Course Records, Results, and History

"The 508" traces its roots back to 1983, the first year that a qualifier was offered for the Race Across AMerica (RAAM). The first Race Across AMerica, known as the Great American Bike Race, had been held the previous summer and the time had come to open the transcontinental race up to any and all capable would-be ultra marathoners. It was decided that a qualifier was the only way to weed out the wannabees from the wunderkinds, so the John Marino Open was staged in May of 1983. The 762-mile course made seven laps and some change around the 100-mile loop formerly used in the second half of the Hemet Double Century in Southern California. The winner of the inaugural race was Michael Secrest. The race was held again in May of 1984 and May of 1985, then it was moved to Arizona so that the race could be run in a format with support vehicles and time stations.

The event next became known as the John Marino Open West, since Lon and Susan Haldeman were had begun staging a JMO Midwest in Illinois. The first Arizona race was 714 miles from Tucson to the Grand Canyon and back, where its first champion was Scott Fortner. Subsequent editions of the AZ races went "only" from Tucson to Flagstaff and back, a distance of 542 miles. The race was run seven times in Arizona and changed its name to RAAM Open West to foster a more evident affiliation between RAAM and all its Qualifiers. In 1987, RAAM Open East was added to the family, further solidifying the West Coast race as The Original, regardless of its location or name.

The race moved back to California with the April 1989 version of the event covering 508 miles from Valencia to Death Valley to Twenty Nine Palms, a route suggested by the 1987 Race Across America winner, Casey Patterson. Reasons for the relocation included the desire for a quieter, safer course and increased accessibility to the race by riders, crew, and staff. The first champion on what we know as the 508 course was John Hughes, who won it again in 1993 and even later became Director of the UMCA.

In the fall of 1990, Kostman Sport Group (now AdventureCORPS), under the directorship of Chris Kostman, a finisher of the Hemet and Arizona John Marino Open proto-508 races as well as the 1987 Race Across AMerica, was contracted by John Marino, the founder of Great American Bike Race, Race Across AMerica, the Ultra Marathon Cycling Association, and this race, to promote and organize all future west coast RAAM qualifiers.

In 1991 we changed the name of the race to its current moniker to aid in promoting the event worldwide and enhancing its distinct identity as something much bigger than just a qualifier. The totem system was begun in 1993, giving a new outlet for racers to identify themselves both during the 508 as well as in other races and in "real life". Over the past twenty years, Furnace Creek 508 has become recognized as the premier ultramarathon bicycle race in the world and "The Toughest 48 hours in Sport."

Below are the race reports, results, and course records from throughout the history of the event. If you'd like to write history instead of read it, register now!

SOLO COURSE RECORDS:
Men's 10+, Yoni Nazarathy, '91, 38:17:28.
Men's 20+, Justin Panda Peschka, '97, 28:42:02.
Men's 30+, Michael Alpine Ibex Emde, '07, 27:32:30.
Mens' 40+, Kenny Fast Truck Gecko Souza, '05, 27:15:21 (Overall Solo Record).
Men's 50+, David Mudcat Holt, '05, 30:33:40.
Mens' 60+, Reed Flamingto Finfrock, '07, 32:10:30.
Men's 70+, Charles Honey Bee Hanson, '00, 73:40:37 (Honorable Mention; Unofficial).
Women's 20+, Laura Stern, 1989, 32:48:00.
Women's 30+, Seana Hoopoe Hogan, '95, 28:46:34 (Overall Women's Record).
Women's 40+, Seana Hoopoe Hogan, '02, 35:06:03.
Women's 50+, Carol Chickadee Chaffee, '05, 33:14:58.
Women's Fixed Gear 20+, Emily Archaeopteryx O'Brien, '05, 44:24:27 (Overall Women's Fixed Gear Record).
Men's Fixed Gear 30+, Barley Boar Forsman, '04, 38:24:00.
Men's Fixed Gear 40+, Terry Chesapeake Bay Retriever Lentz, '07, 30:13:05 (Overall Men's Fixed Gear Record).
Men's Fixed Gear 50+, Sam Seal Beal, '06, 36:37:27.
Men's 30+ Recumbent (Stock Category), Michael Flicker Wolfe, '06, 35:49:13.
Men's 30+ Recumbent (Superstock Category), Eric Hedgehog House, '94, 35:24:29.
Men's 40+ Recumbent (Superstock Category), Timothy Werewolf Woudenberg, '06, 31:50:35 (Overall Recumbent Record).
Men's 50+ Recumbent (Superstock Category), Ron Banana Slug Bobb, '00, 42:32:56.
Men's Tandem, (30+ or 40+?) Tandem Wolves, Wolfgang Erhart and Franz Kasserer, '98, 29:58:18 (Overall Tandem Record).
Mixed Tandem, (40+) Tandem Relucent Phoenix, Craig Robertson and Jennie Phillips, '05, 31:26:51.

