LAND SPEED RECORD HISTORY

 

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The British electric land speed record was raised in September 2012, to 151 mph at Elvington airfield, by Nick Ponting, driving a converted Lotus Exige sponsored by Ecotricity and Vince Dale.

 

 

Ecotricity's Lotus Nemesis, driven by Nick Ponting, sponsored by Dale Vince

 

Nick Ponting and Vince Dale with their Lotus Nemesis

 

 

The information below is for self-propelled wheeled vehicles travelling over open ground. As such, it does not include records set by vehicles travelling on rails or motorized sleds over frozen lakes.

 

Additionally, the records below do not distinguish between different recognized classes of the land speed record, such as top speed for a motorcycle (333.117 mph), top speed for a steam-driven vehicle (145.607 mph), or other top speeds that are not absolutes.

 

These are average speeds over the given distance. Two figures are given, one for the speed measured over a kilometre long course, and one for a mile long course. The country field refers to the driver's nationality. Early records were not set according to clearly defined rules and thus some of them are controversial.

 

 

 

Date Location Driver Driver Country Vehicle Power Speed over 1 km Speed over 1 mile Comments

December 18, 1898

Achères, France

Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat

Fr

Jeantaud Duc

Electric

39.24 mph (63.15 km/h)

 

 

January 17, 1899

Achères, France

Camille Jenatzy

Bel

CGA Dogcart

Electric

41.42 mph (66.66 km/h)

 

 

January 17, 1899

Achères, France

Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat

Fr

Jeantaud Duc

Electric

43.69 mph (70.31 km/h)

 

 

January 27, 1899

Achères, France

Camille Jenatzy

Bel

CGA Dogcart

Electric

49.93 mph (80.35 km/h)

 

 

March 4, 1899

Achères, France

Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat

Fr

Jeantaud Duc Profilée

Electric

57.65 mph (92.78 km/h)

 

 

April 29, 1899

Achères, France

Camille Jenatzy

Bel

CITA No 25 La Jamais Contente

Electric

65.79 mph (105.88 km/h)

 

First record over 100km/h

April 13, 1902

Nice, France
Promenade des Anglais

Leon Serpollet

Fr

Gardner-Serpollet Oeuf de Pâques (Easter Egg)

Steam

75.06 mph (120.80 km/h)

 

 

November 5, 1902

Ablis, France

William K. Vanderbilt

USA

Mors Z Paris-Vienne

IC

76.08mph (122.44 km/h)

 

 

November 5, 1902

Dourdan, France

Henri Fournier

Fr

Mors Z Paris-Vienne

IC

76.60 mph (123.28 km/h)

 

 

November 17, 1902

Dourdan, France

M. Augières

Fr

Mors Z Paris-Vienne

IC

77.13 mph (124.13 km/h)

 

 

July 17, 1903

Ostend, Belgium

Arthur Duray

B

Gobron Brillié Paris-Madrid

IC

83.46 mph (134.32 km/h)

 

 

November 5, 1903

Dourdan, France

Arthur Duray

Bel

Gobron Brillié Paris-Madrid

IC

84.73 mph (136.36 km/h)

 

 

January 12, 1904

Lake St. Clair, USA

Henry Ford

USA

Ford Arrow

IC

 

91.37 mph (147.05 km/h)

On frozen lake

March 31, 1904

Nice, France

Arthur Duray

Bel

Gobron Brillié Paris-Madrid

IC

88.76 mph (142.85 km/h)

 

 

March 31, 1904

Nice, France

Louis Rigolly

Fr

Gobron Brillié Paris-Madrid

IC

94.78 mph (152.53 km/h)

 

 

May 25, 1904

Ostend, Belgium

Pierre de Caters

Bel

Mercedes Simplex 90

IC

97.25 mph (156.50 km/h)

 

 

July 21, 1904

Ostend, Belgium

Louis Rigolly

Fr

Gobron Brillié Gordon Bennett Cup

IC

103.56 mph (166.66 km/h)

 

 

