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land speed record

Ralph DePalma in his Packard '905' Special at Daytona Beach in 1919, courtesy Florida Photographic Collection
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Ralph DePalma in his Packard '905' Special at Daytona Beach in 1919, courtesy Florida Photographic Collection

The land speed record is the fastest speed achieved by any wheeled vehicle on land, as opposed to one on water or in the air or on rails. It is standardized as the speed over a course of fixed length, averaged over two runs in opposite directions. The current absolute (or unlimited) record holder is ThrustSSC, a twin turbofan jet-powered car which has achieved 763 mph (slightly under 1228 km/h) over one mile, breaking the sound barrier. There are also records for specific classes of vehicle, such as motorcycles (350.884 mph, currently held by Chris Carr), and steam-driven vehicles (Fred Marriott, 127.659 mph), but this list only includes the absolute speed records for wheeled vehicles on ground, without rails. Early records predate standardisation and are sometimes controversial.

Driving the Thrust Super Sonic Car, Andy Green of Great Britain holds the land speed record for a motor powered vehicle at 1,228kph/763.055mph. It was set in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada, USA, on 15 October 1997. The word 'motor' in a conventional sense does not really apply since the monster vehicle was powered by two Rolls Royce jet engines, producing a combined total of 100,000lbs of thrust force. During its record-breaking run, Thrust SSC accelerated to 965.6kph/600mph in just 16 seconds. It smashed the record in style by becoming the first car to break the sound barrier.


