Land speed record
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The land speed record is the fastest speed achieved by a vehicle on land, as opposed to one on water or in the air. It is standardized as the speed over a course of fixed length, averaged over two runs in opposite directions. The current record holder is ThrustSSC, which has achieved 763 mph, or 1227 km/h, breaking the sound barrier. There are also other records for specific classes of vehicle, such as motorcycles (333.117 mph) and steam-driven vehicles (145.607 mph), but this list only includes the absolute speed records for wheeled vehicles on ground, without rails. Early records predate standardization and are sometimes controversial.
Contents
| Date | Location | Driver | Driver Country | Vehicle | Power | Speed over 1 km | Speed over 1 mile | Comments | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mph | km/h | mph | km/h | |||||||
| December 18, 1898 | Achères, France | Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat | France | Jeantaud Duc | Electric | 39.24 | 63.15 | |||
| January 17, 1899 | Achères, France | Camille Jenatzy | Belgium | CGA Dogcart | Electric | 41.42 | 66.66 | |||
| January 17, 1899 | Achères, France | Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat | France | Jeantaud Duc | Electric | 43.69 | 70.31 | |||
| January 27, 1899 | Achères, France | Camille Jenatzy | Belgium | CGA Dogcart | Electric | 49.93 | 80.35 | |||
| March 4, 1899 | Achères, France | Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat | France | Jeantaud Duc Profilée | Electric | 57.65 | 92.78 | |||
| April 29, 1899 | Achères, France | Camille Jenatzy | Belgium | CITA No 25La Jamais Contente | Electric | 65.79 | 105.88 | — | First record over 100 km/h | |
| April 13, 1902 | Nice, France Promenade des Anglais | Leon Serpollet | France | Gardner-SerpolletOeuf de Pâques (Easter Egg) | Steam | 75.06 | 120.80 | |||
| November 5, 1902 | Ablis, France | William K. Vanderbilt | USA | Mors Z Paris-Vienne | IC | 76.08 | 122.44 | |||
| November 5, 1902 | Dourdan, France | Henri Fournier | France | Mors Z Paris-Vienne | IC | 76.60 | 123.28 | |||
| November 17, 1902 | Dourdan, France | M. Augières | France | Mors Z Paris-Vienne | IC | 77.13 | 124.13 | |||
| July 17, 1903 | Ostend, Belgium | Arthur Duray | Belgium | Gobron Brillié Paris-Madrid | IC | 83.46 | 134.32 | |||
| November 5, 1903 | Dourdan, France | Arthur Duray | Belgium | Gobron Brillié Paris-Madrid | IC | 84.73 | 136.36 | |||
| January 12, 1904 | Lake St. Clair, USA | Henry Ford | USA | Ford Arrow | IC | — | 91.37 | 147.05 | On frozen lake | |
| March 31, 1904 | Nice, France | Arthur Duray | Belgium | Gobron Brillié Paris-Madrid | IC | 88.76 | 142.85 | |||
| March 31, 1904 | Nice, France | Louis Rigolly | France | Gobron Brillié Paris-Madrid | IC | 94.78 | 152.53 | |||
| May 25, 1904 | Ostend, Belgium | Pierre de Caters | Belgium | Mercedes Simplex 90 | IC | 97.25 | 156.50 | |||
| July 21, 1904 | Ostend, Belgium | Louis Rigolly | France | Gobron Brillié Gordon Bennett Cup | IC | 103.56 | 166.66 | |||
| November 13, 1904 | Ostend, Belgium | Paul Baras | France | Darracq Gordon Bennett | IC | 104.53 | 168.22 | |||
| January 24, 1905 | Daytona Beach, USA | Arthur MacDonald | France | Napier 6 | IC | 104.65 | 168.42 | |||
| December 30, 1905 | Arles, France | Victor Hémery | France | Darracq V8 Special | IC | 109.65 | 175.44 | |||
| January 26, 1906 | Ormond Beach, USA | Fred Marriott | USA | Stanley Steamer | Steam | 121.57 | 195.65 | |||
| January 24, 1907 | Ormond Beach, Florida | Glenn Curtiss | USA | Curtiss V8 40 hp (30 kW) motorcycle | IC | — | 136.27 | 219.31 | Moto record stood for about 30 years | |
| November 6, 1909 | Brooklands, United Kingdom | Victor Héméry | France | 200 hp (150 kW) Benz No 1 | IC | 125.94 | 202.68 | 115.93 | 186.57 | |
