Gary Matranga breaks two speed records at Bonneville Salt Flats

Gary Matranga, an 86-year-old driver from Sacramento, California, has set two new speed records at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. Driving a modified 1966 Plymouth Barracuda equipped with a twin-turbocharged Hemi engine producing over 2,400 horsepower, Matranga achieved 308 mph in the gas division, surpassing his own previous record by 17 mph.

Matranga also competed in the fuel division against engines powered by nitromethane and alcohol. He clocked 310 mph, breaking an eight-year-old record of 305 mph. The driver noted the difficulty of handling the vehicle at such high speeds, stating that while the car settles slightly after 2.5 miles of acceleration, it still moves considerably at 300 mph.

Following these achievements, Matranga and his team are already planning future attempts to reach 400 mph using a specialized streamliner vehicle.