fred Dannenfelzer has the classic story of SoCal hot rodder turned drag racer turned land speed racer. His first trip to Bonneville with a car was in 1961 with a high boy roadster before he upgraded to a modified roadster. But his need for speed was not satisfied so he built a lakester with his eyes set on a 300 MPH record. He accompl…

THE LEGENDARY RUSS EYRES started racing and modifying motor scooters at a very young age on his family's farm in Iowa before they moved to San Diego in 1953. His interest in land speed racing was ignited when his brother's boss, Lou Bingham, let Russ and his brother help him work on his car he raced at Bonneville. Eventually he decided to build his…

The LEGENDARY CARLOS WHEELDON'S dad introduced him to land speed racing at a young age and as he got older they dreamed of making plans to visit the Bonneville Salt Flats. When his dad passed away Carlos realized there is no time like the present to go. From the moment he gets to the salt his encounters with people he meets confirms that he is mean…

Like most of our guests, THE LEGENDARY DENNIS SULLIVAN was born with a love of cars and began other types of racing young. But eventually he found himself spectating at a race meet at the Bonneville Salt Flats and was hooked! After volunteering for the Utah Salt Flats Racing Association (USFRA) for several years he decided it was time to try the ot…

I can't think of very many people that love land speed racing as much as THE LEGENDARY DONNY CUMMINS! His roots in racing run deep and he was destined for this sport before he was even born! Knowledgeable, enthusiastic and hardworking he has big plans for his future in land speed racing and I am confident he is going to accomplish them!…

From Sprint Cars to Indy Cars to Bonneville Mike Nish was a racing machine! His racing career mirrored his life with thrilling ups and devastating downs. But like a legend he overcame! His influence on land speed racing is undeniable. He entered the Bonneville 200 MPH Club and 300 MPH Chapter in 1996 with a speed of 304.700 MPH. He had many records…

THE LEGENDARY LLOYD PARRY is a hot rodder at heart and from a young age he was working on anything that had wheels. His involvement in land speed racing started whe he was introduced to Dave Skidmore. Him and Dave ran a '64 Dodge Dart. When the Dart engine blew up he began working the USFRA races. Starting as a course steward he is now currently th…

THE LEGENDARY HUGH COTHARP first went to Bonneville in 1958. He spectated until 1971 until he began crewing for the Skidmore/Alanson's Studebaker. In 1976 he ran his own car a V4/STR and set a record at 88MPH. He then went on to crew the Vesco's 444 car and Don Vesco's m/c streamliners. He was also one of the original founders of the USFRA and thei…

THE LEGNDARY RON CHRISTENSEN was practically born with an obsession for cars and racing. Growing up in Wendover Utah gave him a unique advantage and access to witness the Golden Days of Bonneville and extensive knowledge of Bonneville and the history of the area around the salt flats. His attention eventually graduated to sports cars which eventual…

THE LEGENDARY CHAD ZUPAN first trip to the Bonneville Salt Flats was when he was seven years old. Although he didn't start land speed racing until later, he kept himself busy with kart, dirt bike and drag racing. In 2001, he started racing at Bonneville in his dad's street roadster and in 2018, Chad finally got his red hat in a G/FMR! Since then, h…

THE LEGENDARY MIKE STRASBURG has been going to the Bonneville Salt Flats since 1969. He gained entry into the Bonneville 200 MPH Club in 1991 driving his family’s BGL with a record of 277 MPH. He gained entry in the 300 MPH Chapter in 2017 setting a record of 344 MPH in AA/BFL class. That was not enough for Mike so he updated his record to 361 MPH …

Here with me is the LEGENDARY LINDSAY STRASBURG. Lindsay's first year at Bonneville was in 1957 when he went out as spectator with his dad and uncles. But when it comes to racing the Strasburgs aren’t spectators. And in1962 they brought out a ‘62 Galaxy running in B/Prod. In 1967 Lindsay began racing and in 1972 he set a record in a ’71 mustang C/P…

Al’s first trip to Bonneville was in 1967 as a crew member on the Mardon, Ohly and Bentley fuel roadster. From 1968 to 1975 he drove and wrenched on the Sadd, Teague and Bentley fuel roadster. In 1970 he qualified for the 200 MPH Club in both A/FR & C/FR. But 200 MPH wasn’t fast enough for Al, and in 1976 he built a B/FBL and in 1981 he set a recor…

THE LEGENDARY ANITA STRASBURG grew up in Oklahoma and Texas. She grew watching drag racing with her dad Don Pulliman. In the early 200/s She started drag racing and ’86 Chevy truck in the super pro class. She moved on altered’s and eventually moved on to top dragsters pushing speeds of 212 MPH. She made her first trip to Bonneville in 2012 and was …

THE LEGENDARY JEFF STRASBURG grew up going to the Bonneville Salt Flats and made his first trip out there at seven years old to watch his big brother Lindsay race the family’s 1971 Mustang that ran in the C/PROD class. Jeff set his first record, 185 MPH, at the age of 20 in 1985 driving a C/STR. But Jeff was just getting warmed up! In 1990 he gaine…