| June 24, 1914 | Brooklands, United Kingdom | L. G. Hornstead | United Kingdom | 200 hp (150 kW) Benz No 3 | IC | — | 124.09 | 199.70 | First 2-way record | |
| February 12, 1919 | Daytona Beach, USA | Ralph DePalma | USA | Packard 905 | IC | 149.875 | 241.200 | — | Recognized in the USA, not recognized by the AIACR | |
| May 17, 1922 | Brooklands, United Kingdom | Kenelm Lee Guinness | United Kingdom | 350 hp (260 kW) Sunbeam | IC | 133.70 | 215.17 | 129.17 | 207.88 | Last record set on a closed course |
| July 6, 1924 | Arpajon, France | René Thomas | France | Delage La Torpille | IC | 143.21 | 230.47 | 143.31 | 230.64 | |
| July 12, 1924 | Arpajon, France | Ernest A. D. Eldridge | United Kingdom | FIAT Special Mephistopeles II | IC | 146.01 | 234.98 | 145.89 | 234.79 | Last record set on a public road |
| September 25, 1924 | Pendine Sands, Wales | Malcolm Campbell | United Kingdom | 350 hp (260 kW) Sunbeam Blue Bird | IC | 146.15 | 235.21 | 146.16 | 235.22 | |
| July 21, 1925 | Pendine Sands, Wales | Malcolm Campbell | United Kingdom | 350 hp (260 kW) Sunbeam Blue Bird | IC | 150.86 | 242.79 | 150.76 | 242.62 | |
| March 21, 1926 | Southport, United Kingdom | Henry Segrave | United Kingdom | 4 Litre Sunbeam Ladybird | IC | 152.30 | 245.10 | 149.32 | 240.31 | |
| April 27, 1926 | Pendine Sands, Wales | J.G. Parry-Thomas | United Kingdom | Higham-Thomas Special Babs | IC | 169.29 | 272.45 | 168.07 | 270.48 | |
| April 28, 1926 | Pendine Sands, Wales | J.G. Parry-Thomas | United Kingdom | Higham-Thomas Special Babs | IC | 171.01 | 273.60 | 170.62 | 274.59 | Killed at end of run |
| February 4, 1927 | Pendine Sands, Wales | Malcolm Campbell | United Kingdom | Campbell Napier Blue Bird | IC | 174.88 | 281.44 | 174.22 | 280.38 | Last record set in Europe |
| March 29, 1927 | Daytona Beach, USA | Henry Segrave | United Kingdom | 1000 hp (750 kW) Sunbeam 1000 hp Slug | IC | 202.98 | 326.66 | 203.79 | 327.97 | |
| February 19, 1928 | Daytona Beach, USA | Malcolm Campbell | United Kingdom | Campbell Napier Blue Bird | IC | — | 206.95 | 333.05 | ||
| April 22, 1928 | Daytona Beach, USA | Ray Keech | USA | White TriplexSpirit of Elkdom | IC | — | 207.55 | 334.02 | ||
| March 11, 1929 | Daytona Beach, USA | Henry Segrave | United Kingdom | Irving-Napier Golden Arrow
| IC | 231.56 | 372.66 | 231.36 | 372.34 | Golden Arrow never ran again |
| February 5, 1931 | Daytona Beach, USA | Malcolm Campbell | United Kingdom | Campbell Napier Railton Blue Bird | IC | 246.08 | 396.03 | 245.73 | 395.46 | |
| February 24, 1932 | Daytona Beach, USA | Malcolm Campbell | United Kingdom | Campbell Napier Railton Blue Bird | IC | 251.34 | 404.49 | 253.96 | 408.71 | |
| February 22, 1933 | Daytona Beach, USA | Malcolm Campbell | United Kingdom | Campbell Rolls-Royce Railton Blue Bird | IC | 272.46 | 438.48 | 272.10 | 437.90 | |
| March 7, 1935 | Daytona Beach, USA | Malcolm Campbell | United Kingdom | Campbell Rolls-Royce Railton Blue Bird | IC | 276.16 | 444.44 | 276.71 | 445.32 | Last record set on a beach |
| September 3, 1935 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | Malcolm Campbell | United Kingdom | Campbell Rolls-Royce Railton Blue Bird | IC | — | 301.129 | 484.620 | ||
| November 19, 1937 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | George E. T. Eyston | United Kingdom | Thunderbolt | IC | 312.00 | 502.11 | 311.41 | 501.17 | |
| August 27, 1938 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | George E. T. Eyston | United Kingdom | Thunderbolt | IC | 345.20 | 555.55 | 345.48 | 556.00 | |
| September 15, 1938 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | John Cobb | United Kingdom | Railton | IC | 350.06 | 563.37 | 350.19 | 563.58 | |
| September 16, 1938 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | George E. T. Eyston | United Kingdom | Thunderbolt | IC | 357.33 | 575.07 | 357.49 | 575.32 | |
