LEGENDS

Anita Strasburg: Chasing Speed on the Salt

One of the fastest women ever to run the Bonneville Salt Flats, with three SCTA blown fuel lakester class records to her name.

By Crafty Kate

Few motorsports test both driver and machine quite like land speed racing, and Anita Strasburg has proven she belongs among the sport’s elite. As a driver for the Wolfe-Strasburg Racing team, Anita has become one of the fastest women ever to compete on the legendary Bonneville Salt Flats, earning multiple Southern California Timing Association (SCTA) class records while piloting one of the quickest piston-powered blown fuel lakesters in the world.

Building the Lakester

Competing alongside her husband, Jeff Strasburg, Anita has spent years helping develop the Wolfe-Strasburg lakester into a record-setting machine. Their program is built around continual refinement, with improvements to aerodynamics, engine performance, chassis setup, and safety systems all playing a role in extracting every possible mile per hour from the car.

The Wolfe-Strasburg blown fuel lakester in the pits on the Bonneville Salt Flats, its body raised and crew members working alongside.
The Wolfe-Strasburg lakester in the pits at Bonneville. Credit: Courtesy of the Strasburg family.

Those efforts have produced remarkable results.

Rewriting the Records Book

In 2024, Anita established the SCTA B/BFL (Blown Fuel Lakester) class record at 375.859 mph, one of the fastest speeds ever recorded by a woman in land speed racing. She also holds the C/BFL class record at 361.201 mph, set in 2021, and the D/BFL class record at 341.972 mph, established during the 2024 season. (Bonneville 200 MPH Club)

While Anita continues to rewrite the record book, the Wolfe-Strasburg team has also enjoyed success with Jeff behind the wheel. He currently holds the SCTA AA/BFL class record at 363.893 mph and the A/BFL class record at 373.582 mph, highlighting the team’s competitiveness across multiple engine classifications. (Bonneville 200 MPH Club)

Racing the Clock

Driving at these speeds demands far more than horsepower. Unlike side-by-side racing, Bonneville competitors race against time over a measured course carved into the salt flats. Surface conditions can change throughout an event, requiring drivers to make precise steering corrections while maintaining complete focus for the duration of the run. At nearly 376 mph, every movement is deliberate, and every decision matters.

At nearly 376 mph, every movement is deliberate, and every decision matters.

The Wolfe-Strasburg blown fuel lakester running at speed on the Bonneville Salt Flats, mountains in the distance.
The Wolfe-Strasburg lakester on the salt. Credit: © 2026 Dave Kommel.

Anita Strasburg’s accomplishments represent years of dedication, engineering, teamwork, and determination. Her multiple SCTA records have firmly established her as one of the premier competitors in modern land speed racing and continue to showcase what is possible on the world’s fastest natural race course.