Fast Fish, Part II: Bateman Lands Second Bonneville Record in Barracuda

The 1968 Plymouth Barracuda driven by Garret Bateman has devoured the previous AA/Blown Gas Coupe (AABGC) Bonneville Salt Flats land speed record of 209 mph in two gigantic bites, with a big assist from Mopar HEMI®-power. Bateman’s most recent historic run, recorded on Aug. 14–15 during Bonneville SpeedWeek, bumped the Barracuda’s best speed mark up to an astounding 241.593 mph.

Last October, with a brand-new car, brand-new team and a rookie Salt Flats driver in Bateman, the Barracuda owned by Paul Ogden obliterated the previous 209.894 mph mark with a 222 mph effort (January/February 2011 Mopar Magazine). Fueled by a 528 Mopar HEMI engine, the Barracuda had another record-setting run in it, and Bateman extracted it with his 241.593 mph pass in August. A former Nitro Nostalgia Funny Car champ, Bateman backed up his record with a second run that provided an average speed of 241-plus mph, despite storms and heavy rain between passes that created poor conditions on the Salt Flats.

“I really had my hands full driving on the wet salt,” said Bateman of the run that backed up his record. “It was kind of an ugly run, but Paul Ogden’s Barracuda got ‘er done!”

Bateman, Ogden, 528 HEMI engine builder John Beck, and the many others that played a role in building the stock-bodied AABGC 1968 Barracuda say their “Flying Fish” is still famished. The team is eyeing a third chomp at the record during the World Finals at Bonneville in October. The main course: the elusive 300-mph mark.