World's fastest Nascar is worth its salt

The Nascar-spec Dodge Charger set a world land speed record at the world-famous Bonneville Salt Flats. Photo / Supplied

The world's fastest Nascar has arrived in New Zealand into the care of its New Zealand owner Ken Vincent, a former drag racing world champion.

Vincent will display the car publicly for the first time at next month's Speedshow'09 in Auckland.

The Nascar-spec Dodge Charger was driven by American multiple land and water speed record-holder Russ Wicks to set a world land speed record for the Nascar (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) class of 397km/h (244.9mph) in 2007.

Wicks ran the car on the world-famous Bonneville Salt Flats and the speed was verified by the Guinness Book of Records.

After the car's appearance as one of the main showpieces at Speedshow'09, it will be used by Vincent in an attempt to break the current New Zealand land speed record of 348.24km/h (216.39mph) held by Aucklander Owen Evans.

Aucklander Vincent says the car is in a local workshop where the underside is being cleaned of salt from its Bonneville runs.

"It's amazing just how much salt is in the undercar components," he says. "We have had to remove all of the front and rear suspension, brakes and so on.

"Alan Kemp, who's preparing the car for me, is spending hours spraying the underbody with salt killer, wiping it off, and then watching the salt come back again. Amazing, but we will get it right."

Race driver Paul Manuell's company Eastern Automotive Performance Centre will supply a supercharged big block Chevrolet 670kW (900bhp) engine for Vincent's land speed record attempt, called the "New Zealand Land Speed Challenge".

Vincent says he's talking to sponsors and searching for a suitable road for the record attempt.

"This will probably be in the South Island, but we haven't confirmed the exact details yet," he said.

"The primary focus is to ensure the car is in perfect condition for Speedshow'09, where we'll be on site with the car to talk to fans about it."

Speedshow'09 is on at the ASB Showgrounds over September 19-20.