High-Speed History

Written by Mighty Max

Since the dawn of man, people have striven to be the fastest. When the automobile was invented, this desire only became stronger. One after another, drivers mounting new and improved vehicles sprung from the woodwork and fought tooth and nail to be the fastest person on Earth and hold the land speed record. This was the golden age of the wheel-driven automobile and these are the drivers that risked it all to hold the title.

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High Speed History: A History of Land Speed World Records in the Golden Age of Wheel -Driven Automobiles

Car	MPH	Driver and (Country of Origin)	Location and Year	Power
Jeantaud Duc	39.24	Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat (France)	December, 1898 Achères, France	Electric
Jeantaud Duc	57.65	Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat (France)	March, 1899 Achères, France	Electric
La Jamais Contente	65.79	Camille Jenatzy (Belgium)	January, 1899 Achères, France	Electric
Gardner-Serpollet Œuf de Pâques	75.06	Léon Serpollet (France)	April, 1902 Nice, France	Steam
The Mors Machine	76.08	William K. Vanderbilt (USA)	August, 1902 St. Arnoult, France	Internal Combustion
Ford 999 Racer	91.37	Henry Ford (USA)	January, 1904 Lake St. Clair, United States	Internal Combustion
Stanley Rocket	127.66	Fred Marriot (USA)	January, 1906 Ormond Beach, United States	Steam
Fiat Mephistofele	145.89	Ernest Eldridge (United Kingdom)	July, 1924 Arpajon, France	Internal Combustion
Sunbeam 350HP Blue Bird	146.16	Malcolm Campbell (United Kingdom)	September, 1924 Pendine, United Kingdom	Internal Combustion
Sunbeam 350HP Blue Bird	150.87	Malcolm Campbell (United Kingdom)	July, 1925 Pendine, United Kingdom	Internal Combustion
Babs	170	Parry Thomas (United Kingdom)	April, 1926 Pendine, United Kingdom	Internal Combustion
Napier-Campbell Blue Bird II	174.88	Malcolm Campbell (United Kingdom)	February, 1927 Pendine, United Kingdom	Internal Combustion
Sunbeam 1000HP Mystery	203.79	Henry Seagrave (United Kingdom)	March, 1927 Daytona Beach, United States	Internal Combustion
Napier-Campbell Blue Bird III	206.96	Malcolm Campbell (United Kingdom)	February, 1928 Daytona Beach, United States	Internal Combustion
White Triplex	207.552	Ray Keech (USA)	April, 1928 Daytona Beach, United States	Internal Combustion
Golden Arrow	231.45	Henry Segrave (United Kingdom)	March, 1929 Daytona Beach, United States	Internal Combustion
Campbell-Napier-Railton Blue Bird IV	246.09	Malcolm Campbell (United Kingdom)	February, 1931 Verneuk Pan, South Africa	Internal Combustion
Campbell-Napier-Railton Blue Bird IV	253.97	Malcolm Campbell (United Kingdom)	February, 1932 Daytona Beach, United States	Internal Combustion
Campbell-Railton Blue Bird V	272.46	Malcolm Campbell (United Kingdom)	February, 1933 Daytona Beach, United States	Internal Combustion
Campbell-Railton Blue Bird V	276.82	Malcolm Campbell (United Kingdom)	March, 1935 Daytona Beach, United States	Internal Combustion
Campbell-Railton Blue Bird V	301.13	Malcolm Campbell (United Kingdom)	September, 1935 Bonneville Salt Flats, United States	Internal Combustion
Thunderbolt	311.42	George Eyston (United Kingdom)	November, 1937 Bonneville Salt Flats, United States	Internal Combustion
Thunderbolt	345.49	George Eyston (United Kingdom)	August, 1938 Bonneville Salt Flats, United States	Internal Combustion
Railton Special	350.20	John Cobb (United Kingdom)	September, 1938 Bonneville Salt Flats, United States	Internal Combustion
Thunderbolt	357.50	George Eyston (United Kingdom)	September, 1938 Bonneville Salt Flats, United States	Internal Combustion
Railton Special	369.74	John Cobb (United Kingdom)	August, 1939 Bonneville Salt Flats, United States	Internal Combustion
Railton Mobil Special	394.20	John Cobb (United Kingdom)	September, 1947 Bonneville Salt Flats, United States	Internal Combustion
Bluebird CN7	403.10	Donald Campbell (United Kingdom)	July, 1964 Lake, Eyre, Australia	Turboshaft
Goldenrod	409.28	Bob Summers (United States)	November, 1965 Bonneville Salt Flats, United States	Internal Combustion

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