AGOURA HILLS, California — As the first privately organized competition for land speed record vehicles to ever get sanctioning from the FIA and FIM, the Top 1 Oil World Land Speed Shootout will bring together 10 teams this week to break records at the Bonneville Salt Flats. The shootout is a private competition for land speed record (LSR) vehicles in which five cars and five motorcycles will have the opportunity to set new speed records for wheel-driven vehicles. This private event has been created to help a few qualified competitors attempt to set records without the time constraints encountered during crowded open-competition events.Among the number of records being sought, the most important is that held by the famous Summer Brothers Goldenrod, a wheel-driven streamliner powered by four normally aspirated Hemi V8s developing a total of 2,400 horsepower. Bob Summers set a record of 409.277 mph in 1965. 'Royal Purple,' a streamliner powered by a 1,000-hp 10-liter Chevy V8, hopes to reach 425 mph.Land speed racing has traditionally been an outlet for new and emerging vehicle technology, and some of the more innovative cars in the Top 1 shootout include 'Buckeye Bullet 2,' a 700-hp vehicle from Ohio State University powered by a hydrogen fuel-cell, and 'Mormon Missile,' Lynn Goodfellow's car powered by a 1,000-hp Duramax diesel. The shootout takes place from September 22-26 (contingency dates are October 13-17) at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Bonneville, Utah. A television production crew from the Discovery Channel will be recording the action for broadcast later.What this means to you: This is an innovative event for LSR participants, and it's notable for its inclusion of alternative-fuel vehicles. — Jonathan Barrett, Correspondent