Cannonball Record Allegedly Broken Again Under Covid Lockdown Conditions

Another team has taken advantage of quieter roads during the USA's lockdown period to break the coast to coast record, managing the feat in under 26 hours
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The Cannonball Record has tumbled once again. Just five weeks on from an anonymous team in an Audi A8 managing the New York to Los Angeles run in 26 hours and 38 minutes, former record holder and Cannonball guru Ed Bolian has released a video announcing an even faster time. Although right now, details are strictly limited.

We don’t know who did it, what they were driving, or even the exact time - Bolian merely states that the 26-hour mark was broken “by a considerable time,” meaning the average speed would have been over 108mph. Full details are promised in due course, although we are told the crew’s average speed through some states was an astonishing 120mph, and that they had an “amazingly well-prepared car” plus 30 spotters at their disposal.

As with the A8 run, though - which beat the benchmark set by Arne Toman, Doug Tabbutt in a Mercedes E63 only last November - this proves even more controversial than the average Cannonball attempt. Lower traffic levels due to nationwide shelter-in-place orders theoretically make the coast-to-coast dash safer, but with emergency services already preoccupied with fighting a pandemic, the morality of undertaking something inherently risky is questionable at best.

It’s interesting to note that the A8 team was apparently intending to announce their time next year when the mood is a little different. When one friend posted about it on social media, the news ended up out there much sooner than they’d hoped.

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Even amongst Cannonball community, questions are being asked not just about whether or not this is the right time for such feats, but whether the records ‘count’. The current conditions - hopefully, at least - won’t ever be repeated, should any records broken in this time have an asterisk after them? And who decides that, anyway? You can’t have a sanctioning body for an activity which is illegal, after all.

Regardless, plenty of contenders have turned out to take advantage of quieter roads. Bolian notes that another team got to within five minutes of beating the A8 time and that the solo, diesel and coast-to-coast-to-coast record have all fallen in recent weeks. With traffic increasing once more, however, the recent spate of runs will probably now be coming to an end.

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Comments

Anonymous

108 mph in any German car would be “relaxing” and uneventful. But when I attempt the Cannonball with my crappy Dacia Sandero then it would be an absolute achievement XD

05/15/2020 - 07:19 |
40 | 2
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Absolutely not. Didn’t you see Top Gear’s Romania episode? An Aston and a Ferrari couldn’t keep up with it.

05/15/2020 - 07:57 |
32 | 0
Rahul 1

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

To be fair, it’s an A8, of course it’ll feel relaxing and calm. The A8 is a car tuned for comfort, whereas the E63, on the other hand, is pretty thrilling and exciting being the proper sport saloon it is. Push any car to and past its limits and it should be tons fun and joyful.

05/15/2020 - 14:26 |
4 | 0
H5SKB4RU (Returned to CT)

I only wish the Cannonball run could actually be legal, Like cutting roads & trafic for the cars to pass by just like the France tour automobile race, but I guess that crazy races like this are going to be a very dificult thing to organize, maybe if it was even organized in stages it could be done but im still afraid it wouldn´t sell anything at all.

05/15/2020 - 09:01 |
4 | 2

Honestly im glad that it’s not legal. Part of the challenge is avoiding cops. In my opinion it ads to the excitement of it`

05/15/2020 - 20:37 |
2 | 0
Robert Gracie

Sometimes you have to wonder if you should clap or facepalm at these records….

05/15/2020 - 11:02 |
6 | 4

Especially with this one I agree, typically I’m not a huge fan of the cannonball in general as it is potentially dangerous to random people on the road (I know they take precautions but still), but now more than ever isn’t the time to pull something like this. Impressive? sure, but I find it a bit selfish to do this at this time with the already increased patients in hospital.

05/15/2020 - 20:09 |
2 | 0
Kyubi22B

Nfs the run anyone?

05/15/2020 - 14:11 |
2 | 0
Akashneel

Very irresponsible.

05/16/2020 - 07:34 |
2 | 2
Kenji (Oldsmobile Fan) (GoldWing Enthusiast) (wheel nut)

in the words of Ed Bolian himself: “Dont break the law while you’re breaking the law”

05/18/2020 - 22:13 |
0 | 0
White Comet

when people are returning from COVID19, all the left lane will be crowded with Prius and Tesla again.

05/19/2020 - 16:00 |
0 | 0