Record-breaking trio learns the Cannonball Run crown is heavier than it looks

Doug Tabbutt learned the hard way that the Cannonball Run crown is far heavier than it looks. He was catapulted into the spotlight after co-driving from New York City to Los Angeles in merely 27 hours and 25 minutes, an impressive new record, and he regrets his team didn’t continue flying under the radar after the 2,825-mile cross-country sprint.

Thrills, not fame or glory, motivated Tabbutt and two friends to take a shot at breaking the Cannonball Run record. Driving across a continent in a little over a day required a significant amount of preparation, plus a car capable of effortlessly cruising at 180-plus mph. The trio chose a 2015 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG upgraded with several modifications, including a second, 45-gallon fuel tank mounted in the trunk, a long list of electronic equipment, and a 700-horsepower evolution of the stock V8 engine. While car enthusiasts read about the achievement with near-religious awe, those who don’t see the point of setting a speed record have vociferously criticized Tabbutt and his team for driving recklessly, insulting the trio for completing the trek at an average speed of 103 mph, which is far above rural America’s most liberal speed limit.

“We’ve gotten a few emails, and even people that we know have kind of called us out in not-so-nice terms,” he told the Cleveland Plain Dealer newspaper. While he acknowledged the record is illegal no matter how you present it, he stressed those who argue setting it was unsafe are wrong. “We know the care we took to do this properly, and we know in our consciences that we did it safely and properly.”

Not everyone demonized the record. The global enthusiast community gave the team a digital standing ovation, and even some of the police officers who patrol the nation’s roads offered their sincere congratulations for winning the cat-and-mouse game that opposes cops and speeders.

Safety is the most important part of any high-speed run, regardless of what car it’s in, where it’s taking place, and whether it’s legal. The car needs to be flawlessly maintained, for example, and the driver must remain extremely focused for hours on end. The Cannonball Run takes a big toll on man and machine. Tabbutt and his co-pilots took the required measures, and they managed to set a new record, but he’s afraid they made it look easy. Someone could get injured or killed while attempting to break their record, going even faster without adequate preparation. The last thing you want to do is fall asleep (or have your timing belt snap like an old rope) when passing a semi at 110 mph in the Arizona desert.

While 27 hours and 25 minutes will be difficult to beat, it’s a record that will fall sooner or later, and Tabbutt won’t try to claim it again. “I don’t need to be the guy who holds it forever. I don’t think we could go much faster anyway.”