Land Speed Records 1898-2002
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 speeds given are in miles per hour. The country is refferring to the driver. Early records were not set arcording to clearly defined rules and thus somme of them are controversial.
Controversial records are on a yellow backgroung.
THIS TABLE IS A WORK IN PROGRESS most of the information is accurate but don't consider it as an absolute reference.
Date | Location | Date Driver | Country | Vehicle | Power | Kilo Speed | Mile Speed | Comments |
December 18, 1898 | Achères, France | Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat | France | Jeantaud Duc | Electric | 39.24 | ||
January 17, 1899 | Achères, France | Camille Jenatzy | Belgium | CGA Dogcart | Electric | 41.42 | ||
January 17, 1899 | Achères, France | Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat | France | Jeantaud Duc | Electric | 43.69 | ||
January 27, 1899 | Achères, France | Camille Jenatzy | Belgium | CGA Dogcart | Electric | 49.93 | ||
March 4, 1899 | Achères, France | Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat | France | Jeantaud Duc Profilée | Electric | 57.65 | ||
April 29, 1899 | Achères, France | Camille Jenatzy | Belgium | CITA No 25 La Jamais Contente | Electric | 65.79 | First record over 100km/h | |
April 13, 1902 | Nice, France | Leon Serpollet | France | Gardner-Serpollet Oeuf de Pacques | Steam | 75.06 | ||
November 5, 1902 | Ablis, France | William K. Vanderbilt | USA | Mors Z Paris-Vienne | IC | 76.08 | ||
November 5, 1902 | Dourdan, France | Henri Fournier | France | Mors Z Paris-Vienne | IC | 76.60 | ||
November 17, 1902 | Dourdan, France | M. Augières | France | Mors Z Paris-Vienne | IC | 77.13 | ||
July 17, 1903 | Ostend, Belgium | Arthur Duray | Belgium | Gobron Brillié Paris-Madrid | IC | 83.46 | ||
November 5, 1903 | Dourdan, France | Arthur Duray | Belgium | Gobron Brillié Paris-Madrid | IC | 84.73 | ||
January 12, 1904 | Lake St. Clair, USA | Henry Ford | USA | Ford | IC | 91.37 | ||
March 31, 1904 | Nice, France | Arthur Duray | Belgium | Gobron Brillié Paris-Madrid | IC | 88.76 | ||
March 31, 1904 | Nice, France | Louis Rigolly | France | Gobron Brillié Paris-Madrid | IC | 94.78 | ||
May 25, 1904 | Ostend, Belgium | Pierre de Caters | Belgium | Mercedes Simplex 90 | IC | 97.25 | ||
July 21, 1904 | Ostend, Belgium | Louis Rigolly | France | Gobron Brillié Gordon Bennett | IC | 103.56 | ||
November 13, 1904 | Ostend, Belgium | Paul Baras | France | Darracq Gordon Bennett | IC | 104.53 | ||
December 30, 1905 | Arles, France | Victor Héméry | France | Darracq V8 Special | IC | 108.58 | ||
January 26, 1905 | Daytona Beach, USA | Fred H. Marchriott | USA | Stanley Steamer | Steam | 121.57 | ||
November 6, 1909 | Brooklands, Great Britain | Victor Héméry | France | 200hp Benz No 1 | IC | 125.94 | 115.93 | |
June 24, 1914 | Brooklands, Great Britain | L. G. Hornstead | Great Britain | 200hp Benz No 3 | IC | 124.09 | First 2-way record | |
May 17, 1922 | Brooklands, Great Britain | Kenelm Lee Guinness | Great Britain | 350hp Sunbeam | IC | 133.70 | 129.17 | Last record set on a closed course |
July 6, 1924 | Arpajon, France | René Thomas | France | Delage La Torpille | IC | 143.21 | 143.31 | |
July 12, 1924 | Arpajon, France | Ernest A. D. Eldridge | Great Britain | FIAT Special Mephistopeles II | IC | 146.01 | 145.89 | Last record set on a public road |
September 25, 1924 | Pendine Sands, Wales | Malcolm Campbell | Great Britain | 350hp Sunbeam Blue Bird | IC | 146.15 | 146.16 | |
July 21, 1925 | Pendine Sands, Wales | Malcolm Campbell | Great Britain | 350hp Sunbeam Blue Bird | IC | 150.86 | 150.76 | |
March 21, 1926 | Southport, Great Britain | Henry Segrave | Great Britain | 4 Litre Sunbeam Ladybird | IC | 152.30 | 149.32 | |
April 27, 1926 | Pendine Sands, Wales | J. G. Parry-Thomas | Great Britain | Higham-Thomas Special Babs | IC | 169.29 | 168.07 | |
April 28, 1926 | Pendine Sands, Wales | J. G. Parry-Thomas | Great Britain | Higham-Thomas Special Babs | IC | 171.01 | 170.62 | |
February 4, 1927 | Pendine Sands, Wales | Malcolm Campbell | Great Britain | Campbell Napier Blue Bird | IC | 174.88 | 174.22 | Last record set in Europe |
March 29, 1927 | Daytona Beach, USA | Henry Seagrave | Great Britain | 100hp Sunbeam 'Slug' | IC | 202.98 | 203.79 | |