FIXED RELAY TEAM COURSE RECORDS, 2004 onwards (Note: this new stage race fixed relay format began in 2004. There are many categories in which the record has not yet been set.)

Two Rider Team
Men's 20+ Two Rider Team, Team Platypus, '06: 28:16:00.
Men's 30+ Two Rider Team, Team Ox, '07: 30:00:12.
Men's 40+ Two Rider Team, Team Hammerhead, '07: 25:56:28. (Overall 2x Record)
Mens' 50+ Two Rider Team, Team Yak, '04: 30:43:07.
Mens' 60+ Two Rider Team, Team Whooping Cranes, '07: 31:46:29.
Mens' 70+ Two Rider Team, Team Leatherback Turtles, '04: 39:55:55
Mixed 20+ Two Rider Team, Team Labrador, '07, 34:38:32
Mixed 30+ Two Rider Team, Team Gallus Gallus, '06: 28:20:31.
Mixed 40+ Two Rider Team, Team Picklend Herring, '07: 27:34:29.
Mixed 50+ Two Rider Team, Team Wrentit, '07: 31:59:05.
Mixed 60+ Two Rider Team, Leatherback Turtles, '06: 33:18:13.
Mixed 70+ Two Rider Team,
Women's 20+ Two Rider Team,
Women's 30+ Two Rider Team,
Women's 40+ Two Rider Team, Team E.Coli, '05: 32:39:28.
Women's 50+ Two Rider Team, Team Chupacabra, '05: 32:39:46.
Women's 60+ Two Rider Team,
Women's 70+ Two Rider Team,
Men's Recumbent 30+ Two Recumbent Team, Team Mussel, '07, 29:31:10.
Men's Recumbent 40+ Two Recumbent Team, Team Cuckoo Bee, '07, 32:02:13 .
Mixed Recumbent 30+ Two Recumbent Team, Team Sea Dragon, '07, 36:51:22.

Four Rider Tandem Team
Mixed 40+ Two Tandem Team, Team Basenji, '07, 35:11:36.

Four Rider Team
Men's 10+ Four Rider Team,
Men's 20+ Four Rider Team,
Men's 30+ Four Rider Team, Team Mongrel Dogs, '06: 27:59:15
Men's 40+ Four Rider Team, Team Hammerhead, '05: 24:56:10. (Overall 4x Record)
Men's 50+ Four Rider Team, Team Yak, '05: 26:45:34.
Men's 60+ Four Rider Team,
Men's 70+ Four Rider Team, Team PAC Rats, '07, 43:15:25
Men's 20+ Fixed Gear Four Rider Team, Team Bonobo, '06: 32:23:35.
Women's 10+ Four Rider Team,
Women's 20+ Four Rider Team,
Women's 30+ Four Rider Team, Team Swallow, '06: 33:25:02.
Women's 40+ Four Rider Team,
Women's 50+ Four Rider Team,
Women's 60+ Four Rider Team,
Women's 70+ Four Rider Team,
Mixed 10+ Four Rider Team,
Mixed 20+ Four Rider Team,
Mixed 30+ Four Rider Team, Team Sphinx, '07: 30:27:15
Mixed 40+ Four Rider Team, Team Kites, '07: 32:21:06.
Mixed 50+ Four Rider Team, Team Chinook, '07, 36:09:49.
Mixed 60+ Four Rider Team,
Mixed 70+ Four Rider Team,

Eight Rider Tandem Team
Mixed 40+ Four Tandem Team, Team Mighty Millipede, '07, 28:11:04.

OPEN RELAY TEAM COURSE RECORDS, 1993-2003 (Note: these are "set in stone" as this relay format is no longer used.)

Two Rider Team
Men's 30+ Two Rider Team, Team Mountain Goat, '03, 25:38:08, Overall Record.
Men's 40+ Two Rider Team, Team Jackalope, '01, 29:24:24
Mens' 50+ Two Rider Team, Team TwoCan, '03, 32:17:51.
Mens' 60+ Two Rider Team, Team Silver Foxes, '03, 29:53:01.
Mixed 50+ Two Rider Team, Team Saluki, '02, 31:12:49.
Mixed 40+ Two Rider Team, Team Pegasus,'03, 29:04:19
Women's 50+ Two Rider Team, Team Queen Bees, '03, 34:25:36.