| August 23, 1939 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | John Cobb | United Kingdom | Railton | IC | 369.74 | 595.04 | 367.91 | 592.09 | |
| September 16, 1947 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | John Cobb | United Kingdom | Railton Mobil Special | IC | 393.82 | 633.79 | 394.19 | 634.39 | First one-way over 400 mph |
| Date | Location | Driver | Driver Country | Vehicle | Power | Speed over 1 km | Speed over 1 mile | Comments | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mph | km/h | mph | km/h | |||||||
| September 5, 1963 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | Craig Breedlove | USA | Spirit of America | Turbojet | 408.312 | 657.114 | 407.447 | 655.722 | Ratified by FIM as vehicle has 3 wheels |
| October 5, 1964 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | Tom Green | USA | Wingfoot Express | Turbojet | 415.093 | 668.027 | 413.199 | 664.979 | |
| October 7, 1964 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | Art Arfons | USA | The Green Monster | Turbojet | 434.356 | 665.231 | 434.022 | 664.694 | |
| October 13, 1964 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | Craig Breedlove | USA | Spirit of America - Sonic 1 | Turbojet | — | 468.719 | 754.330 | ||
| October 15, 1964 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | Craig Breedlove | USA | Spirit of America - Sonic 1 | Turbojet | — | 526.277 | 846.861 | ||
| October 27, 1964 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | Art Arfons | USA | The Green Monster | Turbojet | 544.134 | 875.699 | 536.710 | 863.791 | |
| November 2, 1965 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | Craig Breedlove | USA | Spirit of America - Sonic 1 | Turbojet | 555.485 | 893.966 | 555.485 | 893.966 | |
| November 7, 1965 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | Art Arfons | USA | The Green Monster | Turbojet | 572.546 | 921.423 | 576.553 | 927.872 | |
| November 13, 1965 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | Bob Summers | USA | Goldenrod | IC | 409.277 | 658.526 | Last record using an internal combustion engine | ||
| November 15, 1965 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | Craig Breedlove | USA | Spirit of America - Sonic 1 | Turbojet | 600.842 | 966.961 | 600.601 | 966.574 | |
| October 23, 1970 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | Gary Gabelich | USA | Blue Flame | Rocket | 630.389 | 1014.52 | 622.407 | 1001.67 | First record over 1000 km/h; record stood for 13 years |
| Date | Location | Driver | Driver Country | Vehicle | Power | Speed over 1 km | Speed over 1 mile | Comments | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mph | km/h | mph | km/h | |||||||
| October 4, 1983 | Black Rock Desert, USA | Richard Noble | United Kingdom | Thrust2 | Turbojet | — | 633.468 | 1019.47 | ||
| September 25, 1997 | Black Rock Desert, USA | Andy Green | United Kingdom | ThrustSSC | Turbofan | 713.496 | 1148.26 | 714.144 | 1149.30 | |
| October 15, 1997 | Black Rock Desert, USA | Andy Green | United Kingdom | ThrustSSC | Turbofan | 760.343 | 1223.65 | 763.035 | 1227.99 | First supersonic record (Mach 1.016) |
See also
- North American Eagle
- Air speed record
- Land speed record for railed vehicles
- Water speed record
- Underwater speed record
- Budweiser Rocket - A disputed 746 mph claim.
- Pioneer 2M - Soviet Union attempt at the land speed record
External links
- [A graph of these successive records.]
- [www.peterrenn.clara.net]
- [Autoracing speed records]
- [Landspeed record history]
- [Index to comprehensive site of land air and water speed record projects from 1901 to 2005]
- [Henry Segrave's Sunbeam, Quicktime Virtual Reality image]
- [JCB Land Speed Record Attempt]
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