1898 to 1947

Date Location Driver Vehicle Power Speed over
1 km
Speed over
1 mile
Comments
mph km/h mph km/h
December 18, 1898 Achères, Yvelines, France Flag of France Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat Jeantaud Duc Electric 39.24 63.15
January 17, 1899 Achères, France Flag of Belgium Brandon Kesler CGA Dogcart Electric 41.42 66.66
January 17, 1899 Achères, France Flag of France Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat Jeantaud Duc Electric 43.69 70.31
January 27, 1899 Achères, France Flag of Belgium Camille Jenatzy CGA Dogcart Electric 49.93 80.35
March 4, 1899 Achères, France Flag of France Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat Jeantaud Duc Profilée Electric 57.65 92.78
April 29, 1899 Achères, France Flag of Belgium Camille Jenatzy CITA No 25, La Jamais Contente Electric 65.79 105.88 First record over 100 km/h
April 13, 1902 Nice, France
Promenade des Anglais
Flag of France Leon Serpollet Gardner-Serpollet Oeuf de Pâques (Easter Egg) Steam 75.06 120.80
November 5, 1902 Ablis, France Flag of the United States William K. Vanderbilt[1] Mors Z Paris-Vienne IC 76.08 122.44
November 5, 1902 Dourdan, France Flag of France Henri Fournier Mors Z Paris-Vienne IC 76.60 123.28
November 17, 1902 Dourdan, France Flag of France M. Augières Mors Z Paris-Vienne IC 77.13 124.13
July 17, 1903 Ostend, Belgium Flag of Belgium Arthur Duray Gobron Brillié Paris-Madrid IC 83.46 134.32
November 5, 1903 Dourdan, France Flag of Belgium Arthur Duray Gobron Brillié Paris-Madrid IC 84.73 136.36
January 12, 1904 Lake St. Clair, USA Flag of the United States Henry Ford Ford Arrow IC 91.37 147.05 On frozen lake
March 31, 1904 Nice, France Flag of Belgium Arthur Duray Gobron Brillié Paris-Madrid IC 88.76 142.85
March 31, 1904 Nice, France Flag of France Louis Rigolly Gobron Brillié Paris-Madrid IC 94.78 152.53
May 25, 1904 Ostend, Belgium Flag of Belgium Pierre de Caters DMG Mercedes Simplex 90 IC 97.25 156.50
July 21, 1904 Ostend, Belgium Flag of France Louis Rigolly Gobron Brillié Gordon Bennett Cup IC 103.56 166.66 first over 100mph
November 13, 1904 Ostend, Belgium Flag of France Paul Baras Darracq Gordon Bennett IC 104.53 168.22
January 24, 1905 Daytona Beach, USA Flag of France Arthur MacDonald Napier 6 IC 104.65 168.42
December 30, 1905 Arles, France Flag of France Victor Hémery Darracq V8 Special IC 109.65 175.44
January 26, 1906 Ormond Beach, USA Flag of the United States Fred Marriott Stanley Rocket Racer Steam 127.66 205.44 first over 200kph
January 24, 1907 Ormond Beach, Florida Flag of the United States Glenn Curtiss Curtiss V8 40 hp (30 kW) motorcycle IC 136.27 219.31 Motorcycle record stood for about 30 years
November 6, 1909 Brooklands, United Kingdom Flag of France Victor Hémery 200 hp (150 kW) Benz No 1 IC 125.94 202.68 115.93 186.57
June 24, 1914 Brooklands, United Kingdom Flag of the United Kingdom L. G. Hornstead 200 hp (150 kW) Benz No 3 IC 124.09 199.70 First 2-way record
February 12, 1919 Daytona Beach, USA Flag of the United States Ralph DePalma Packard 905 IC 149.875 241.200 Recognized in the USA, not recognized by AIACR
May 17, 1922 Brooklands, United Kingdom Flag of the United Kingdom Kenelm Lee Guinness 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 Flag of France René Thomas Delage La Torpille IC 143.21 230.47 143.31 230.64
July 12, 1924 Arpajon, France Flag of the United Kingdom Ernest A. D. Eldridge 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 Flag of the United Kingdom Malcolm Campbell 350 hp (260 kW) Sunbeam Blue Bird IC 146.15 235.21 146.16 235.22
July 21, 1925 Pendine Sands, Wales Flag of the United Kingdom Malcolm Campbell 350 hp (260 kW) Sunbeam Blue Bird IC 150.86 242.79 150.76 242.62
March 21, 1926 Southport, United Kingdom Flag of the United Kingdom Henry Segrave 4 Litre Sunbeam Ladybird IC 152.30 245.10 149.32 240.31
March 2, 1927 Pendine Sands, Wales Flag of the United Kingdom J.G. Parry-Thomas Higham-Thomas Special Babs IC 169.29 272.45 168.07 270.48
March 3, 1927 Pendine Sands, Wales Flag of the United Kingdom J.G. Parry-Thomas Babs IC 171.01 273.60 170.62 274.59 Killed at end of run
February 4, 1927 Pendine Sands, Wales Flag of the United Kingdom Malcolm Campbell Campbell-Napier Blue Bird IC 174.88 281.44 174.22 280.38 Last record set in Europe
March 29, 1927 Daytona Beach, USA Flag of the United Kingdom Henry Segrave 1000 hp (750 kW) Sunbeam 1000 hp Slug IC 202.98 326.66 203.79 327.97
February 19, 1928 Daytona Beach, USA Flag of the United Kingdom Malcolm Campbell Campbell-Napier Blue Bird IC 206.95 333.05
April 22, 1928 Daytona Beach, USA Flag of the United States Ray Keech White Triplex Spirit of Elkdom IC 207.55 334.02
March 11, 1929 Daytona Beach, USA Flag of the United Kingdom Henry Segrave Irving-Napier Golden Arrow IC 231.56 372.66 231.36 372.34 Golden Arrow never ran again
February 5, 1931 Daytona Beach, USA Flag of the United Kingdom Malcolm Campbell Campbell Napier Railton Blue Bird IC 246.08 396.03 245.73 395.46
February 24, 1932 Daytona Beach, USA Flag of the United Kingdom Malcolm Campbell Campbell Napier Railton Blue Bird IC 251.34 404.49 253.96 408.71
February 22, 1933 Daytona Beach, USA Flag of the United Kingdom Malcolm Campbell Campbell Rolls-Royce Railton Blue Bird IC 272.46 438.48 272.10 437.90
March 7, 1935 Daytona Beach, USA Flag of the United Kingdom Malcolm Campbell 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 Flag of the United Kingdom Malcolm Campbell Campbell Rolls-Royce Railton Blue Bird IC 301.129 484.620
November 19, 1937 Bonneville Salt Flats, USA Flag of the United Kingdom George E. T. Eyston Thunderbolt IC 312.00 502.11 311.41 501.17
August 27, 1938 Bonneville Salt Flats, USA Flag of the United Kingdom George E. T. Eyston Thunderbolt IC 345.20 555.55 345.48 556.00
September 15, 1938 Bonneville Salt Flats, USA Flag of the United Kingdom John Cobb Railton Special IC 350.06 563.37 350.19 563.58
September 16, 1938 Bonneville Salt Flats, USA Flag of the United Kingdom George E. T. Eyston Thunderbolt IC 357.33 575.07 357.49 575.32
August 23, 1939 Bonneville Salt Flats, USA Flag of the United Kingdom John Cobb Railton Special IC 369.74 595.04 367.91 592.09
September 16, 1947 Bonneville Salt Flats, USA Flag of the United Kingdom John Cobb Railton Mobil Special IC 393.82 633.79 394.19 634.39 First one-way over 400 mph (640kph)