Four Rider Team
Men's 30+ Four Rider Team, Team Action Sports Buffalo, '95, 21:47:12, Overall Record.
Men's 50+ Four Rider Team, Team Bicycling Magazine Peacock, '95, 23:07:58.
Men's 60+ Four Rider Team, Team Whippet, '00, 31:37:38
Women's (20+ or 30+?) Four Rider Team, Team TS Technical Bat, '95, 27:31:10, Overall Record.
Women's 40+ Four Rider Team, Team Red Rockettes, '00, 29:50:17
Women's 50+ Four Rider Team, Team Bakersfield Black Widows, '01, 30:21:55.
Mixed 30+ Four Rider Team, Team Kern Hammerhead, '97, 24:13:38.
Mixed 40+ Four Rider Team, Team Quail, '97, 25:53:24
Mixed 50+ Four Rider Team, Team Saluki, '03, 29:38:34.

Four Rider Tandem Team
Mixed 40+ Tandem Team, Team Fire Ants, '02, 28:11:33

Eight Rider Tandem Team
Women's 30+ Tandem Team, Team Tarantula, '96, 28:00:05
Mixed 40+ Tandem Team, Kern Wheelmen T-Rex, '99, 23:54:17.
Men's 40+ Tandem Team, Team Davis Drills, '01, 22:45-22.

Countries Represented since 1989, by # of entrants:
Australia: 14 Japan: 3
Austria: 12 Mexico: 1
Belgium: 1 Netherlands: 1
Brazil: 1 Poland: 1
Canada: 24 Singapore: 1
Denmark: 7 Slovenia: 1
Finland: 3 Sweden: 6
France: 7 Switzerland: 9
Germany: 7 United Kingdom: 14
Gumbyland: 1 USA: 1552
Italy: 10 Unknown: 2
Click Race Date Total Entrants Solo Finishing Rate Team Finishing Rate
October 6-8, 2007
192
 44 of 78 = 56.4% 114 of 114 = 100%
October 7-9, 2006
179
 50 of 75 = 66.67% 100 of 104 = 96.15
October 8-10, 2005
148
 59 of 78 = 75.64% 66 of 70 = 94.29%
October 16-18, 2004
117
 31 of 59 = 52.% 56 of 58 = 96.5%
October 11-13 2003
106
 37 of 60 = 61.66% 40 of 46 = 87%
October 12-14, 2002
112
 35 of 58 = 60.3% 48 of 54 = 88.9%
October 13-15, 2001
94
 32 of 48 = 66.6% 46 of 46 = 100%
October 14-16, 2000
80
 28 of 49 = 57.14% 28 of 32 = 80%
October 9-11, 1999
88
 22 of 48 = 45.83% 40 of 40 = 100%
October 10-12, 1998
68
 26 of 44 = 59.1% 24 of 24 = 100%
October 4-6, 1997
67
 20 of 39 = 51.3% 24 of 28 = 85.7%
October 19-21, 1996
72
 24 of 40 = 60% 32 of 32 = 100%
October 21-23, 1995
75
 26 of 39 = 66.7& 32 of 36 = 88.9%
October 22-24, 1994
59
 22 of 39 = 56.4 20 of 20 = 100%
October 2-4, 1993
45
 14 of 33 = 42.4% 12 of 12 = 100%
October 17-19, 1992
28
 9 of 28 = 32.1% NA
October 26-28, 1991
32
 18 of 32 = 56.25% NA
April 13-15, 1991
6?
 6 of 6 = 100? NA
October 27-29, 1990
25
 10 of 25 = 40% NA
April 7-9, 1990
12
 7 of 12 = 58.33% NA
October 21-23, 1989
27
 11 of 27 = 40.7% NA
June 3-5, 1989
6
 2 of 6 = 33.3% NA
April 1989
25
 9 of 25 = 36% NA
23 Total Races
1662
 542 of 948 = 57.2% 682 of 714 = 95.5%
Total Males, Solo and Team: 1416 (82.6%) Total Females, Solo and Team: 246 (17.4%) Total Finishers, Solo and Team: 1224 (73.65%) Total DNFs, Solo and Team: 438 (26.35%)
Downloadable Excel file (.xls) of every finishing time, name, totem, and much more through 2005
Online List of Every Totem Assigned through 2006 (large file: includes all names, results, categories, and more)