Back in 1930, three-time Le Mans winner Captain Woolf Barnato won a race with a train in his Bentley. Known as the “Blue Train” run, the race was between Barnato’s Bentley Speed Six and the famous Train Bleu that ran from Cannes to Calais.

Barnato managed to beat the train by a long margin, covering over 570 miles (917 km) at an average speed of 43.43 mph (69.9 km/h), an impressive achievement on the dusty and rough roads of the time.

85 years after that famous race, modern day Bentley Boy Steven Kane raced a train in a Continental GT V8 S Convertible from Riyadh to Damman in Saudi Arabia.

The race against Saudi Arabia’s only desert passenger train took place on August 15 over a distance of 480 km (298 miles) from Riyadh (deep in the heart of the Arabian Peninsula) to Damman on the Arabian Gulf. After four hours and 14 minutes , the new Continental GT V8 S Convertible arrived first at the destination, with six minutes to spare.

“Four hours is the same time as a stint at Le Mans. But this was far more stressful. The heat, the conditions, not knowing where the train was, while driving within the limits of the country’s regulations. It was a race like no other. I hope Barnato would be proud,” said Bentley Team M-Sport driver, Steven Kane.

Scroll down to watch a summary of the unusual race.

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Bentley Continental Vs TrainBentley Continental GT V8 S Convertible races a train from Riyadh to Dammam, a 480 km (nearly 300 miles) journeyPosted by Carscoops on Thursday, October 8, 2015