It is 1955. James Dean is starring in “Rebel Without a Cause,” Elvis is recording at Sun Studios, Jack Kerouac is writing “On the Road”, and in Northern California on a crisp October night at the Freemont Drag Strip, two thousand people stand on either side of a quarter mile long strip of pavement, leaning ever forward until those at the end look as if they are bowing with their heads turned toward the starting line, their eyes transfixed on a banana yellow dragster.

Drawn on the nose of the enclosed, mid-engine dragster is an upright bean on wheels, wearing a sombrero and a bandit’s scarf. It is the logo of the famous Bean Bandits Car Club. Behind the wheel, revving the ‘54 Ford 280 cubic inch, flathead motor sits Joaquin Arnett. With his welterweight boxing physique, strikingly large-tooth smile and thick black hair, Arnett has become the darling of the screaming girls.

Earlier that day, Arnett and the Bean Bandits smoked all comers, turning 148-mph, a speed faster than they had ever gone in a quarter mile. Now the meet officials had granted their request for a speed run–an uncontested race against the clock. In 1952, the Bean Bandits were the first to surpass the 130-mph mark, clocking 134.32.

In 1953, they pushed the record to 147.02. But four months ago, Lloyd Scott in his Oldsmobile “Bustle Bomb” went 151 mph, and now the Bandits want the record back. Arnett revs the engine again, listening for any glitches with ears as sensitive as a sonar operator. Satisfied, he signals thumbs up to the flagman. The Bean Bandits yell to Arnett “let her rip.” The flagman leaps into the air, snapping the white starter’s flag, and two thousand fans inch closer, further narrowing the corridor, wanting to see history made.

The engine roars. Arnett is hurling the yellow dragster between the rows of screaming fans who toss hats and handkerchiefs into the air as he rushes past. Through his goggles he stares at the blackness at the end of the tunnel and in his peripheral a continuous streak of white flashes. The steering wheel jerks and shimmies. Arnett tightens his grip. There is no room for error; there never is when you are going fast.