One Lap of America 2025 took its legendary multi-state format even further this year, covering more than 3,500 miles in just seven days, from May 3 to May 10. Established in 1984, the event is Cannonball Run’s legal, track-based descendant; a true test of both driver and machine where minimal support, a single set of tires, and relentless transit stints put endurance at the heart of the challenge. For automotive diehards, it’s not about style points or big purses; bragging rights and proof-of-concept, whether for the latest tech or a homebuilt sleeper, are the real currency.

Going into 2025, expectations ran high. The buzz was all about track diversity (from classic tarmac at Virginia International Raceway to quick-change surfaces at Gateway and Grissom), new entries from the OEMs mixing it with grassroots veterans, and a few eyes on how EVs would manage rapid fire sessions and charging logistics. The pre-race chatter also circled “survivability”; with the expanded itinerary and “no spares” rule, would high-output machines or reliable all-rounders dominate? Team favorites included the recent overall winners (often Porsche, Nissan GT-R, and Corvette entries), dark-horse builds in Economy and Alternative-fuel classes, and, as always, the ever-present specter of attrition.

When the clock started at Tire Rack HQ in South Bend, Indiana, reality set a different tone. Early leaders at wet and dry skidpad sessions saw their margins evaporate with mechanicals at Grissom and Gateway, reminding everyone that One Lap rewards the methodical as much as the quick. Standouts included the Dodge Charger Daytona Scat Pack EV, which managed solid range while posting top-five times at the Virginia International Raceway road course, marking a milestone for electric durability under pressure. Meanwhile, battle-hardened ICE cars like Z06 Corvettes and Turbo S Porsches executed nearly flawless runs, particularly on technical circuits like Grattan where tire conservation and temperature management separated the good from the great. Incidents were few, but a key DNF at Pitt Race reshuffled the leader board, and a late penalty for a class leader at Quaker City’s drag bracket added last-minute drama. Ultimately, 46 out of 82 entries finished all stages, above the ten-year average, suggesting both careful prep and a forgiving weather window for this edition.

Conditions across the 2025 route were cool, with moderate temps keeping tire and brake temps mostly in the “sweet spot”; though a humid stint through the Midwest introduced some surface variability and forced teams to tweak tire pressures and brake cooling routines. Track surfaces ranged from polished airport concrete to high-bite, recently-repaved road courses. These factors emphasized adaptable setups and shined a light on improved tire formulations and active brake cooling, echoing what I see in modern PPF materials: manage peak surface temps and cycles well, and you preserve underlying structure; whether it’s film or a carbon-ceramic rotor.

From a personal angle, watching the top teams walk that tightrope between grip and thermal overload brought to mind the same principles I preach in paint protection: some choices really pay off in the long run.

When the final results dropped, it was a near-photo finish: the Quality Time Racing Porsche Cayman clinched overall by a hair over a well-driven Tesla Model S Plaid, with the Dodge Charger Daytona Scat Pack taking top honors in the Alternative Fuel class. Class wins spread across classic Euro, homebuilt Honda, and American muscle iron, with only one high-profile rules protest resolved post-race, leaving standings nearly unchanged. In expectations versus reality, endurance over spectacle won out; it was planning, prep, and cool heads, not just horsepower, that took the hardware in 2025.

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Wessen Char is UPPF’s petrolhead who still mourns the loss of Saab (and drove her 9-5 NG till 2025). She travels between US and Europe to cover auto events. She acknowledges the chic tech of EVs but wonders if the inexorable move to everything digital is ultimately all-better. Analogue had more soul somehow :)


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