February 19, 1928 | Daytona Beach, USA | Malcolm Campbell | Great Britain | Campbell Napier Blue Bird | IC | 206.95 | ||
April 22, 1928 | Daytona Beach, USA | Ray Keech | USA | White Triplex Spirit of Elkdom | IC | 207.55 | ||
March 11, 1929 | Daytona Beach, USA | Henry Segrave | Great Britain | Irving-Napier Golden Arrow | IC | 231.56 | 231.36 | |
February 5, 1931 | Daytona Beach, USA | Malcolm Campbell | Great Britain | Campbell Napier Railton Blue Bird | IC | 246.08 | 245.73 | |
February 24, 1932 | Daytona Beach, USA | Malcolm Campbell | Great Britain | Campbell Napier Railton Blue Bird | IC | 251.34 | 253.96 | |
February 22, 1933 | Daytona Beach, USA | Malcolm Campbell | Great Britain | Campbell Rolls-Royce Railton Blue Bird | IC | 272.46 | 272.10 | |
March 7, 1935 | Daytona Beach, USA | Malcolm Campbell | Great Britain | Campbell Rolls-Royce Railton Blue Bird | IC | 276.16 | 276.71 | Last record set on a beach |
September 3, 1935 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | Malcolm Campbell | Great Britain | Campbell Rolls-Royce Railton Blue Bird | IC | 301.129 | ||
November 19, 1937 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | George E. T. Eyston | Great Britain | Thunderbolt | IC | 312.00 | 311.41 | |
August 27, 1938 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | George E. T. Eyston | Great Britain | Thunderbolt | IC | 345.20 | 345.48 | |
September 15, 1938 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | John Cobb | Great Britain | Railton | IC | 350.06 | 350.19 | |
September 16, 1938 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | George E. T. Eyston | Great Britain | Thunderbolt | IC | 357.33 | 357.49 | |
August 23, 1939 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | John Cobb | Great Britain | Railton | IC | 369.74 | 367.91 | Last record set in Utah |
September 16, 1947 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | John Cobb | Great Britain | Railton 'Mobil' Special | IC | 393.82 | 394.19 | First one-way over 400mph |
September 5, 1963 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | Craig Breedlove | USA | Spirit of America | Turbojet | 408.312 | 407.447 | Ratified by FIM as vehicle has 3 wheels |
October 5, 1964 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | Tom Green | USA | Wingfoot Express | Turbojet | 415.093 | 413.199 | |
October 7, 1964 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | Art Arfons | USA | The Green Monster | Turbojet | 434.356 | 434.022 | |
October 13, 1964 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | Craig Breedlove | USA | Spirit of America - Sonic 1 | Turbojet | 468.719 | ||
October 15, 1964 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | Craig Breedlove | USA | Spirit of America - Sonic 1 | Turbojet | 526.277 | ||
October 27, 1964 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | Art Arfons | USA | The Green Monster | Turbojet | 544.134 | 536.710 | |
November 2, 1965 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | Craig Breedlove | USA | Spirit of America - Sonic 1 | Turbojet | 555.485 | 555.485 | |
November 7, 1965 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | Art Arfons | USA | The Green Monster | Turbojet | 572.546 | 576.553 | |
November 15, 1965 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | Craig Breedlove | USA | Spirit of America - Sonic 1 | Turbojet | 600.842 | 600.601 | |
October 23, 1970 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | Gary Gabelich | USA | Blue Flame | Rocket | 630.389 | 622.407 | First record over 1000km/h |
October 4, 1983 | Black Rock Desert, USA | Richard Noble | Great Britain | Thrust 2 | Turbojet | 633.468 | ||
September 25, 1997 | Black Rock Desert, USA | Andy Green | Great Britain | Thrust SSC | Turbofan | 713.496 | 714.144 | |
October 15, 1997 | Black Rock Desert, USA | Andy Green | Great Britain | Thrust SSC | Turbofan | 760.343 | 763.035 | First supersonic record (Mach 1.016) |
External links
- http://www.sciencenet.org.uk/database/Technology/ThrustSSC/t00215d.html
- http://www.peterrenn.clara.net/l.s.r.html
- http://dmoz.org/Sports/Motorsports/Auto_Racing/Speed_Records/
- http://phyvax.ir.miami.edu:8001/curtright/lsr_history.html