1963 to 1970

Date Location Driver Vehicle Power Speed over
1 km
Speed over
1 mile
Comments
mph km/h mph km/h
September 5, 1963 Bonneville Salt Flats, USA Flag of the United States Craig Breedlove Spirit of America Turbojet 408.312 657.114 407.447 655.722 Ratified by FIM as vehicle has 3 wheels
July 17, 1964 Lake Eyre, Australia Flag of the United Kingdom Donald Campbell Bluebird CN7 turboprop 403.10 644.96
October 5, 1964 Bonneville Salt Flats, USA Flag of the United States Tom Green Wingfoot Express Turbojet 415.093 668.027 413.199 664.979
October 7, 1964 Bonneville Salt Flats, USA Flag of the United States Art Arfons The Green Monster Turbojet 434.356 699.028 434.022 698.490
October 13, 1964 Bonneville Salt Flats, USA Flag of the United States Craig Breedlove Spirit of America Turbojet 468.719 754.330
October 15, 1964 Bonneville Salt Flats, USA Flag of the United States Craig Breedlove Spirit of America Turbojet 526.277 846.861
October 27, 1964 Bonneville Salt Flats, USA Flag of the United States Art Arfons The Green Monster Turbojet 544.134 875.699 536.710 863.791
November 2, 1965 Bonneville Salt Flats, USA Flag of the United States Craig Breedlove Spirit of America - Sonic 1 Turbojet 555.485 893.966 555.485 893.966
November 7, 1965 Bonneville Salt Flats, USA Flag of the United States Art Arfons The Green Monster Turbojet 572.546 921.423 576.553 927.872
November 13, 1965 Bonneville Salt Flats, USA Flag of the United States Bob Summers Goldenrod IC 409.277 658.526 Last record using a piston engine
November 15, 1965 Bonneville Salt Flats, USA Flag of the United States Craig Breedlove Spirit of America - Sonic 1 Turbojet 600.842 966.961 600.601 966.574
October 23, 1970 Bonneville Salt Flats, USA Flag of the United States Gary Gabelich Blue Flame Rocket 630.389 1014.52 622.407 1001.67 First record over 1000 km/h; record stood for 13 years

1983 to 2007

Date Location Driver Vehicle Power Speed over
1 km
Speed over
1 mile
Comments
mph km/h mph km/h
October 4, 1983 Black Rock Desert, USA Flag of the United Kingdom Richard Noble Thrust2 Turbojet 633.468 1019.47 Record stood for 13 years
September 25, 1997 Black Rock Desert, USA Flag of the United Kingdom Andy Green ThrustSSC Turbofan 760.343 1223.65 763.035 1227.99 First supersonic record (Mach 1.016)

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