Story and Photos by Robert J. Pennington
Few names in racing cross over into wider recognition. Drivers like Andretti, Stewart and Petty have become synonymous with the world of racing, but there has been one notable omission. A driver who has broken more records than any other and endurance that has not been matched by any other driver. In fact, 60 years later, some of his records still stand today…his birthday.
Mormon Meteor driving on Highway 1 in the Tour d'Elegance
David Abbott “Ab” Jenkins had an unequaled combination of skill, perseverance, and ingenuity. He raced against the clock, competing with other drivers for the title of world fastest. Setting his land speed records on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, long before the world realized the racing advantages of the flat, hard, 40 square miles of salt. His 48-hour endurance and speed record still stands untouched. It was not until 1990 that his 50-year old, 24-hour record of 161 miles per hour was broken, and it took a team of eight drivers to do it. All the more amazing is the exposure to the elements of weather and salt in his open cockpit car. His only protection was a leather helmet with goggles and grease smeared on his skin to protect him from the wind, salt and sun. He drank orange juice and milk to maintain his strength during the many hours behind the wheel. Despite not having the advantages of contemporary safety gear, Ab was considered the world’s safest speedster. A unique designation in an era of racing with a high percentage of injuries and fatalities.
Mormon Meteor on the 18th Green at Pebble Beach
His car named the “Mormon Meteor” had three generations. The first was essentially a hot rod based on a production Model J. Duesenberg, modified by a team of designers and builders, including Augie Duesenberg. The Mormon Meteor proved itself as one of the fastest cars in the world on the ten mile circle track at Bonneville with an average speed of 135 mph over 24 hours.
The circle course at Bonneville was a single painted black line. The sole source of light after sunset was the cyclops headlight on the car. At night it was all you would see on the course, or the surrounding landscape, until he passed the crew. During the 1930s, Bonneville Salt Flats was a place to be avoided. Everything, food, water, shelter, fuel, tires, parts, tools had to be brought out from Salt Lake City, 115 miles away. Due to the curvature of the Earth most of the miles he raced were out of sight of the crew. Lacking any type of radio, Ab communicated by writing notes on paper and tossing it out as he sped by the crew. Ab Jenkins and the Mormon Meteor were a perfect match of power, endurance and ability that influenced racing for decades.
Winning Best in Show at the Pebble Beach 2007 Concours d'Elegance
In 2007 at the 57th Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, the fully restored, bright yellow Mormon Meteor with gleaming, chrome exhaust, roared onto the awards platform and received the coveted “Best of Show” award. Across the hood near the windscreen in chrome is Ab Jenkins signature. Even posthumously, the man’s vehicle is still making history.
Find more images of the Mormon Meteor in the RhizomeImages.com
