The Southern California Timing Association (SCTA) is the organizing body that governs the events at the Bonneville Salt Flats. There are MANY classes that are listed in the SCTA rule book from stock classes to race-bred streamliners.

In order to establish a new world land speed record, a car is allowed to accelerate over a two mile stretch of the salt flats, then the next one-quarter (1/4) mile stretch is timed. If the car exceeds 175MPH in this one-quarter mile section it is considered a "long course" car and is allowed to continue through the next three miles of the course, for a total distance of five miles. Additional timing traps are set up at the end of the 3rd, 4th, and 5th mile sections.

To qualify for a record attempt, a vehicle must exceed the existing record by .001 MPH during a one way run. If the record is established during this run, then the car is impounded and a second run is attempted later that day. The second run is attempted and the average of these two runs determines a potential new land speed record.