November 13, 1904

Ostend, Belgium

Paul Baras

Fr

Darracq Gordon Bennett

IC

104.53 mph (168.22 km/h)

 

 

January 24, 1905

Daytona Beach, USA

Arthur MacDonald

Fr

Napier 6

IC

104.65 mph (168.42 km/h)

 

 

December 30, 1905

Arles, France

Victor Hémery

Fr

Darracq V8 Special

IC

109.65 mph (175.44 km/h)

 

 

January 26, 1906

Daytona Beach, USA

Fred H. Marchriott

USA

Stanley Steamer

Steam

121.57 mph (195.65 km/h)

 

 

January 24, 1907

Ormond Beach, Florida

Glenn Curtiss

USA

Curtiss V8 40 hp (30kW) motorcycle

IC

 

136.27 mph (219.31 km/h)

 

November 6, 1909

Brooklands, United Kingdom

Victor Héméry

Fr

200 hp (150 kW) Benz No 1

IC

125.94 mph (202.68 km/h)

115.93 mph (186.57 km/h)

 

June 24, 1914

Brooklands, United Kingdom

L. G. Hornstead

UK

200 hp (150 kW) Benz No 3

IC

 

124.09 mph (199.70 km/h)

First 2-way record

February 12, 1919

Daytona Beach, USA

Ralph DePalma

USA

Packard 905

IC

149.875 mph (241.200 km/h)

 

Recognized in the USA, not recognized by the AIACR

May 17, 1922

Brooklands, United Kingdom

Kenelm Lee Guinness

UK

350 hp (260 kW) Sunbeam

IC

133.70 mph (215.17 km/h)

129.17 mph (207.88 km/h)

Last record set on a closed course

July 6, 1924

Arpajon, France

René Thomas

Fr

Delage La Torpille

IC

143.21 mph (230.47 km/h)

143.31 mph (230.64 km/h)

 

July 12, 1924

Arpajon, France

Ernest A. D. Eldridge

UK

FIAT Special Mephistopeles II

IC

146.01 mph (234.98 km/h)

145.89 mph (234.79 km/h)

Last record set on a public road

September 25, 1924

Pendine Sands, Wales

Malcolm Campbell

UK

350 hp (260 kW) Sunbeam Blue Bird

IC

146.15 mph (235.21 km/h)

146.16 mph (235.22 km/h)

 

July 21, 1925

Pendine Sands, Wales

Malcolm Campbell

UK

350 hp (260 kW) Sunbeam Blue Bird

IC

150.86 mph (242.79 km/h)

150.76 mph (242.62 km/h)

 

March 21, 1926

Southport, United Kingdom

Henry Segrave

UK

4 Litre Sunbeam Ladybird

IC

152.30 mph (245.10 km/h)

149.32 mph (240.31 km/h)

 

April 27, 1926

Pendine Sands, Wales

J.G. Parry-Thomas

UK

Higham-Thomas Special Babs

IC

169.29 mph (272.45 km/h)

168.07 mph (270.48 km/h)

 

April 28, 1926

Pendine Sands, Wales

J. G. Parry-Thomas

UK

Higham-Thomas Special Babs

IC

171.01 mph (273.60 km/h)

170.62 mph (274.59 km/h)

 

February 4, 1927

Pendine Sands, Wales

Malcolm Campbell

UK

Campbell Napier Blue Bird

IC

174.88 mph (281.44 km/h)

174.22 mph (280.38 km/h)

Last record set in Europe

March 29, 1927

Daytona Beach, USA

Henry Segrave

UK

100 hp (75 kW) Sunbeam 'Slug'

IC

202.98 mph (326.66 km/h)

203.79 mph (327.97 km/h)

 

February 19, 1928

Daytona Beach, USA

Malcolm Campbell

UK

Campbell Napier Blue Bird

IC

 

206.95 mph (333.05 km/h)

 

April 22, 1928

Daytona Beach, USA

Ray Keech

USA

White Triplex Spirit of Elkdom

IC

 