Today I have THE LEGENDARY CHAD HOWEY! Chad’s love for land speed racing begins with his Grandpa Roger Howey’s ventures racing various cars in the 50’s in California at the dry lakes & Bonneville. Grandpa Howey’s land speed career ended in the 70’s when he decided he was going drag racing. The drag racing circuit is where Chad developed a need for …

Bo has been going to the Bonneville Salt Flats for almost 40 years! After spending years growing up on the salt, Bo was ready to race on the salt. He began racing in 2002 but his days in the driver’s seat of his family streamliner ended in 2004 when he crashed at 318 MPH. Bo rolled 8 times over a mile but amazingly walked away from it with only a c…

Here today is the Legendary Scott Horner! Scott is originally from New Jersey but was exposed to land speed racing through pictures and stories in books about the Spirt of America, the Blue Flame, the Green Monster and other land speed legends. This sparked a desire for land speed racing in Scott that would have to wait four decades before it was r…

BJ has been going to the Bonneville Salt Flats for over 40 years. He got in the Bonneville 200 MPH in 1996 at the age of 18, at the time he was one the youngest people to get in the club. After, years of crewing on his family streamliner. He began volunteering for the USFRA and is now head of tech inspection for coemption cars and the 130 & 150 Clu…

Welcome to Land Speed Legends! Here today I have the Legendary John Levie! John is my first land speed motorcycle guest and my guest with the most records, over 100 of them! His first introduction into land speed racing would be as a spectator when his dad, Allen Levie, began taking him to the Bonneville Salt Flats at two years old. Him and his dad…

Speaking Intro Sitting across from me today is the Legendary Gary Spencer! He fell in love with land speed racing and the Bonneville Salt Flats at young age when his dad, Richard Spencer, started taking him out to the races over 60 years ago! He moved on to drag racing, where he drove funny cars and currently races motorcycles. But eventually shift…

Welcome to Land Speed Legends sitting with me today is the man, the myth, the Legendary Shifting Shane Dean…the gear jammer! Shane’s first year at the salt was in 2008. He came out with his girlfriend now wife who happens to be me! It didn’t take long for him to catch the bug and in 2012 Shane & his dad, Ron Dean, bought a 1984 C4 Corvette. Shane s…

BONUS EPISODE!!! This week we have another Burkdoll, the legendary Jim Burkdoll! Jim was first introduced to land speed racing in the 50’s. He was just a kid when his dad, Keith, would take him out to Speed Week for the day. They caught the racing bug and began building a streamliner when Jim was still in elementary school! The streamliner took lon…

Today we have the Legendary Julie Burkdoll! Julie was first introduced into land speed racing when she was 17 years old and her now husband then boyfriend the Legendary Jim Burkdoll took her on a date during Speed Week. By the early 1980’s Julie, Jim and there 3 boys BJ, Timmy & Bo were racing on the salt. She wasn’t planning on racing, but with so…

Welcome the Legendary Dallas Volk to Land Speed Legends! Dallas is the oldest of the Volk Brothers Racing team and happens to be my big brother. He has been involved in land speed racing for over 50 years. He is member of the Bonneville 200 MPH Club which he gained entrance to in 2001. He is currently a crew member for the Volk Brothers and Nish mo…

I am so excited to have the legendary Tom Burkland here! Tom has a love of land speed racing and has been involved in it since his family first made the trek to the Bonneville Salt Flats in 1969. Soon he was building and racing cars. He became a member of the Bonneville 2 Club in 1985. But 200+ MPH was not enough. He had a desire to go fast & I mea…

Betty is the embodiment of a land speed racer. Her first year at the salt was in 1969 when she went as a spectator with her husband...The Legendary Gene Burkland. Spectating didn’t last long because they soon built a car and were racing by 1971. Betty got her turn in the driver seat when she drove thier Datsun Comp Coup before she landed a seat in …

Today we have the legendary Jeff Nish! This is my first guest who isn’t my blood relative but I would definitely consider him family. This man has raced a lot! He started circle track racing before he moved on to setting records at Bonneville. He became a Bonneville 200 MPH Club member in 1986. He decided that wasn’t fast enough, so he went for a b…

Today we have the legendary Patrick Volk who I am lucky enough to call my big brother. He has been going to the salt for almost 50 years. He is the younger brother of Volk Brothers Racing team. He is the first of the Volk siblings to get into the Bonneville 200 MPH Club which he did in 1991. He is currently the crew chief of the #59 Volk Brothers R…

Larry Volk's first racing experience on the Bonneville Salt Flats was in 1959 he then began racing out there in 1963. By 1975 he had gained entry into the Bonneville 200 MPH Club in 1975. He has served as chairman of Save the Salt, President of the Bonneville 200 MPH Club and founding member of the Utah Salt Flats Racing Association. His awards inc…