Maine Man Sets New Cross-Country Driving Record

Remember Cannonball Run, the early 1980s comedy movie about people racing cross-country.  Apparently, it's not just a movie...  It's a real thing.  Sort of...  In The Cannonball Run Challenge participants attempt to set a new record for driving between NYC and Los Angeles.  It was named for Edwin "Cannonball" Baker, a driver who set a bunch of records in the first part of the 20th century.

According to Wikipedia, the current holder of that record is a man from Maine.

According to News Center Maine, Hancock's Fred Ashmore Jr. drove from New York City to Redondo Beach, California in just 25 hours and 55 minutes - a new personal record for him.

His vehicle?  A rented Ford Mustang that he had modified by removing one of the seats to install an extra fuel tank.

According to Ashmore, he was able to make the run in such a short amount of time by only fueling once (the extra gas tank helped a lot with that) and by using technology to avoid law enforcement.

His average speed during the trip was reportedly 108 miles per hour.

This is his fourth cross-country run and he says he hopes to race around the world in the next few years.

You can learn more about Fred and his auto shop on the Facebook page.

What's the longest road trip you've been on?  Ever done a long road trip without stopping?  Tell us your story by messaging us through our app.