207.55 mph (334.02 km/h)

 

March 11, 1929

Daytona Beach, USA

Henry Segrave

UK

Irving-Napier Golden Arrow

IC

231.56 mph (372.66 km/h)

231.36 mph (372.34 km/h)

 

February 5, 1931

Daytona Beach, USA

Malcolm Campbell

UK

Campbell Napier Railton Blue Bird

IC

246.08 mph (396.03 km/h)

245.73 mph (395.46 km/h)

 

February 24, 1932

Daytona Beach, USA

Malcolm Campbell

UK

Campbell Napier Railton Blue Bird

IC

251.34 mph (404.49 km/h)

253.96 mph (408.71 km/h)

 

February 22, 1933

Daytona Beach, USA

Malcolm Campbell

UK

Campbell Rolls-Royce Railton Blue Bird

IC

272.46 mph (438.48 km/h)

272.10 mph (437.90 km/h)

 

March 7, 1935

Daytona Beach, USA

Malcolm Campbell

UK

Campbell Rolls-Royce Railton Blue Bird

IC

276.16 mph (444.44 km/h)

276.71 mph (445.32 km/h)

Last record set on a beach

September 3, 1935

Bonneville Salt Flats, USA

Malcolm Campbell

UK

Campbell Rolls-Royce Railton Blue Bird

IC

 

301.129 mph (484.620 km/h)

 

November 19, 1937

Bonneville Salt Flats, USA

George E. T. Eyston

UK

Thunderbolt

IC

312.00 mph (502.11 km/h)

311.41 mph (501.17 km/h)

 

August 27, 1938

Bonneville Salt Flats, USA

George E. T. Eyston

UK

Thunderbolt

IC

345.20 mph (555.55 km/h)

345.48 mph (556.00 km/h)

 

September 15, 1938

Bonneville Salt Flats, USA

John Cobb

UK

Railton

IC

350.06 mph (563.37 km/h)

350.19 mph (563.58 km/h)

 

September 16, 1938

Bonneville Salt Flats, USA

George E. T. Eyston

UK

Thunderbolt

IC

357.33 mph (575.07 km/h)

357.49 mph (575.32 km/h)

 

August 23, 1939

Bonneville Salt Flats, USA

John Cobb

UK

Railton

IC

369.74 mph (595.04 km/h)

367.91 mph (592.09 km/h)

 

September 16, 1947

Bonneville Salt Flats, USA

John Cobb

UK

Railton 'Mobil' Special

IC

393.82 mph (633.79 km/h)

394.19 mph (634.39 km/h)

First one-way over 400mph

1965

Bonneville

Summers Brothers

USA

Goldenrod

IC

 

 

 

July 17 1964

Lake Eyre

Australia

Donald Campbell

UK

Bluebird CN7

Turbojet

403.135

403.135

 

September 5, 1963

Bonneville Salt Flats, USA

Craig Breedlove

USA

Spirit of America

Turbojet

408.312 mph (657.114 km/h)

407.447 mph (655.722 km/h)

Ratified by FIM as vehicle has 3 wheels

October 5, 1964

Bonneville Salt Flats, USA

Tom Green

USA

Wingfoot Express

Turbojet

415.093 mph (668.027 km/h)

413.199 mph (664.979 km/h)

 FIA  made two classes  cars with two driven wheels and cars powered by jet engines 

October 7, 1964

Bonneville Salt Flats, USA

Art Arfons

USA

The Green Monster

Turbojet

434.356 mph (665.231 km/h)

434.022 mph (664.694 km/h)

 

October 13, 1964

Bonneville Salt Flats, USA

Craig Breedlove

USA

Spirit of America - Sonic 1

Turbojet

 

468.719 mph (754.330 km/h)

 

October 15, 1964

Bonneville Salt Flats, USA

Craig Breedlove

USA

Spirit of America - Sonic 1

Turbojet

 

526.277 mph (846.861 km/h)

 parachutes failed  Breedlove  ended up  ditch.

Oct 22, 1964

Bonneville 

Bobby Tatroe

USA

Wingfoot Express II

25 Jato Rockets

 

 

reached speeds in excess of 580 mph rockets ran out before finish

October 27, 1964

Bonneville Salt Flats, USA

Art Arfons

USA

The Green Monster

Turbojet

544.134 mph (875.699 km/h)

536.710 mph (863.791 km/h)

 first person over 500 mph

November 2, 1965

Bonneville Salt Flats, USA

Craig Breedlove

USA

Spirit of America - Sonic 1

Turbojet

555.485 mph (893.966 km/h)

555.485 mph (893.966 km/h)

 

November 7, 1965

Bonneville Salt Flats, USA

Art Arfons

USA

The Green Monster

Turbojet

572.546 mph (921.423 km/h)

576.553 mph (927.872 km/h)

 

Nov 12, 1965

Bonneville

Bob Summers

USA

Goldenrod

4x - V-8 Chryslers

 

409.277

fastest for wheel driven and piston engines

November 15, 1965

Bonneville Salt Flats, USA

Craig Breedlove

USA

Spirit of America - Sonic 1

Turbojet

600.842 mph (966.961 km/h)

600.601 mph (966.574 km/h)

 first person over 600

1968

Bonneville

Jerry Kugel

USA

Lead Wedge

Electric

 

138 mph

 

October 23, 1970

Bonneville Salt Flats, USA

Gary Gabelich

USA

Blue Flame

Rocket

630.389 mph (1014.52 km/h)

622.407 mph (1001.67 km/h)

First record over 1000km/h

August 1971

Bonneville

Jack Reed

USA

Silver Eagle

Electric

 

146.437 mph

 

August 23, 1974

Bonneville

Roger Hedlund

USA

Battery Box

Electric

 

175 mph

 

December 17, 1979

Edwards AFB, USA

Stan Barrett

USA

Budweiser Rocket

Rocket

 

746 mph supersonic top speed claimed

Did not follow official measurement rules.

October 4, 1983

Black Rock Desert, USA

Richard Noble

UK

Thrust2

Rolls Royce Avon Jet Engine

 

633.468 mph (1019.47 km/h)

 

Aug 21, 1991

Bonneville

Elwin Teague

USA

Speed0Motive

 

 

409.978

 

September 25, 1997

Black Rock Desert, USA

Andy Green

UK

ThrustSSC

2 Rolls Royce Jet Engines

713.496 mph (1148.26 km/h)

714.144 mph (1149.30 km/h)

 first person thru 700 mph barrier

October 15, 1997

Black Rock Desert, USA

Andy Green

UK

ThrustSSC

Turbofan

760.343 mph (1223.65 km/h)

763.035 mph (1227.99 km/h)

First supersonic record (Mach 1.016)

October 15, 1997

Bonneville

Ed Rannberg

USA

Lightning Rod

Electric

 

215.3 mph

First over 200 mph

October of 1999

Bonneville

Pat Rummerfield

USA

White Lightning

Electric

 

245.523 mph

 

2001

Bonneville

Don Vesco

USA

Turbinator

T55-L-11A SA

 

458.440

wheel driven  Turbine engine

2002

Bonneville

Nolan White

 

Parts Peddler

 

 

413

Not recognized by FIA

2004

Bonneville

Tom Burkland

 

Burkland's Stremaliner

2x Chrysler Donovans

 

417

Not recognized by the FIA

2004

Bonneville

C Taylor

USA

Buckeye Bullet

Electric

 

271.459 flying kilo

 

2005

Bonneville

C Taylor

USA

Buckeye Bullet

Electric

 

300+

Not FIA

August 22 2006

Bonneville

Andy Green

UK

JCB Dieselmax

Diesel

 

328 mph

 

 

 

 

 

Please note: Disputed records are on a lighter grey background.

 

While we consider most of the information below is accurate but don't consider it as an absolute reference.

 

External links

 

 

 

 

 

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